People with epilepsy and their physicians explored a cure in numerous plants and combinations of herbs throughout the ages before contemporary seizure drugs were present. They sometimes came upon one that seemed to be of assistance. CBD and similar supplements can help you address these issues.
None of these treatments have been scientifically safe and effective. Unfortunately, some of these may aggravate seizures by producing them or interfering with doctors’ seizure drugs. Even if specific herbal treatments are accessible as dietary supplements, just because they are “natural” does not mean they are safe for persons with epilepsy.
This factor does not mean that if you have epilepsy, you should avoid any herbs. There are hundreds of herbal medicines to choose from, and our understanding of their effects is far from comprehensive. Testing a possible treatment on many patients in a controlled manner is a costly endeavor. Herb research has gotten much attention recently, and it is starting to pay off. Tests are now undergoing on one ingredient connected to medicinal marijuana and another from a Chinese moss plant.
Why Is It So Difficult To Treat Epilepsy With Herbs?
Even when we have some knowledge about a specific plant, it might be challenging to put into practice. In the United States, the forms, doses, and combinations of herbs are not adequately standardized. The FDA deems a herb a “dietary supplement” if the maker does not promise to treat or prevent a specific medical disease. It is regulated considerably less tightly than other drugs.
One complicating problem is that persons with epilepsy may have adverse side effects from a herb or herbal combination that is generally harmless for everyone else. A few herbs (including several popular ones) seem to enhance the risk of seizures directly. Many additional medications may interact with seizure medications, increasing episodes or aggravating adverse effects. Naturally, the impact varies depending on the seizures you experience and the seizure medications.
How can you learn more about these herbal therapies?
Read on if you consider taking a herbal drug because you are unhappy with your current epilepsy therapy or heard it might help with other issues (such as memory loss, depression, sleep, or PMS).
Please make an effort to educate yourself.
Do not depend on statements made by the manufacturer or a firm seeking to sell you a herb if you are trying to find out whether it is right for you.
Go to online sites and other credible sources for impartial information on the herb, the illness you wish to treat, and all the other drugs you are taking.
Have you considered using CBD oil tincture to treat seizures? Medically authorized CBD can decrease epilepsy symptoms.
Cannabis (or marijuana) is not a stranger to epilepsy treatment. It only recently became lawful to use cannabis products for medicinal purposes. In 2018, the FDA authorized Epidiolex, a CBD-based oil for epilepsy and seizures, to address certain epileptic conditions.
Around a third of persons with epilepsy face drug resistance, which means standard medications do not control seizures. The idea that medicinal marijuana might assist persons with resistance to epilepsy drugs (refractory epilepsy) to lessen or even eliminate attacks is thrilling.
What exactly is CBD?
It is not THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, that is behind giving people the ‘high’ feeling.
CBD is collected from cannabis and hemp plants and generally converts into an orally-taken oil.
What is the mechanism through which CBD oil prevents seizures?
Although scientists are unclear how CBD lowers seizures, it may prevent brain cells from harming or getting ‘overstimulated.’ it could help prevent strokes by interacting with CB1 receptors on particular cells. These cells may be present throughout the brain’s nervous system and memory-related areas.
Epidiolex to treat seizures (CBD Oil)
The FDA authorized Epidiolex, a novel drug, to treat two severe types of epilepsy in 2018:
- Dravet Syndrome
- Syndrome of Lennox-Gastaut
The medicine gained approval following many studies that indicated a substantial decrease in seizures in persons with these illnesses. This authorization came combined with their other epilepsy drugs.
CBD oil for seizures may be available at health food shops
CBD products to address outbreaks are generally accessible from the health food shop in most US states. The rules may vary depending on your location. Therefore, it is pertinent to check with your local healthcare providers. Many firms sell CBD oil to treat various ailments, including anxiety, chronic pain, and sleeplessness, and it might even be available as an epileptic treatment.
If you want to buy CBD oil to help with seizures, please see a doctor first. According to studies, ‘artisanal’ CBD oil is lawful but produced by tiny businesses. So, please follow your doctor’s advice.
CBD oil with seizure medicine: Interactions and Potential Side Effects
While CBD products may help with seizures, please use them with care and under the supervision of a medical practitioner. This factor is due to the following:
CBD can induce drowsiness, diarrhea, exhaustion, reduced appetite, and liver damage.
CBD may interact adversely with epilepsy medication. Valproic acid users may have a rise in enzymes, leading to liver damage, and Clobazam users may feel extremely sleepy.
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Should you enlist the help of a doctor?
Take the facts you have gathered to your physician. Tell your doctor how you are feeling (remember to bring your seizure calendar) and ask if there is anything else you can try if you are having seizures or experiencing intolerable side effects. When you tell the doctor you have been looking into herbal therapy, they should listen. Doctors are also attempting to educate themselves on herbal products. Thus, the doctor may or may not know more about that plant.
If your doctor thinks it is acceptable, use the herbal medication with your usual seizure prescription, but do not exceed the specified amount.
Do not disregard any new side effects; instead, see your doctor.
Also, never use a herbal remedy instead of your prescription seizure medication. If you do, you might develop status epilepticus, a life-threatening condition characterized by prolonged seizures.
Please tell your doctor about all of the herbs and over-the-counter medications you use every time you go to the doctor. The simplest method is to bring all of the bottles with you.
Conclusion
If you seek counsel from a herbalist, be careful to inform them of any prescription and nonprescription medications. A professional herbalist will be aware of any potentially dangerous interactions. Natural remedies can be highly beneficial. However, every user’s responsibility is to ensure that they take these products in moderation. Please do not think that supplements like CBD are not a replacement for medicines. Although they can have immense benefits, these products work best when you take them in moderation. If there is any risk of adverse reactions due to these supplements, please do not use them.
