A success story

by Liz Owen

My Son, Matthew, third of four children and the only Epileptic in the family is now seizure free, drug free and almost diet free. The cure, THE KETOGENIC DIET!

Matt turned 12 years old on 2nd April. Matt experienced a four hour seizure on 11th October, 2002, was rushed to hospital by ambulance and remained in hospital under the care of his Neurologist for approximately 22 days. Matt was given huge doses of Phenytoin to stop the seizure and of course we left hospital on more drugs - and as Matts fits got worse we took more drugs. The more drugs he took, the more fits he took, until he could no longer go to school, in fact someone had to be within arms distance at all times as Matt would collapse to the ground 50 times a day, every day.

In July, 2003 Matt was admitted to hospital to begin the Ketogenic Diet. There was no Dietician available who was trained to introduce the diet so we stayed for days doing Video-telemetry for 48 hours to pass the time until I dietician was made available. Twelve days later we left hospital determined this diet was going to work. That night Hans Van der weil came to our home and installed his computer program so we could do the mathematical equations on the computer to give Matt some variety in his diet. THIS PROGRAM IS BRILLIANT... IT CONTRIBUTED TO OUR SUCCESS! I have never designed a meal without it and Matt has a choice of 100's of meals.

Since the day starvation was begun, Matt has never had another seizure... this is almost two years ago. We are slowly coming off the diet and have reduced the oil from 39mls to 18mls and still have minimal ketones. Matt has had no drugs for about eighteen months.

Matt could not swim, ride a bike, go to school, play with other children. He did not have one friend!

Now he has his own 100cc motor bike, swims, goes to school every day and is having a sleep over birthday party this Wednesday which he will enjoy with his friends. While I am writing to you, Matt is out the front of the house in our culdersac playing tennis with the neighbourhood children and is all sweaty and I don't even have to check him. Before, even the glare or any heat would have caused constant seizures.

Matt was struggling at school and his mathematics was so bad, he was analysed at Westmead Hospital for day to see what the problem was. Matt's teacher told me last week that Matt's Maths is very good and he has a sound understanding of all his concepts in Maths. He can spell anything with usually about 100% success in spelling tests.

Matt had a full blood test a month ago and every thing was perfect! Matt has grown and gained weight on the diet.

We did not experience any of the procedures described on your information on the ketogenic diet.

The Doctor told me over the phone we would try it. A month later we went to hospital. Put on the diet. Came home and did it. Matt has seen his specialist 3 or 4 times in the two years. We have seen the Dietician twice. An EEG was performed 6 months ago and it was normal. Matt's EEG's were always diagnosed 'Grossly Abnormal'.

Matt feels so good you could not make him cheat on the diet. Not ever has he eaten anything not on the diet. On medication Matt was awful and difficult most of the time. He ate obsessively and was very over weight. He was a recluse and would have nothing to do with anyone he did not know. The teacher said she had to teach him separately from the class.

I now have a happy, healthy son who is living a fantastic life! Within the next few months he will be diet free and all our prayers have been answered!

If I can help anyone, please contact me!

Anyone who meets him would be totally convinced!

I will give you an example of one of his favourite meals so you can tell people how well you can eat on this diet. Sometimes he has more food than the other children.

40gm beaten egg (Beat a 600 egg and discard to 40gms)
C urry powder to taste
Small tin of corn kernels
Oil

Mix this up and put on hot fry pan so it looks like a corn pancake. You can use anything other than corn like mushroom, tomato etc for variety.

With this is

26gm margarine (use about 5gms to grease the hot pan before you add the egg mixture.
Spread remaining margarine on 62gms white bread (almost 2 large slices).
Cover with 10gm cheese (finely sliced)
Cover this with 39gm avocado (Mashed with lemon & pepper for variety)

Side salad of cherry tomatos, alfalfa & cucumber.

That's it... plenty of food... tastes great and fits in perfectly, in fact Matt likes it so much he has it 2 meals a day and has for months.

He does have about 160 recipes to choose from at last count I think. And no need to drink oil mixed with cream which turned his stomach. Even now on 15mls MCT from 39-41mls MCT Oil we still get occasional ketones on this meal.

I cut the sandwich into small squares and pack in a disposable container so none gets squashed out into the plastic bag.

I cut the pancake into squares and put in another disposable container with a disposable fork in a small fridge bag with a cold pack in it and send him off to school with it. He takes the pancake to the canteen at lunchtime and they zap it for 20seconds to make it more palatable. UNREAL!!

For further details how to contact Liz, please call or email us.

An Update
Since I wrote to you Matthew is off the diet completely, yes! Eats everything he wants to! And has been diet free for about 5 or more months.

It is wonderful and we are not complaining but, what has happened is Matt now puts on weight extremely easily and no matter how hard we watch his weight, he does not seem to lose any weight. We are using diet margarine and low fat milk etc. and lives on fruit and veg. I have advised the dieticians at the Hospital who have no answer.

We are still ecstatic that he is drug, seizure and diet free and would have no hesitation in recommending this diet to anyone.

Matt's results are good at school!
He now has a best friend at school!
He does all the normal things other kids can do!

I would love you to encourage people to try this Diet!
Is there anything to lose?

Liz

Epilepsy Action
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