I have a medical question...

Question

I became a vegetarian during my freshman year. During my sophomore year I was diagnosed with epilepsy. I'm now going to be a senior and these past few years have been rough. I've gone from medication to medication, because I've had really bad side effects from them. Lately I've been feeling ill all the time. I went to my regular doctor and she didn't find anything else wrong with me. I'm wondering if I would feel better if I started eating some meat again. I hate the idea, but at this point I'm willing to do anything to feel better. (And if you think that's a good idea, how should I start?) My friends and my parents have suggested this to me many times. If anyone has any professional advice or can speak from experience, I'd love to hear from you.

Answer 1

I don't think it's the fact that you are a vegetarian.  But the reality is most uneducated vegetarians lack enough protein in their diets, which causes alot of problems.  The simplest source of protein is meats, but it's not the only source.  Try doing some research and finding what foods are good sources of protein (like nuts) and increase those in your diet.  You may also want to increase your consumption of leafy greens to ensure your iron intake is adequate.  

Just look at your diet and do some research.  See not only what nutrients you are missing, but make sure none of those foods interact with the drugs you are taking.  Grapefruit interacts with alot of stuff, making your medicatoins basically ineffective.  You can't eat broccoli if you are on blood thinners.  Things like that can really s***w up your system.

If you decide to pick up meats again, start with eggs.  Then move to fish.  Start will small quantities at a time, like once a day and gradually incorporate it back into your diet.  Your biggest problem now is probably that you are a vegetarian and the rest of the household is not.  You don't get to pick and choose your own meals, so your diet isn't complete.  Just do your research, so you have a better understanding of what you need to be eating.

Answer 2

Not getting enough protein can make a person feel sluggish and tired. Sound like you have alot going on, so it is hard to say if this is the problem. A good number of medications for epilepsy can make you feel very tired. If you want to remain a vegetarian, try eating beans, lentils, cheese, milk, yogurt, spinach, and other high protein foods.  

Answer 3

I am also a vegetarian. have you tried taking iron pills or supplemints?

Talk to your doctor and ask whats best.  

Answer 4

Have you ever tried Dilantin?  My old gf and her brother use to use this (they both had epilepsy) and neither of them ever complained about side affects from the medication.  It's an older medication I am sure since this is 30 years ago we're talking.  But what works works!  

Answer 5

I was the same age when I became a vegetarian.  DON'T GIVE UP.  Everyone thinks they know best but unless you're eating organic meats don't bother, you're doing more harm than good.  All the hormones and antibiotics are messing humans up cause antibiotic resistance and reproductive problems, infertility as well as early puberty etc.  

Make sure you eat right!  Eat 1/2 C of raw almonds, it has a lot of vitamins and minerals plus protein.  Fava beans have a lot of protein as well.  Raw peanuts have the most protein so go to a health food store and get some in the bulk section.  Peanut butter has too much sugar and raw is best for you.  If you can avoid soy do it because that can also cause a hormonal imbalance since it has phytohormones which mimic estrogen.  

You also could be low in b-12 and iron...mercola.com sells a b-12 spray which is highly absorbable.  To get iron you can take a tablespoon of blackstrap molasses.  This will provide iron and minerals you may be lacking.

Do you drink diet sodas, artificial sweeteners have a huge link to epilepsy.  

Please don't give up  meat won't make you feel better, better eating will.

Take a good multi vitamin and email me if you have any questions!

Answer 6

You may be right. You could be lacking protein which is what you get from meat.  You may want to consider eating some eggs. Or maybe even some chicken. Protein is vital for healthy brain and muscle function. There are also vegetarian diets you can look up that show you how to add the protein, by eating things like beans and nuts without having to eat any meat.

http://www.ehow.com/how_148_eat-protein-...

Answer 7

I am not a doctor and I have no medical training whatsoever so I'm just guessing here.  If it is true that epilepsy is caused by some mis-connects in the brain's electrical system, the protein in meat may help you.  However, you may want to try getting protein from other sources first, like eggs, quiona and soy.  See if that helps.  If you do start to eat meat again, it's going to be hard on your digestive system, so start with small portions of fish and chicken b*****s.  The important thing is to be healthy and eat balanced meals whether you are vegetarian or not.  Best of luck.  I hope it all works out for you.  BTW, I am a vegetarian, so I hope this is as unbiased as possible.  

Answer 8

Well, I don't know much about epilepsy, and I'm not a professional. But It might be your not getting enough protein(although I doubt that's the reason you got the disease cause i think it is mostly genetic and inherited). I would definitely try to get protein that's not meat first. Here are some ideas:

Eggs

Cottage Cheese

Peanut Butter

Protein Bars

Protein Supplements

Protein Powder(You could like put it in a milkshake.)

Cheese

Bananas

Nuts

I would talk to your doctor about the Protein Bars, supplements, and Powder. The other stuff is just everyday food. If that doesn't work I would just eat meat for as long as you need to see if you feel better. If you dont then you know its not protein thats the problem.

Hope I helped. Good Luck and Feel Better! : )