Help!!

[Britt]

Ok, so I've not actually been diagnosed with Epilepsy, but I'm getting and MRI and an EEG to look for any seizure activity.

I was first diagnosed with Anxiety in September, and was treated for it without success. I've been miserable and having horrible symptoms for such a long time. My doctor decided it was time for me to see a Neurologist.

I went to see the Neurologist two three days ago. I was surprised at how much he listened and actually seemed to want to help me. He suggested the MRI and EEG because it sounds like it could possibly be seizure activity. I was just hoping that maybe some of you that suffer from seizures could tell me if any of my symptoms sound like seizures to you.

Symptoms:

During a big "spell" this is what happens: Usually my "spells" start with just feeling out of it. Then I'll start getting spacey and feeling like I can't breath. My hands and feet start tingling and getting numb, and it usually spreads throughout my entire body. I then start hyperventilating uncontrollably. I'll usually black out for about 5-30 seconds depending on the intensity. When I come back to myself I'm usually still breathing really heavy and shaking all over.

When I'm having a a small "spell", I will usually be sitting still and I'll just stare off into space for a few seconds until I realize what is going on.

I ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS feel weird! Sometimes it's worse than other times. I also have bad memory loss. It's like I can remember things, but everything is blurry. I feel like I'm living my life in a fog. I'm absolutely miserable and just want some help.

Thanks in advance for any replies!!

[Britt]

Also, at night when I am trying to sleep, just I am dosing off I will wake up. I feel like I'm awake but not awake. I also feel disoriented and confused. Sometimes I will jerk myself awake and I'll spring up out of the bed hyperventilating. I just thought I would add that in!

[epileric]

What you described sounds very similar to my seizures. My advice though is to see what your neurologist says. An EEG & MRI are a good idea but many seizures are idiopathic where they don't know what is causing them.

I know I occasionally get woken up by my seizures & I get that dreamy feeling that I often get with the the daytime ones. I have to admit those ones are the most convenient (if a seizure can be convenient) because I can go right back to sleep.

Keep us updated on how your tests & doctor visit goes.

[Nakamova]

Hi Britt, welcome to CWE!

It's good that you're seeing a neurologist, he should be able to help nail down what's going on. There are many different kinds of seizures, usually categorized by particular symptoms, where they start in the brain, whether they spread ("generalize") to the whole brain, whether there's partial or full loss of consciousness. From what you describe, it's possible that you are having absence seizures ("blanking out" for a second or two at a time), or simple partials. Simple partials can involve tingling sensations, along with many other symptoms.

Your nighttime symptoms could be seizure-related, and/or some other sleep disorder like sleep apnea. Have you had an overnight sleep study done? You may want to ask your neurologist about this possibility.

Below are links with more information about absence seizures and simple partial seizures that you may find helpful:

http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/seizure_absence
http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/seizure_simplepartial

Best,
Nakamova

[momof3boys]

What you describe sounds alot like Simple Partial Seizures. Ive had complex partial and grand mals in the past, but recently after starting my first video EEG, I started having simple partial seizures. I have the tingling pens and needles feeling in my hands and feet, which then works its way up my body. My left side. Then my heart starts to race, my stomach gets to feeling like Im sick, and I get a sad feeling that overcomes me. My head turns to the right and my right side starts to jerk. They usually last a couple of minutes. Im consious through them all, but depending on the severity of the jerking and seizure itself, depends on if I can respond to anyone during the seizure.

I would go ahead with the MRI and EEG. My MRI came back normal, but my EEG came up saying I had spikes and slowing areas in my left temporal lobe, like they have for years.

I wish you all the best! If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

[valeriedl]

It's good that the neurologist listened and talked to you, those are the best kind!

Your seizures are sort of like mine. I will feel wierd and then just blank out for a few seconds or minutes.

When I first was diagnosed with epliepsy I had horrible memory loss. My first seizure was a grand mal and I had to be put into an induced coma to get it to stop. With my memory pretty much everything from 11th grade untill I had the seizure (about 11 years) was gone. There were little bits and peices of things still in my brain, but not much.

After that when I would have a seizure things that happened a day to a week would be gone. Now it's not so bad, it's just pretty much long term memory I'm struggling with. After a few months things just start to fade away.

Let us know how things are going with you

[msuder0583]

hey britt. to be honest with you, my seizures are tonic clonic so it really doesn't sound like anything i have. but they may be simple partial or anxiety related. you won't know for sure until you get the eeg done. and as far as the nighttime goes, there could be a number of things happening. first of all, almost everyone jumps when they fall asleep. but your other symptoms could be a sleep disorder, or epilepsy. good luck to you.

[gabbyg2000]

Ok, so I've not actually been diagnosed with Epilepsy, but I'm getting and MRI and an EEG to look for any seizure activity.

I was first diagnosed with Anxiety in September, and was treated for it without success. I've been miserable and having horrible symptoms for such a long time. My doctor decided it was time for me to see a Neurologist.

I went to see the Neurologist two three days ago. I was surprised at how much he listened and actually seemed to want to help me. He suggested the MRI and EEG because it sounds like it could possibly be seizure activity. I was just hoping that maybe some of you that suffer from seizures could tell me if any of my symptoms sound like seizures to you.

Symptoms:

During a big "spell" this is what happens: Usually my "spells" start with just feeling out of it. Then I'll start getting spacey and feeling like I can't breath. My hands and feet start tingling and getting numb, and it usually spreads throughout my entire body. I then start hyperventilating uncontrollably. I'll usually black out for about 5-30 seconds depending on the intensity. When I come back to myself I'm usually still breathing really heavy and shaking all over.

When I'm having a a small "spell", I will usually be sitting still and I'll just stare off into space for a few seconds until I realize what is going on.

I ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS feel weird! Sometimes it's worse than other times. I also have bad memory loss. It's like I can remember things, but everything is blurry. I feel like I'm living my life in a fog. I'm absolutely miserable and just want some help.

Thanks in advance for any replies!!

I've had a couple of those and I never know exactly what to do. I have grand mal seizures but sometimes I have these spells also. The whole not knowing whats going on or where you are is I think the worst part of it. My docs have been really nice and want to help me. I go to a specialist for teen epilepsy and also a generic epilepsy brain doc they both work together to solve my problems so i suggest if you keep having these to go to a specialist just to get a second opinion on whats happening
gabbyg2000

[Endless]

Britt,

I agree with all of the above.

I want to add - about jerking awake. It could be a normal part of sleep, called a hynic jerk. It happens during transitions in and out of sleep. A sleep study would figure out if that's it. http://www.sleepdisordersguide.com/t...pnic-jerk.html

Has your doc thought about a video EEG? They keep you for some days in the hospital, with a camera on you and sensors on your head to record your seizures. Then they can tell what kind of seizures and/or sleep disorders, and/or whatever else it may be.

Hang in there. Your docs will sort it out.

[Smik]

This is my first time here. I live in Michigan. This is the first time anyone has come close to describeing the way I feel during one of my seizures. I have had them for about 30 years now. Maybe only one or two times a year now(bad ones). The way I always described it was the empty feeling you get in your stomach when something thing scares you, then multiply that by a hundred and make it last for five minutes. Then be tired for two days. Everything you said closely relates to what happens to me. You are not alone. There are alot of other special people out there just like you.