And so I was right.  That is not necessarily a good thing.

The doctor apologized and gave a couple of reasons why he missed 5 pages of an 8-page lab report completed 6 months ago.  We had reviewed the results 3 months ago or rather, the first 3 pages of the report!  As it turns out, the last time this particular set of labs was completed over a year ago, the last 5 pages were missing then as well.  So what is the significance?  Those last 5 pages contain information about daily cycles of two hormones that could explain my ravenous, violent seizure-like episodes in the early morning and evening.  Treatment related to those findings could have alleviated my tremendous suffering for the past 6 months!  However, the doc had nothing to say about that.  He said he actually needs to do more research on how to lower melatonin levels!  Well thank you but I have heard this before from you . . .

My next concern was the potential role of a new herbal remedy I started on the lab finding of severely elevated melatonin.  Looks like there are two compelling research articles stating that the active ingredient in what I am taking has not been shown to elevate melatonin levels.  Whew!  Looking closely resulted in seeing how the active ingredient may actually modulate the inactive ingredients that have an effect on melatonin.  Since this active ingredient has served to modulate one particular trace substance when the latter is in higher concentrations, well, that gives me hope.  The answer to the question of how to lower melatonin might already be in my cupboard!

Here’s what “it” is:  high CBD hemp oil.  This is not medical marijuana nor an oil made from the psychoactive ingredient:  THC.  That would be illegal in my State and actually not necessary to impact seizure-like activity.  Both CBD and THC-laden products are from a cannibus plant yet the plants grown for high CBD oil and their products are legal in all 50 of the United States.  No special procedures are needed to obtain it:  just sort through a plethora of information online to find a pure product with concentrations high enough (pun intended) to affect health.  (You cannot get high from CDB oil by the way.)  And the benefits are tremendous:  intractable epilepsy, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and many more.  Add THC and the list of therapeutic effects increases to include cancer.  Thankfully for me the active ingredient needed to reduce seizures is CBD with only trace amounts of other “cannabinoids.”

Here’s a great place to find an overview of hemp oil, cannabis, how its administered, and the benefits:  www.mycbdresearch.com

The first week experimenting with CBD oil has yielded 3 days with less than an hour of seizure-like activity.  This is a HUGE improvement over the average of 3 hours per day of seizures for EIGHT STRAIGHT MONTHS and the 1-3 hours per day overall for the past TWO  YEARS!  At least once per month the duration increased to 6-12 hours.  Whew again.  I am encouraged.  I have trusted the Lord throughout my research process and even in deciding which product to try.  Receiving the melatonin lab results today may be a confirmation of this decision.  The timing of this situation coming together is very interesting indeed.

Doc did have one idea:  resume using my bright light therapy for 30-60 seconds, multiple times per day to naturally lower melatonin levels.  Cool beans.  You know the old saying, “do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”  Another one goes, “here we go again!” with what could be yet another false start to healing.  Somehow I have a feeling this one will make a lasting impression.  Stay tuned.  I am going to get well!  :J

Addendum:  just opened a new Facebook page entitled, “Seizure Free Zone.”  Like us and join the discussion today!