This main post will serve as a host for links to websites with information on a variety of chronic conditions. If you have a helpful link, please leave that information in your post, or you can inbox me.
DEFINITION OF CHRONIC CONDITION: (1)Persistent or recurring condition - eczema, for example. The condition itself may or may not be severe, often starts gradually and changes will be slow. (2)A condition which current medical science can alleviate but not cure such as Eczema or Arthritis. LINKS
*This list will be expanded as other conditions are mentioned.*
PLEASE DO NOT post in this thread if you DO NOT have anything to contribute. This is for those who suffer from chronic conditions, their questions and any advice that can be offered.
[+] For eczema, I reccommend flax seed oil and vitamin E. I take one of each in pill form every morning, and they work wonders; you can also get it in a sort of powder and put it in food. My grandma bakes cookies with it. :3
[+] Double rinse your clothes when you wash them, and use detergents for sensitive skin.
[+] I find applying a very generous amount of hand cream (Aveeno, Nutrogena, Glycomed, Prevex, and Herbacin all work well) before bed and wearing cotton gloves or old socks locks in moisture. I've been told it does the opposite, but it works very well for me.
[+] Only use unscented creams and stuff like that.
[+] Watch your diet; avoid stuff you're allergic to. For instance, I can't eat too much in the means of citrus fruits or anything acidic like that. No oranges, tomatoes, strawberries. Dx
[+] If you do dishes, avoid liquid dish soap like the plague. Same with anything dealing with bleach. I worked with bleach for a short time unknowingly, and my hands broke out so bad I couldn't open or close them. Dx
[+] Wash all new clothes and sheets before wearing them.
[+] Avoid stress. Yeah, I know, impossible, but at least try; it really helps. :3
So yeah... I know most of it is simple common sense. I'm not sure if I've just told you stuff you already know, too, but I hope it helps at least a little! :3
---
Und ich höre deinen atem
Und ich rieche deine angst
Ich kann nicht mehr länger warten
Denn ich weiss was du verlangst
Helen, I sent this to your inbox, but here is a copy for anyone else who might have epilepsy -
I saw a post you made a while back in the Food and Health forum about epilepsy.
I know a lot about it (my mum, cousin and best friend all have it) and I also know a lot about tegretol and Keppra, as my mum was on both.
Can I just warn you though, to stay the hell away from Keppra.
Seriously. You can check this up if you don't want to trust my word on it (it was released into medical journals in Ireland in May 2008). Keppra, in 15% of patients can cause IRREVERSIBLE spinal cord and nervous system damage.
I'm not saying this to scare you, honest to god I'm not. But my mum was one of those 15% and is now permanently ill, she will never get better, and it was directly attributed to her taking Keppra. It basically poisoned her body.
You need to talk to your neurologist about it and INSIST he tell you about the details of Keppra side effects. I know for a fact that they were released into medical journals in May 2008, my mum's neurologist told her.
Tegretol is a pretty good epilepsy medication though. My mum is on that and one other that I don't have the name of offhand, but can get if you'd like.
Warnings aside, epilepsy is easy enough to manage. You can't drive until you are 1 year free from seizures while off medication, which sucks but at least it doesn't hinder your life all that much.
Best advice is to stay off drink, it can seriously fuck up your tablets.
Get lots of sleep (my best friend is affected by a lack of sleep, if he doesn't get 8 hours, he fits, and his doc said that it's pretty normal for it to be associated with sleep deprivation.).
Also, try to stay de-stressed as much as you can, stress can make you more inclined to have a seizure.
Make sure your friends and family know not to move you when you fit, unless you are in danger. There is an old method that people used of putting a spoon into the fitting person's mouth - DO NOT DO THIS. It can cause you to bite your tongue off. No joke.
If you're having tonic-clonic (or grand mal) seizures (the ones where you drop to the floor and jerk around basically), the last point about making sure you're not moved unless in danger is very important.
Sorry if I freaked you out, but I warn everyone I hear of who is on Keppra, because it's not something doctors generally tell patients, as Keppra is so widely used and the problems associated with it have only been recognised in the last year (although my mum has been suffering because of them for 10 years), that's why I warn people.
Aside from that, I hope I was able to help. Epilepsy shouldn't stop you from having a totally normal life, and is easy enough to control. It doesn't shorten life expectancy really either.
