Denver Winds And Seizure Disorders

[DenverLawGal]

OP, have you visited the Epilepsy Foundation's website? I go there often and find this topic is very popular there. You can talk with people who live all over the country and maybe someone else can advise as to your situation. I know I talked to people in the South and in S. Florida about it. It's definitely worth looking into --- I totally understand your worry. Having weather trigger seizures is just awful.

[lindu]

Regarding winds and seizure disorders: You may have undiagnosed reactive ariway disease (asthma). Some people
do not wheeze audibly (because a different part of their bronchial tree is spasming or swelling than the usual). Some
doctors never diagnose this condition. The same happens with allergies. Some allergies are atypical in that they produce
no outward and visible symptoms, but rather all internal. I went for thirty years, in agony and often panic, without having
allergies and asthma diagnosed by supposedly good doctors. Finally, a co-worker suggested that I might have what she
had - allergies and asthma. Indeed - that was the answer. There is something called a methacholine challenge which will identify whether or not you have asthma. You may have to insist that your doctor give it to you. You may want to
see a University Medical School Pulmonary Specialist - they have the right equipment and broad experience.
There is also a disorder called Systemic Mast Cell Activation Disorder. Mast Cells are those which release histamines and
all sorts of other chemicals which cause inflammation and swelling in the body. With SMCAD there are at least 5,000 times
as many mast cells in a body as is normal and the tsunami of harsh chemicals entering the victims body can cause a nightmare of symptoms - swelling, inflammation, burning, rash on chest and sometimes the face, and including asthma if you are prone to that. While reading about the disorder I discovered 75 symptoms which can happen. I had 63 of them. In general, it is good to make an extensive list of all symptoms you experience - physical, mental, emotional with your particular condition - and circumstances which bring them about. Bring it with you to your doctors.

In addition to taking anti-histamines twice a day, decongestants, inhalers and aspirin (which can control inflammation in the lungs if you are not allergic to it), I have to take Zaditen (ketotifen fumarate). It is a mast cell stabilizer. Not sold in the
U.S., it can be obtained from Canada, Greece, Belgium, Thailand, etc. It has been Novartis' widest selling asthma drug, worldwide. They began testing it here, but discontinued as they probably felt it would not have a large consumer base.
SMCAD is rather rare, with some suggesting only 20,000 cases in the U.S. I believe it is more - just that it is hardly ever
diagnosed. I learned of Zaditen through an old Stanford alum magazine when a graduate wrote of her experiences with
the disorder. K. Finn - Alone Inside My Head - was the article - in the '80's I believe. In it she mentioned that Dr. Jackson
Roberts at Vanderbilt University, had 600 patients with a subset of SMACD - which people exhibited no usual symptoms.

When I moved to Southern California my symptoms began - due to smog and pollens brought in by the winds.
Good luck.