We are pleased to announce that as of March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor has been introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!
Dietician Appointment Today
swezeytba
Posts: 624 Member
With the blessing of my neurologist I am having a consultation with a dietician today to "hopefully" make sure that the way I am following the ketogenic diet is correct for helping with my epilepsy. If I'm in this for the long haul I want to be doing it in the most effective way for my disease.
I am however slightly doubtful about how much this dietitian will actually know about the ketogenic diet for adults so am sort of crossing my fingers and adopting a wait and see attitude.
Let's hope I come out of this with some useful information!
I am however slightly doubtful about how much this dietitian will actually know about the ketogenic diet for adults so am sort of crossing my fingers and adopting a wait and see attitude.
Let's hope I come out of this with some useful information!
6
Replies
-
Best of luck!0
-
With the blessing of my neurologist I am having a consultation with a dietician today to "hopefully" make sure that the way I am following the ketogenic diet is correct for helping with my epilepsy. If I'm in this for the long haul I want to be doing it in the most effective way for my disease.
I am however slightly doubtful about how much this dietitian will actually know about the ketogenic diet for adults so am sort of crossing my fingers and adopting a wait and see attitude.
Let's hope I come out of this with some useful information!
Let us know how it goes!
FYi, there is an interesting keto resource available exclusively through healthcare pros, in the event your dietitian is someone you can work with.
https://www.ketodietcalculator.org/0 -
Hope it works out and he/She has some insight. I just posted that keto has quit working for me. It was true magic for 6 month then progressively not so much. Hopefully you'll be better off since it is Epilepsy. Fingers crossed for you.1
-
Good luck with the consultation, keep us posted.1
-
Good luck!!1
-
Have you looked at the resources in the Charlie foundations web site? My friend's daughter does Keto for her epilepsy and it works.
http://charliefoundation.org1 -
Unfortunately.....the appointment was a disappointment for sure.....I believe that half the people on this forum know more about the ketogenic diet than this lady did. No offense against her, she was a really nice lady, but did not have any new information for me that was helpful. She basically just looked online like we all do and came up with the Charlie Foundation and a couple other sites that I know we all frequent.
The only good thing that might come out of it is the keto resource that @RalfLott mentioned which is https://www.ketodietcalculator.org/ and is only available through a medical professional. She is supposed to try and get me hooked up with that so am hopeful that will be beneficial.1 -
Unfortunately.....the appointment was a disappointment for sure.....I believe that half the people on this forum know more about the ketogenic diet than this lady did. No offense against her, she was a really nice lady, but did not have any new information for me that was helpful. She basically just looked online like we all do and came up with the Charlie Foundation and a couple other sites that I know we all frequent.
The only good thing that might come out of it is the keto resource that @RalfLott mentioned which is https://www.ketodietcalculator.org/ and is only available through a medical professional. She is supposed to try and get me hooked up with that so am hopeful that will be beneficial.
That would be cool.
I like my dietitian, but she has had misgivings about ordering the program. I wonder if the connection to the Charlie Foundation is problematic for her for some reason....
Anyhow, here's a video of Beth Zupec-Kania, the warm, knowledgeable woman behind the program:
https://youtu.be/rXZ-HaJo4-s 0 -
I've found that, by and large, medical professionals are only good for helping me get stuff that only they have access to. In this day and age, there's not much information I can't obtain from perusing the studies, myself, that I can get from a doctor.
In a way, I've found that it creates a collaborative relationship, because I can come in prepared and am able to better explain what's going on, so we spend less time taking shots in the dark and more time finding answers and trying solutions.6 -
Yep. @RalfLott you posted that several months ago and I found it quite helpful so thank you again for that. @swezeytba, hopefully more good will come from the appointment.1
-
Dragonwolf wrote: »I've found that, by and large, medical professionals are only good for helping me get stuff that only they have access to. In this day and age, there's not much information I can't obtain from perusing the studies, myself, that I can get from a doctor.
In a way, I've found that it creates a collaborative relationship, because I can come in prepared and am able to better explain what's going on, so we spend less time taking shots in the dark and more time finding answers and trying solutions.
What level of detail do you come armed with - concepts? studies?0 -
Dragonwolf wrote: »I've found that, by and large, medical professionals are only good for helping me get stuff that only they have access to. In this day and age, there's not much information I can't obtain from perusing the studies, myself, that I can get from a doctor.
In a way, I've found that it creates a collaborative relationship, because I can come in prepared and am able to better explain what's going on, so we spend less time taking shots in the dark and more time finding answers and trying solutions.
I think that's sort of what happened here. I was so well informed that any information she might have been able to tell me I already knew. She did confirm for me that she thought my average meal plan seemed to be following the diet plans she had investigated. So it was a confirmation that I seem to be eating the way I should.2 -
Confirmation is better than nothing, I guess.
Dragonwolf wrote: »I've found that, by and large, medical professionals are only good for helping me get stuff that only they have access to. In this day and age, there's not much information I can't obtain from perusing the studies, myself, that I can get from a doctor.
In a way, I've found that it creates a collaborative relationship, because I can come in prepared and am able to better explain what's going on, so we spend less time taking shots in the dark and more time finding answers and trying solutions.
