I don't pretend to know everything or even a little about seizures, but I do know that after trying several medicines and not one of them working, I decided to start looking for alternative ways to control Joe's seizures. Thankfully, Vigabatrin worked with limited side affects. But if Vigabatrin didn't work, we were looking at the following drug-free alternatives.

One way is a therapy called the Ketogenic Diet. It is a diet that has a 70% success rate when no other antiepileptic drugs work. Dateline NBC featured the Ketogenic Diet on one of their programs on T.V. A doctor on the program actually came out and said that the Ketogenic Diet isn't being pushed by the doctors because drug companies can't make any money from the diet because it is drug-free. But there is no drug known that has a better success rate than the Ketogenic Diet. It is well worth your time to check out the Diet and see if it is for your child. John Hopkins Pediatric Epilepsy Center has done countless research on perfecting the Diet for each individual child. The website for John Hopkins Epilepsy Center is www.hopkinsmedicine.org

Another therapy that is a drug-free alternative is Vagus Nerve Stimulation. You can get more information at the John Hopkins website or at Cyberonics. Cyberonics phone number is 1-888-VNS-STIM or the web at www.vnstherapy.com

Vegas Nerve Stimulation has a high success rate, and Cyberonics will send you a packet containing a video and other information on VNS. VNS Therapy is the first non-drug therapy approved for epilepsy in 100 years. VNS Therapy has been proven in clinical studies to provide a safe and effective way to control seizures. The result for many people is an improvement in alertness and memory plus more energy and better mood. And because it's not a drug, VNS Therapy has allowed many people to reduce the number or dosage of medications they take. It's not a pill and it's not brain surgery.

Check out all of your choices. Sometimes you have to go with your own instincts rather than your doctors typical answer for every child he sees. Every child isn't the same, and the brain is still not understood. So you have to do your best for your child. There's not a worse feeling than the feeling of helplessness. Watching your child have seizures and knowing that nothing is working is tormenting. Maybe one of these drug-free alternatives is right for your child. I remember when Joe was sleeping 21 hours out of the day because of the side affects of the drugs. That's no quality of life. I'm praying that maybe something will work for your child. Check out the above mentioned webites under my LINKS.

Just know that there's nothing on this earth stronger than the love for your child. Go with your instincts and most importantly of all, PRAY. There is a Great God that is still in the miracle business and nothing is impossible for God. He will give you peace in ALL of your decisions, and He will lead you in the right path to take.