EPILEPSY INTRACTABLE
BY HEATHER DEROSE
Epilepsy is a neurological disorder associated with sudden surges of electrical activity in the brain which cause seizures. There are over 65 million people in the world living with the condition, and epilepsy is the fourth most common neurological disorder in the United States. One in 26 people will experience a seizure at some point in their life. There are over 40 different types of seizures a person can experience. The term intractable epilepsy refers to the condition when seizures cannot be controlled by medications. It may also be referred to as refractory, uncontrolled, or drug-resistant epileptic seizures. Over 1/3 of people living with the condition have intractable epilepsy. This is typically because the medicine doesn’t work to stop seizure occurrence, it stops working, or causes severe side effects making it challenging to use. If medicines prescribed do not work, doctors may prescribe a high fat, low-carb lifestyle change, vagus nerve stimulation, brain surgery, or experimental trials.
TRYING A NATURAL PLANT MEDICINE THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DRAMATICALLY CHANGE A PERSON’S LIFE, VERSUS HARSH MEDICATIONS, IMPLANTS, OR SURGERY SEEMS LIKE A NO-BRAINER. The Epilepsy Foundation still only recommends trying CBD oil after exhausting all conventional treatment options. With so many suffering from uncontrollable seizures who face the possibility of brain surgery (which has no guaranteed results), implants, and medicines with debilitating side effects being the “only” options, it’s not surprising many people are taking their health into their own hands and trying cannabis first instead of as a last resort. Trying a natural plant medicine that has the potential to dramatically change a person’s life, versus harsh medications, implants, or surgery seems like a no-brainer. Especially when there are studies and anecdotal evidence to show how cannabis 64
therapy has drastically improved the quality of life for so many people living with epilepsy. Epidolex is the first plant-derived, FDA-approved single cannabinoid treatment option. However, this drug only offers one of the over 100 cannabinoids in a cannabis plant and no other phytonutrient properties. However, the company-conducted trials in the treatment of Lennox-Gastaut Styndrome reduced drop seizure compared to placebo. It is also used to treat Dravet sydrome. Both are rare forms of severe epilepsy. These results are promising for those suffering from seizures and offer an alternative to surgery and side effects. However, science shows how whole plant medicine works
