Hello,
I'm new to this forum. I've been experiencing health issues that I'm certain will be diagnosed as simple partial seizures. Some of the things I'm experiencing are really weird. Let me explain...
(note, I'm a 36 year old woman)
As long as I can remember (going back to when I was about 3 years old), I had strange sensations when I saw birds flying. The birds need to be flapping their wings in a rhythmic pattern. It doesn't happen if they're gliding, or if it's a flap here or there. When a flapping bird (especially larger birds with more curved wing action, like crows and ravens) catches my eye, I seem to lock in on it. I get this weird, warm, tingly sensation all over my body. It's quite pleasant, yet intense. At the same time, I get this very uncomfortable feeling of energy rising. Together, it's a very pleasant, yet strangely uncomfortable sensation. I used to think everyone experienced this, as it has happened every single time I have ever seen a bird in the above motion.
If I felt hungry (going back to when I was 7 or 8 ) I would get incredibly weak, light headed, dizzy, "foggy," unwell, grouchy, and desperate for something insanely sugary to eat. This has continued.
When I was in Grade 7 I started seeing flashes of light. Sometimes it was like a circular pin head, that swirled and quickly vanished, and sometimes it was quick flashes. I'd see one at a time, or many at once. I was taking Ranitidine for stomach issues, thought it was linked and stopped the medication. I never understood why this continued to happen (especially when I'm tired).
At this time I also started to feel very unwell in heat/sunlight. I also often felt "foggy" mentally, out of sync with my surroundings, dizzy, etc. I also tended to zone out, and have no memory of the time (under a minute). I had trouble sleeping, and started having intense nightmares every night. Sometimes they were so intense, I had a hard time ditching the feeling until I went to bed the next night. This has all continued.
When I was 19 I started sweating very heavily at night. I would be absolutely drenched in sweat when I woke up. This has happened almost every single night since then.
Sometimes when I sleep, I can't wake up. My mind wakes up, but it's like my body is too heavy to respond. I can't open my eyes, and can't move anything. I seem to drift in and out of sleep until this finally stops. I feel incredibly out of it for the rest of the day after this.
Two years ago all of this increased and intensified. I recently found out that starting then, I was exposed daily at work (for 2 years) to 6 types of mold (4 are harmful), and widespread harmful sewage bacterial growth.
By this winter it was so bad that I thought I had MS and went to my doctor. This is what I've experienced:
-random tremoring
-random twitching
-feeling out of it
-feeling like I'm looking in on things instead of being there
-disorientation
-blacking out (I can still hear and know where I am, but I lose my vision. It lasts for a few seconds.)
-dizziness
-feeling unbalanced
-suddenly feeling as though I'm falling
-heart palpitations
-brief periods of time (a couple of seconds) when I suddenly am not sure where I am or what I'm doing. Then awareness returns.
-feeling as though I know strangers (I'll get this feeling for every single stranger I pass on the street), and that new situations and places are somehow familiar (when they aren't)
-I'll suddenly be (for a second or two) not sure where I am when I'm driving, etc.
-my environment suddenly seems longer/skinnier/farther away than it is
-something like a voice will seem way closer than it really is
-sometimes just before these "episodes" I feel really strong emotions - like something horrible is about to happen, or I'll be in the best mood ever, etc. This disappears once the "episode" starts.
-shivering, or feeling like I have to shiver when I'm not cold
-break out in goosebumps when I'm not cold
-I hear ringing in my ears
-zoning out and being unable to account for the time (under a minute)
-spinning sensation
-feel like I'm in a hazy dream
These "episodes" seem to be triggered by:
-being tired
-heat
-direct sunlight
-loud/sudden sounds
-fast images on TV or computer
-needing to eat (even if I don't feel hungry)
-fluorescent lights/flickering lights
-stress
-strong smells
-bright lights
-exercise
I am exhausted after these, and my mood tends to be in very neutral or "leave me alone until this passes" grumpiness.
-I recently wore a heart monitor for 2 weeks. It came back as normal, but noted my heart races at times.
-My blood sugar has been checked thoroughly. It's fine.
-I'm familiar with panic attacks through my line of work, and that's not what this is (sometimes the episodes are really quite pleasant).
-My vitamin and nutrient levels have all been checked.
-My hormone levels have been checked.
I have been diagnosed with Occupational Asthma from the recent workplace mold exposure. The specialist was unsure about these neurological issues, and is referring me to a neurologist. That said, it will take a while to get in.
I experience some combination of the above symptoms about 75%-90% of the time (my workplace exposure seems to have made it a lot worse). The symptoms seem to cycle, and I think I go through many cycles of these episodes every day.
Does anyone have any idea of things this could be besides seizures? If it was MS or a brain tumour, it shouldn't have started (and continued since) I was a toddler. I have no idea what else it could be.
I just want it all to stop. It's greatly affecting my life, and I'm very afraid my driver's license will be taken once a neurologist looks into it.
Does anyone have any thoughts?
Thanks so much and sorry for the incredibly long post!!!
