Anyone with epilepsy trying to lose weight? Need friends.

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txangie
txangie Posts: 13 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Two years ago I was devastated by the sudden development of intractable epilepsy after suffering a small brain injury due to an antibiotic. I was a very healthy woman, an obstetrician and surgeon and I had a full and happy life. Due to my medications I started to gain weight. My whole body began to hurt especially, my large joints (a side effect of the medication), causing me to decrease exercise which added to the weight gain. I became severely depressed and nothing I tried helped me to lose weight, I just kept gaining. It has been a long journey so far but I think I have finally found the right combination of diet and exercise and I am finally losing weight! MyFitnessPal is not the first program that I have tried to help in my weight loss journey but it certainly is one of the best. I have been afraid to join this community because I was afraid to fail again but I refuse to fail. I will NOT fail! One of the things that I lost when I developed epilepsy was social interaction. I miss that and I would very much like to have some friends. I need encouragement and I would like to be an encouragement for others.
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Replies

  • cheshirequeen
    cheshirequeen Posts: 1,324 Member
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    i have had epilepsy since i was 15. my problems was getting onto another med so when i got pregnant, it wouldnt hurt my 3 year old. i gained all the weight and couldnt drop it. ive maintained for 1 year now and if you need any help, feel free to friend me.
  • chantalb20
    chantalb20 Posts: 132
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    I just wanted to say that I'm incredibly sorry that you had to go through that, and good luck with your weight loss journey. :flowerforyou:
  • lilscuder
    lilscuder Posts: 88 Member
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    I just wanted to say that I'm incredibly sorry that you had to go through that, and good luck with your weight loss journey. :flowerforyou:


    Hi Angie ~ I'm sorry to hear your story. I have been on MFP for 2 years now. It had been the best thing ever for me. I have a handful of friends that keep me inspired and are always there to support me. If you would like to add me, I would be more than happy to have you as a MFP friend and do my best to keep you motivated and inspired.

    This website has been a God send for many people who have joined MFP. Good Luck to you on your journey. :wink:
  • Sharont213
    Sharont213 Posts: 323 Member
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    Hi .. I have been on MFP for nearly 2 years now and have devoloped a circle of virtual friends that are more like family than anything else. They keep me going, keep my moving, keep me company in the journey. I hope that I give them as much as I they give me. I will send you a friend request and if you would like to accept it, I will try to keep you company along the way as you regain your own health and happiness. If you don't accept it, that's fine.. no hard feelings. Regardless, my best wishes to you..
  • dani_1977
    dani_1977 Posts: 557 Member
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    Sorry for what you have gone through over the past years... but look you are the right track now! 7lbs down

    GGGGOOOOOO Angie:wink:

    Feel free to add me as a friend if you like for extra support and motivation, I am always looking for more.
  • stephm112
    stephm112 Posts: 297 Member
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    Hiya love. Sorry you've had such a hard time of it. I was diagnosed with temporal lobe epilepsy when I was 14. On and off different meds, fit free for a few years and since joining the gym it's started up again which is strange. I have been big since a child so epilepsy was just the icing on the cake. You definitely need to have supportive people around you so feel free to add me and I'll help however I can. I totally understand the social side of things with epilepsy. My memory is quite badly affected and I'll forget how to speak, how to read. Thank god for patient friends but it was very hard getting the confidence to speak up. I don't care any more my friends know I'm a nut nut. Good luck on your weight loss journey. Consistency is the key xxx
  • txangie
    txangie Posts: 13 Member
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    Thanks so much to everyone who has responded to me. Good luck to all of you as you travel your difficult journeys too.
  • treimnitz
    treimnitz Posts: 51 Member
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    Hi Angie! I was diagnosed with temporal lobe epilepsy back in 2002!
    Unfortunately, I have had seizures if I go to the gym and work out "too hard." I'll be on one of the elliptical machines or stairclimbers and I'll faint and fall on the floor! The people at the gym (half the time) won't realize it's a seizure and think I'm working out "too hard."
    I love to work out, so this makes it very hard! :(
    I'm hoping this will stop and I'll be able to get back into the swing of things.
    I'm glad to see that you have been succeeding at losing weight, so keep up the good work!
    You can add me as one of your friends if you'd like.
  • phoenix147
    phoenix147 Posts: 1
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    i'm 20 years old, i', over weight and aswell i have had epilepsy since i was 13. for 7 years ive been trying to lose weight and i was unsuccessful every time. ive tried evrything ive changed the my lifestyle by eating healthy and exercising every 3-4 days and still nothing helps.. i have been considering taking diet pills but im scared of the effect it might have with the epilepsy pills im taking.. i realy need to lose weight and i was wondering if anyone has some good advice
  • hesuty
    hesuty Posts: 1
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    I'm in the same situation. Exercise induces seizures for me and one of the meds I'm on causes weight gain so it is really really difficult to stay healthy. Even with low impact workouts I still have problems. Amy advice?
  • megmay2591
    megmay2591 Posts: 621 Member
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    I'm not technically epileptic. But I did have my first seizure October 2012 and am still currently taking Levetiracetam to control seizures. My mother is epileptic and takes a generic Epitol to control her seizures. I'm hoping not to have another seizure, but I've heard that can be helpful in figuring out more. My medication and my disorder to not affect my exercising.

