The main takeaway from my Tuesday visit with gastroenterologist Philip Okafor MD was that I would try laxatives for two weeks. I was given a prescription for Miralax, which CVS Moorpark filled using their Purelax generic on Saturday. If the Miralax does not help with the stomach gas / bloating, I was told to try a low FODMAP diet.
The Purelax arrived in the mail today morning at 10:23am. To prepare, I stopped taking my B420 probiotics (to be able to better assess how well the laxatives are working) as well as my keto MCT collagen powder (to prevent the possibility of excess diarrhea). Anyhow, I took my first ever dose at 11:01am. Here’s to hoping it works!
The virtual visit with neurologist Jessica Walter MD happened on Friday. The visit was scheduled mainly to talk about switching over from keto to LGIT, but we spent more time talking about other matters.
I’ve tried many drugs and treatments over the years, but none seemed to be super effective. Dr. Walter brought up the possibility of trying out a new treatment called “neurostimulators.” This treatment has a seizure reduction rate of ~70% and involves implanting a small device (i.e. a deep brain stimulator or a responsive nerve stimulator) in the brain via surgery. The device is then programmed to stop seizures by giving small bursts of stimulation.
My seizures really affect my living, but brain surgery is too scary. Not to mention, my sleep routine seems to be increasingly effective at preventing nighttime seizures. With that in mind, I decided to hold off on neurostimulators. As for the LGIT diet, it didn’t seem like Dr. Walter was too keen on it. She claimed it was not that much different from my keto diet and could in fact be less effective. Following her advice, I decided to remain on keto for now.
PS: all the tests ordered (TSH, celiac disease, pylori for gastro; CBC with differential, metabolic panel, beta-hydroxybutyrate, lipid panel, magnesium, selenium for neuro) are scheduled for tomorrow at the LabCorp in Cupertino