I'm new to this forum. I've been experiencing health issues that I'm certain will be diagnosed as simple partial seizures. Some of the things I'm experiencing are really weird. Let me explain...
(note, I'm a 36 year old woman)
As long as I can remember (going back to when I was about 3 years old), I had strange sensations when I saw birds flying. The birds need to be flapping their wings in a rhythmic pattern. It doesn't happen if they're gliding, or if it's a flap here or there. When a flapping bird (especially larger birds with more curved wing action, like crows and ravens) catches my eye, I seem to lock in on it. I get this weird, warm, tingly sensation all over my body. It's quite pleasant, yet intense. At the same time, I get this very uncomfortable feeling of energy rising. Together, it's a very pleasant, yet strangely uncomfortable sensation. I used to think everyone experienced this, as it has happened every single time I have ever seen a bird in the above motion.
If I felt hungry (going back to when I was 7 or 8 ) I would get incredibly weak, light headed, dizzy, "foggy," unwell, grouchy, and desperate for something insanely sugary to eat. This has continued.
When I was in Grade 7 I started seeing flashes of light. Sometimes it was like a circular pin head, that swirled and quickly vanished, and sometimes it was quick flashes. I'd see one at a time, or many at once. I was taking Ranitidine for stomach issues, thought it was linked and stopped the medication. I never understood why this continued to happen (especially when I'm tired).
At this time I also started to feel very unwell in heat/sunlight. I also often felt "foggy" mentally, out of sync with my surroundings, dizzy, etc. I also tended to zone out, and have no memory of the time (under a minute). I had trouble sleeping, and started having intense nightmares every night. Sometimes they were so intense, I had a hard time ditching the feeling until I went to bed the next night. This has all continued.
When I was 19 I started sweating very heavily at night. I would be absolutely drenched in sweat when I woke up. This has happened almost every single night since then.
Sometimes when I sleep, I can't wake up. My mind wakes up, but it's like my body is too heavy to respond. I can't open my eyes, and can't move anything. I seem to drift in and out of sleep until this finally stops. I feel incredibly out of it for the rest of the day after this.
Two years ago all of this increased and intensified. I recently found out that starting then, I was exposed daily at work (for 2 years) to 6 types of mold (4 are harmful), and widespread harmful sewage bacterial growth.
By this winter it was so bad that I thought I had MS and went to my doctor. This is what I've experienced:
-random tremoring
-random twitching
-feeling out of it
-feeling like I'm looking in on things instead of being there
-disorientation
-blacking out (I can still hear and know where I am, but I lose my vision. It lasts for a few seconds.)
-dizziness
-feeling unbalanced
-suddenly feeling as though I'm falling
-heart palpitations
-brief periods of time (a couple of seconds) when I suddenly am not sure where I am or what I'm doing. Then awareness returns.
-feeling as though I know strangers (I'll get this feeling for every single stranger I pass on the street), and that new situations and places are somehow familiar (when they aren't)
-I'll suddenly be (for a second or two) not sure where I am when I'm driving, etc.
-my environment suddenly seems longer/skinnier/farther away than it is
-something like a voice will seem way closer than it really is
-sometimes just before these "episodes" I feel really strong emotions - like something horrible is about to happen, or I'll be in the best mood ever, etc. This disappears once the "episode" starts.
-shivering, or feeling like I have to shiver when I'm not cold
-break out in goosebumps when I'm not cold
-I hear ringing in my ears
-zoning out and being unable to account for the time (under a minute)
-spinning sensation
-feel like I'm in a hazy dream
These "episodes" seem to be triggered by:
-being tired
-heat
-direct sunlight
-loud/sudden sounds
-fast images on TV or computer
-needing to eat (even if I don't feel hungry)
-fluorescent lights/flickering lights
-stress
-strong smells
-bright lights
-exercise
I am exhausted after these, and my mood tends to be in very neutral or "leave me alone until this passes" grumpiness.
-I recently wore a heart monitor for 2 weeks. It came back as normal, but noted my heart races at times.
-My blood sugar has been checked thoroughly. It's fine.
-I'm familiar with panic attacks through my line of work, and that's not what this is (sometimes the episodes are really quite pleasant).
-My vitamin and nutrient levels have all been checked.
-My hormone levels have been checked.
I have been diagnosed with Occupational Asthma from the recent workplace mold exposure. The specialist was unsure about these neurological issues, and is referring me to a neurologist. That said, it will take a while to get in.
I experience some combination of the above symptoms about 75%-90% of the time (my workplace exposure seems to have made it a lot worse). The symptoms seem to cycle, and I think I go through many cycles of these episodes every day.
Does anyone have any idea of things this could be besides seizures? If it was MS or a brain tumour, it shouldn't have started (and continued since) I was a toddler. I have no idea what else it could be.
I just want it all to stop. It's greatly affecting my life, and I'm very afraid my driver's license will be taken once a neurologist looks into it.
Does anyone have any thoughts?
Thanks so much and sorry for the incredibly long post!!!
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