I would LOVE to steal my doctor's prescription pad and referral access. It would make my life simpler. So much simpler!3 -
I have taken to eating Keto to control migraines. When my reading on neurologic disease and Keto pointed towards treatment for epilepsy it sparkled interest. My doc was going to prescribe me antiepileptic drugs next to see if they had any effect on me. But this seems to work. Odd how my doc has no knowledge of it and won't refer me on though. I am all for self research but it would be nice if the medical community would work a bit harder in our favour.5
-
It's not that they're not working in our favor -- it's that they're working to not get sued.7
-
It's not that they're not working in our favor -- it's that they're working to not get sued.
Or lose money through prescribing drugs that pharma companies sponsor them to do....
True story:
My mother was in the Doctor's waiting room, waiting for a prescription for my dad's medication.
Young lady opposite her, attractive, business-like, elegant.... large Gladstone-like briefcase in front of her, with paperwork and stuff poking out of the outer pockets. Obviously a Rep.
Doctor's door is already open. Receptionist asks Rep to go in.
She gets up, and from across the waiting room, loudly asks the Doctor how many packs of 'whatever-it-was' he's prescribed this week.
"42!" cries an unseen person.
"Ooooh!" replies the Rep, "Not enough! You need to be doing at least 60..."
At which point my mother interjects, loudly (and somewhat crossly), ..."Or you won't be given that holiday in the Bahamas or that nice fat bonus cheque!"
Doctor is by now at door. Rep is just in front of him.
Both look at my Mother, and disappear into the office without a further word, but obviously very awkward, and not a little dicomfitted....10 -
I think it's cool the dietitian is willing to be educated. It's better than one who refuses to even listen.1
-
Dragonwolf wrote: »I've found that, by and large, medical professionals are only good for helping me get stuff that only they have access to. In this day and age, there's not much information I can't obtain from perusing the studies, myself, that I can get from a doctor.
In a way, I've found that it creates a collaborative relationship, because I can come in prepared and am able to better explain what's going on, so we spend less time taking shots in the dark and more time finding answers and trying solutions.
What level of detail do you come armed with - concepts? studies?
I try to have or at least be able to reference studies (or, depending on the topic, notes on observed symptoms) when seeing a doctor. However, it usually ends up just being concepts, as they tend to shut down when I start talking about the research I've found and explaining how I came to a given conclusion or down whatever path. In a few cases, it's basically "okay, she's done her homework enough to justify the test she's asking for," though that's generally only with the specialists, the GPs that don't shut down in the bad way ("la la la! I'm not listening, because I'm the doctor and you're the patient! la la la!") tend to be few and far between, though worth it when you can find them.2 -
I'm sorry it wasn't overly helpful. I hope the diet ends up working well for you!1
-
-
I'm on Keto for epilepsy too. My doctor put me on it in 2013 and I went off it (by his and my OB's advice) when I got pregnant with my son. Getting back on it now (even though I'm also medicated) because I feel better on it, to lose weight, help with fertility, and reduce headaches and migraines (seizures are currently controlled). Best of luck with your epilepsy management - seizures really limit life. I've been seizure free for almost 3.5 years now.
I never thought my life could be "normal", and it's amazing.
Hoping to get pregnant again soon, but this time we are modifying my keto diet, but I won't be abandoning it completely, which I think will make the pregnancy and postpartum much easier.3 -
@megdnoorman , Dr Jason Fung states that a keto diet is not harmful to pregnant women, though he actively discourages fasting, but states that if it is desired, a 24-hour fast should be ok, but certainly no longer..... He also states children and teenagers should absolutely NOT fast.
I think this link has been posted elsewhere, but it bears repeating....
https://www.dietdoctor.com/intermittent-fasting/questions-and-answers#who
2 -
megdnoorman wrote: »I'm on Keto for epilepsy too. My doctor put me on it in 2013 and I went off it (by his and my OB's advice) when I got pregnant with my son. Getting back on it now (even though I'm also medicated) because I feel better on it, to lose weight, help with fertility, and reduce headaches and migraines (seizures are currently controlled). Best of luck with your epilepsy management - seizures really limit life. I've been seizure free for almost 3.5 years now.
I never thought my life could be "normal", and it's amazing.
Hoping to get pregnant again soon, but this time we are modifying my keto diet, but I won't be abandoning it completely, which I think will make the pregnancy and postpartum much easier.
@megdnoorman - So glad you were able to be free from seizures following this diet. Gives me some hope. I'm currently 65 days seizure free. I had seizures when I was younger and they went away. Came back almost 8 years ago and since then I think 190 days is the longest I've gone without having any. Haven't driven since that day so I think that is the most limiting thing for me.
If it wasn't for my family and their support not sure what I would do!2 -
@megdnoorman - So glad you were able to be free from seizures following this diet. Gives me some hope. I'm currently 65 days seizure free. I had seizures when I was younger and they went away. Came back almost 8 years ago and since then I think 190 days is the longest I've gone without having any. Haven't driven since that day so I think that is the most limiting thing for me.
If it wasn't for my family and their support not sure what I would do!
Thanks! Yes, having a good support system is key. I had a similar seizure experience. I had seizures as an infant/toddler and then they went away. They came back when I was 14, and I spent the next 10+ years having seizures 2-3 times a month, sometimes more. Finding the right medication + the ketogenic diet has truly changed my life. I hope you have similar success!
1 -
Haven't seen her around much lately, but maybe she can chime in and help? @kimbo84351
This discussion has been closed.