    Feel free to add me!
  • ChapinaGrande
    ChapinaGrande Posts: 289 Member
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    Hi! It's so interesting I would find your post today. I went to the neurologist last week and will go for an EEG this week to see if my childhood epilepsy is back, or never really disappeared, rather. I had tonic clonics before I went to kindergarten, but they stopped. Now, a doctor is concerned with symptoms I've had my whole life that are getting worse that are symptoms of temporal lobe epilepsy. I'm really concerned with gaining all my weight back if I need to get back on medications. I'd love to support you and, if applicable, share epilepsy notes. Add me if you like!
  • joannemgregory74
    joannemgregory74 Posts: 33
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    Hi I have had Epilepsy since I was 15 I have struggled with my weight on and off. Feel free to add me as a friend.

    The doctor's changed my medication about 12 months ago. I put 4 1/2 stone on which was depressing considering I had only just finished losing 5 stone. A month ago they doubled my medication at this point I decided I had to be proactive because the Consultant point blank told me I expect you to put a couple of stone on before your next appointment in 6 months. It was a red flag to a bull. I am determined to go to see her in September having lost about that much.

    I am constantly hungry a side effect of my Sodium Valproate. (nickname sodium Vaprobloat) I have managed to stick well to my healthy eating plan so far 3 weeks.

    I have boxes of cut up veg in the fridge which my partner prepares for me. They are a life saver nibbling on them helps me through the day. I am eating a healthy 1590 cals plus exercise cals with my weigh loss set to 1lb a week.
  • MommaChocoLatte
    MommaChocoLatte Posts: 389 Member
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    I was diagnosed with epilepsy when I was 9, I am 37 now. I was also taking a med that had a weight gain side effect my entire life but never had an issue until recently due to a hormone imbalance. I changed my meds a few months ago to one that doesnt have that side effect.

    As far as diet pills go, I have never been able to take them. I did try and every time I did, I had a seizure. To me, it's not worth it. Frustrating, yes but in the end it is much more worth the extra time and effort that goes into being healthy and staying healthy rather than a quick fix and having the weight more likely to come back.

    Would also love to have some friends in the same boat as I am, feel free to add me if you like!
  • GracefulDancer4Christ
    GracefulDancer4Christ Posts: 419 Member
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    I used to have Epilsey at the age of 8 months old. I have been healed of it since then but would love to encourage and support you.
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
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    One of my best female friends is and luckily her episodes are very rare now. She just got on WW for her wedding (I set her up with my old roommate) and she goes on and off. The high stress of planning a wedding, a boss that's horribly abusive but pays more than anyone else, and having her fiancee being shipped to Afghanistan have made it hard to stay on track. I think when he leaves it'll probably be easier :P
  • dwickster
    dwickster Posts: 5 Member
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    friend me also i have epilepsy also and have had it for years. would love to be friends with you also
  • maggiephelps12
    maggiephelps12 Posts: 6 Member
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    I have had epilepsy since I was 9, and now I am 30. I am lucky that my meds control my seizures and have not had a grand mal in over 10 years. However, ever since I was put on tegretol as a child, my appetite was larger than it used to be, so as a kid from age 10 and up I was a little bit chunkier than most kids my age, and certainly bigger than my sisters. I am trying to lose 75lbs now, and of course am off tegretol, but I find it really hard sometimes dealing with epilepsy and weight loss. I think its hard for me to make sure I am eating right and not to go back to the cravings. Also, the meds also give me side effects that sometimes are hard to deal with, and make me not want to work out some days, however, I know I have to work through that and get to where I want to be. If anyone wants to friend me, be my guest..It is important that we all have the support we need to succeed.
  • lisamariet31
    lisamariet31 Posts: 1 Member
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    Hello there how are you? I also have had epilepsy since the age of 9 and I am also in my 30s I find it hard at times too I am on epilim and tegratol at the minute and don't want to come off them with having kids.would be great to have some1 that is going through the same as me. Although I do try and exercise I have not lost anymore weight
  • anachav
    anachav Posts: 1 Member
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    Hello fellow epileptics!
    I have been looking at and trying MFP for a while now but never committed to it, so it is nice to find you here.
    I have had epilepsy since I was 13 (petite mals), it went away for a while then came back at the age of 30 when I started having grand mals also. I have been on so many drugs throughout my life. After my first grand mal, I was put on depakote and it made me gain weight, had so many debilitating side effects, and made my energy levels DROP. Topamax made me lose weight at first then gain it back. About 4 years ago I started ballroom dancing and I lost about 20 pounds. I felt fantastic. Then,very stressful life events got the best of me, I started having seizures again and gained even more weight. I recently have been put on Lamictal. Its the best one so far. Energy levels back, feel less numbed out and 'dumb' (didn't like having conversations, many language problems). So now, I've got my 'head in the game'. Yoga helps with balance and confidence. Now I need to do cardio to help me sleep better (which we all know is essential for us), nutritional habits and of course to look great! I would love to have some friends who know what this is like and the challenges that are unique to us epileptics and those challenges that everyone has when they try to change their lives.

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