[seize the day]

I'm new to this website, and found it because I was looking up stuff about the ketogenic diet.

I'm epileptic and my doctor suggested it because it's supposed to help decrease seizures. For a long time I've been against doing it because I was worried that the high fat nature of the diet would make me gain weight.

Being on anti-convulsive medication is terrible for keeping a normal weight. I've been on medications that make me gain 20-30 pounds in a month, as well as ones that make me drop weight at crazy speeds.

After being on a medication that made me balloon from 120 to 146 in about three months (and it didn't even control the seizures ) I was switched to a new medication which controls about 50% of my seizures. I am hoping the ketogenic diet will help with the other 50% of my seizures, but I've been so worried that it will make me put on weight, and I've worked so hard over the past few months to get my weight back down (I am now 128.4).

After talking to my doctor, researching it, and reading about the experiences people have had on this website with it, I am really relieved and ready to start the diet. Maybe it can help me drop that extra 8.4 lbs, and much more importantly, help me stop having seizures.

My goals is to be healthy, both in weight, and in neurological health. I really want to have a driver's license someday (I'm 24 and I've never been legally able to have one because of my condition), and be able to live on my own, or at the very least, be allowed to shower/bathe, use the stove, while I'm alone.

Is anyone else doing this diet for epilepsy control? And/or does anyone have any tips for getting started?

[FiftyFive]

Hello and welcome to 3FC!
I`m not epileptic but I`ve read a few “ketogenic type” books and all to some extent talk about being used for epilepsy, specially in kids. I`m sure I`ve read about it in The Ketogenic Diet by Lyle Macdonals, Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution and Gary Taubes` ones (Good Calories Bad Calories and Why We Get Fat). It`s really fascinating!
I was put on a ketogenic diet by my endocrinologist because I have insulin resistance, a family history of high blood pressure and high cholesterol (even though I was running more than 50 miles a week at the time)
I would really suggest you read the books and you`ll get an insight of how the ketogenic diet works!!!!
Good luck!!!

Special recommendation for the Gary Taubes books!

[Lolo70]

I think you can find some information at John Hopkins:

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/neuro...enic_diet.html

or the epilepsy foundation:
http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/tre...ketogenic_diet

It used to be a very low carb very high fat diet. I only know it as a therapy for brain cancer, but it has been used for some time for the treatment of childhood epilepsy. They are doing studies now with a modified Atkins diet, which also seems to work against seizures. But I think you or your doctor need to get in contact with an expert to figure out the right ratios.

There are books as well, but there is a lot of research going on, so contacting somebody at the forefront is probably a good idea. It seems to work well for a lot of people and if you can do Atkins, it would not be that restrictive. Good luck.

[seize the day]

Thanks for the advice. I just bought the Lyle Macdonals book and have been browsing a number of websites. My doctor also gave me a pamphlet of information on what my ratios etc. should be. I'm still getting used to counting carbs and recognizing what foods carry a lot of carbs. Eating a lot of fat is also a huge habit change (first time I've ever had full fat sour cream, cream cheese, milk etc.), but if it works it will be worth it!

Thanks for all the resources.