Managing Chronic Pseudotumor Cerebri Through Diet

If you are reading this, you, like me, are a member of the never-exclusive enough club known as pseudotumor cerebri, intracranial hypertension or benign intracranial hypertension. Fortunately, for many mild to moderate chronic sufferers the loss of a few pounds can be the difference between going blind or being just fine.

Diuretics such as diamox are themselves an aid to losing weight, especially old-fashioned diamox. Diamox sequels ease the side effects, but lose some of its appetite suppressant qualities. Because carbonated drinks taste like battery acid and sense of taste is impaired, you will find dieting much easier. So now is the time.

Skip the sugared coffees and teas. Caffeine withdrawal is much easier on drugs like diamox. In fact, since I am a migraine sufferer, as well as being afflicted by PTC, I find when I am off diamox my coffee and tea intake starts climbing up as I use caffeine to stop the migraines. Between stopping the caffeine and the sugared carbonated drinks, you will be amazed at how many daily calories disappear.

Do not use diet soda or any diet food containing artificial sweeteners. NutraSweet has been implicated in raising cerebral pressure. You will find this in yogurts, drinks, and many other products where you least expect it. Stay away.

What should you drink? Lots and lots of water. And to reduce the effects of the diamox or other diuretics, spike the water with lemon or lime juice as is common in tropical climates. Diuretics take valuable potassium out of your body along with the sodium. Replacing the potassium will help reduce that vicious tingling feeling in the hands and toes that all of us have experienced, as well as protecting your heart. Lots of water will also decrease the possibility of kidney stones forming, a real problem with diuretic drugs.

Never use Gatorade or any other electrolyte replacement fluid. These can reduce diuretic side-effects, but are loaded with salt-just the thing the diuretic is trying to remove from your body. If you insist on drinking Gatorade, you will only increase the doses you require and prolong the amount of time you take your medicines.

What should you eat? Lots and lots of salads, fresh fruit, and juices. Pick foods that are lowest in sodium and highest in potassium. Add bananas, strawberries and raisins to your daily cereal. Use cereals that have as little sugar as possible and add your own sweetness through the addition of the fruit. Drink citrus juices daily and eat grapefruit (except if you are also on cholesterol-reducing medicine where grapefruit is a no-no). When you take your orange juice, don't drink it straight. Instead-cut it with water to reduce the calories and further boost your water intake. Carry raisins and bananas for snacking and to abort tingling in your extremities.

Avoid cold cuts and highly-processed foods. If you love soup as I do, skip the cans and dried mixes in favor of soups in the refrigerated cases, but check their sodium levels just in case. Use low-sodium versions of vegetable juices. You can use low-sodium V8 as a base for a delicious Gazpacho.

Make friends with beans and vegetarian meals. Don't be afraid to haunt the ethnic foods sections of your supermarket. You will find identical beans, rice and spices to what is marketed to Americans at a fraction of the cost. In fact, sometimes the quality is much higher. For example, American Feta cheese is loaded with salt, but creamy Bulgarian or Greek is available for not much more and will be just perfect with some field greens, mesclun lettuce, walnuts and a Greek or vinaigrette Italian Dressing.

Watch out for vitamins. Vitamin A can send your pressure skyrocketing and is frequently banned. Likewise gingo biloba and a host of others. Many of today's most potent drugs were derived from plants, so natural does not equate to mild or safe. You will want to consult with your physician before taking any nutritional supplements or unusual foods.

Pseudotumor nutrition in a nutshell comes down to this: Lots of water, lots of fresh produce, juice instead of coffee, tea or soda. No salt, no vitamin A supplements, no artificial sweeteners, no off-the-wall herbal supplements or nutrients (at least not without running it past your doctor first). Good luck, you are never too, thin, too rich or too symptom-free.