PNES .... Pseudo-seizures, Psychogenic ???

[canarm1949]

Hello friends,

my son has had complex partial seizure for 22+ years.
He takes Max Tegretol Cr, Primidone, and Keppra, yet his seizure are not well controlled.
His Seizures are a result of Viral Encephalitis at age 8.

Last week we met with a neuro-psychiatrist who immediately diagnosed him with Psychogenic seizures, meaning he is causing them himself because of anxiety and depression.
My opinions of Psychiatrists are very low!
I highly recommend the following video on the out of control
prescription of psychotropic drugs. It will shock you!! See below. You will find it on youtube.

My question is, Has anyone else here been diagnosed with this psychogenic (pseudo meaning fake) seizures?

Making a Killing: The Untold Story of Psychotropic Drugging - Full Movie (Documentary)

 

[Nakamova]

Hi canarm1949,

A number of CWE members have received the diagnosis of PNES. It seems to be a default diagnosis neurologists apply when there's no confirming EEG evidence for epilepsy. But it seems to be a very murky area, not well understood, and in my opinion many neurologists drop the ball when they decide that a patient has "pseudo-seizures".

 

[lizzyb831]

still being diagnosed, possible that it's focal motor or panic attacks... panic attacks? I have videos of what my body does during my night seizures, and those are not panic attacks. My friends have seen them and they are not panic attacks. I might have anxiety, but duh, having seizures are not fun and it's stressful/anxious feeling. Sometimes it's hard to believe the drs now

 

[RobinN]

My daughter was diagnosed by one teaching hospital with PNES
I did a lot of research on the subject.

These are terrible labels. It does not mean "fake". He has no control over this.

The brain is not healthy for some reason. My daughters 50+ tonic clonic seizures were for the most part brought on by blood sugar imbalance, or food sensitivities, or lowered seizure threshold.

Doctors use their textbook training and it is so old fashion. Label every symptom and treat that... not the cause. Truly angers me.

Focusing on nutrition - brain and gut health - has now allowed my daughter to be med free for a number of years, and seizure free for over 18 months.

Meds made my daughter have many more seizures of multiple types than she had when not on meds.

 

[canarm1949]

Psychogenic seizures seem to be diagnosed at an alarming rate. I believe this to be another psychiatric pull for control.
This must be the new medical fad as neurologists and psychiatrist are now fighting for territory to medicate.
Has anyone seen the documentary I mention in my previous post? It's a must see.

According to a German study, it can take years to properly diagnose these psychogenic seizures, especially so since according to the study only about 4% of the epileptic population is affected. As much as 75% are teenage and early 20's females who have been through childhood traumas.
Video and EEG monitoring is a must for even attempting to diagnose them. Yet my son's neuro-psychiatrist a top professor
took only 20 minutes to had out a prescription for drug that is nicknamed "the drug everyone wishes they never took".

My son has scar tissue on his brain caused by encephalitis and every neurologist that has seen him said that this is where his epileptic seizure begin. So my question is, how can he all of a sudden be told he has Pseudo-seizures, aka psychogenic s.?
I found that on psychiatric websites the term pseudo-s is discouraged and PNES or psychogenic is encouraged . Why?
It sounds more "medical" I was told by a drug rep.

Here is the abstract of that study;

Abstract
The population incidence of psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) may be only 4% that of epilepsy, but many patients with PNES have a tendency to seek medical attention, and PNES make up a larger share of the workload of neurologists and emergency and general physicians. Although a great number of publications describe how PNES can be distinguished from epileptic seizures, it usually takes several years to arrive at this diagnosis, and three-quarters of patients (with no additional epilepsy) are treated with anticonvulsants initially. However, the management of PNES as epileptic seizures can lead to significant iatrogenic harm. Moreover, the failure to recognize the psychological cause of the disorder detracts from addressing associated psychopathology and enhances secondary somatization processes. This review provides an overview of studies of the diagnosis, etiology, treatment, and prognosis of PNES. Physicians should always consider PNES in the differential diagnosis of a seizure disorder. If a diagnosis of PNES is possible, or a diagnosis of epilepsy in doubt, a clear diagnostic categorization should be sought. This should involve the assessment of the patient by a physician versed in the diagnosis of seizure disorders and, in many cases, the documentation of a typical seizure by video-EEG. Outcome may be improved if the diagnosis is more actively sought, made earlier, and communicated more convincingly.

Keywords
Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures;

 

[canarm1949]

We have learned the hard way years ago that doctors can not be trusted, and they certainly do not have all the answers. It's very unfortunate.
Organized medicine certainly does not believe in alternative or natural medicine. So I have spent years learning about vitamins, minerals and took college courses in herbology .

My son is on polypharmacy for his seizures and I hate the thought.
To help him along he takes many vitamins and herbs.
Vitamin E has been shown at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children to reduce seizures. Along with Vitamin E , 400 I.U. he takes 100mcg of selenium, vitamin D3 2000 I.U. (sun exposure is best but the further north form the Equator you go the more you will need to take D but be careful as too much is dangerous in pill form), vitamin B complex,
vitamin C 2000mg, magnesium 200 mg, calcium 400 mg, Co Q 10 100mg, Milk thistle 400mg as a liver protector, and a multi-vitamin.

The doctors gloss over this usually with the wording "they are not effective but if you feel better giving them to him go ahead."
Thanks for the endorsement doc!

I also keep him on a strict diet free of most additives (can't avoid everything) the majors being coloring, MSG and it's multitude of names, basic sugars, nitrites, milk (really bad for his seizures), sweets, caffeine , of course sodas, and others. The neurologist a top professor says these thing shouldn't affect him. Yet we know that within an hour of having these things he will get a seizure cluster.
Today's doctors receive about 10 hours study on nutrition and natural supplements. Therefore they really know less than you and me!!

Brain health and Gut health are very closely related. In fact the gut makes more serotonin than the brain, so I'm told. Plus the guts are where your body makes vitamins.
Probiotics are another must take supplement. Especially if anyone takes
antibiotics for even a few days.