u/Mom1021

 All the following suggestions apply to us still working on seizure management, with or without medications, implanted devices, and recently diagnosed. At the end of the day, whatever works for you is a victory, and I hope you have a neuro team that respects that.
 
Reduced Seizure Frequency: Regular aerobic exercise (like walking, running, or cycling) has been shown to significantly reduce the number of seizures in some individuals.

Neuroprotective Effects: Physical activity can help protect brain health by upregulating proteins like paralumin, which helps protect brain cells during a seizure. It may also decrease interictal epileptiform discharges—abnormal electrical activity between seizures.

Improved Brain Function: Exercise can lead to positive changes in hippocampal connectivity, which may help improve memory—a common concern for those with epilepsy.

Stress Reduction: Stress is a primary seizure trigger; exercise acts as a natural stress reliever, helping to lower the overall likelihood of an stress-induced event.

Better Sleep Quality: Physical activity promotes more restful sleep, which is critical since sleep deprivation is another major seizure trigger.

Fatigue Management: While seizures and medications can cause exhaustion, regular gentle exercise can actually boost overall energy levels and reduce fatigue.

Medication Side Effect Mitigation: Some studies suggest that being physically active can help reduce the severity of side effects from anti-seizure medications, such as weight gain and fatigue.

Mood and Mental Health: People with epilepsy face higher rates of depression and anxiety; exercise releases endorphins and regulates neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin to improve mood.

Comorbidity Prevention: Maintaining a healthy weight and cardiovascular fitness reduces the risk of other health issues, such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease, which can further complicate seizure management. 

This looks like the first step in getting a well thought out treatment plan that can get all specialists and family involved in care on the same page. Will this rx help more than hurt? That’s the question that can achieve an accurate answer for us after all! Join the zoom to talk about this one next week 🥳 Tues 12pm PST, meet details always posted here

Workout after seizure. Anyone make it happen? Today was a random focal, few sec episode. Ended up confused for about 30 min after. Started usual stretch about an hr after focal, got an immediate headache, gave up on the routine. Postictal vibe today = ☹️. Usually any exercise results in feeling good. Suggestions for workout after seizure?

A MayoClinic article inspired this one. Excited to hear if anyone else has an opinion on how important a consistent workout time is! Morning exercise is suggested to achieve a sense of accomplishment while starting your day. Those pleasurable endorphins are undeniable and the best motivation for my Pilates/reformer sessions before the rest of the house wakes up. Anyone relate?

Evening workouts have a selling point of best option for those who prefer not to get up early for exercise. I can understand being more mentally alert later in the day, and already having eaten a meal or two might result in preferable energy levels. Oxygen uptake kinetics, something I never learned about in school, is apparently beneficial in the afternoon. The body’s ability to take in and use oxygen is apparently better late afternoon/early evening, so high intensity activities might be better during those times. Good points are made about difficulty with motivation and scheduling.

Surprised to find out the benefits of afternoon exercise for longevity were most pronounced for men and seniors. Maybe for people who work shifts or really need the morning for sleep, early afternoon might still be the start of their day. Whatever part of the day works best for exercise, please share!

We can’t say enough that our medical conditions are each our own and can’t ever be sure about what to expect as time goes on. Today I’m confident that someone out there might have some useful info or anecdotes on how your catamenial condition has been in your life. I’m still trying to record the right data and review notes enough to learn about my own cycle, hoping I end up using this upcoming pcp visit to get the right tests and talk about what I need to for a chance at progress! Any suggestions at when to get bloodwork done and which tests to ask for to narrow down how catamenial my seizures are? Thanks to all! Will update once I know anything that might help others 🤗

Please fellow epileptics, do your best not to get caught in getting on another medication. GLP-1 weight loss meds aren’t the perfect solution to feel like you’re doing what you should to lose weight. The numbers on the scale might get smaller but not for the right reasons. You lose weight that consists of fat and muscle. Uh-oh. That muscle is needed to be able to do everyday things, and not feel old! We get slower and not as toned over time. It happens. Feeling older is a whole different story that doesn’t happen as quick if we use our muscles, protecting all the important things our body does! Stay safe out there, let’s cut deserts and try for losing fat instead of giving in to these shady weight loss drugs. 🤗

We own it! Our own mood and all that comes along with it. Getting things done for ourselves and those we care about is important. Any way we can find to make these chores more bearable, go for it! Case in point: BUSY Sunday at the playground. “PSSSST, that mama not in church clothes!” Trust, this day is 100x better with my own playlist as loud as I want. Epilepsy or not, we all here to have each others back on how to live right, so my tip for today, anything you want to keep the vibe right 🤗

Lower blood pressure is something plenty of us know the importance of. Overall better health is what we can look forward to after doing a few exercises in good time and keep it up! These moves don’t take as much effort as an intense, hours in a gym routine. Safety is a huge part of isometric appeal, since concerns about seizures during exercise is real for us. These exercises, done right, can bring you benefits!

Contracting muscles is priority in isometric exercise. Along with muscles, blood vessels get worked out, getting you a happier heart! As goes with all fitness, it’s personal. Not everyone can hold a nice 90 degree wall squat for 2 minutes, but no need. Try the moves, see how they work, and just breathe. Best part about isometrics is how you can’t help but feel better! Try it yourself to see there really is such thing as sore muscles feeling good, because you know they’re not from a seizure!