Pregnant and Wondering... Does this sound like Epilepsy???

[moriendi]

Ok everyone,

I need some help here because I am a little scared and confused.

I am 27 weeks pregnant with my first child. I never even really gave epilepsy a thought until I had two very distinct experiences- one in week 24 and one last night.

The first major experience is more in two parts. It started as I was in the kitchen and I started to feel a little dizzy-my husband came in and found me sitting on the floor against the cabinets. I told him that I felt faint so I sat down- which was true- but the sensation was like being sucked under the tides at the ocean- going all black with a ringing sound sort of. I was anxious- but not really scared. Later that night I was sitting on the couch and I started to feel dizzy. I had a feeling of my throat closing up- kind of like the tightness you get when you feel naseuas. I remember leaning foward and the next thing I know I'm on the floor. Myhusband said that it looked almost like I threw myself or let myself fall completely down.

When I came out of it I wasnt afraid, other than I thought I should still be in the kitchen. I remembered after a little bit of time going from the kitchen to the living room and sitting down and talking for a minute before it happened, but immediately after coming out of it I did'nt know how or what had happened.

Last night was similar. My husband and I were watching anime and there was a part with a lot of flashing lights-I even made the comment that it would suck to be epileptic....

A little later I began to have the tight feeling in my throat again and felt very sleepy- so I drank some water and leaned back on the couch. I was listening to the anime and I felt a very pleasant sensation... its hard to describe but like being totally awake and alive yet not- like there was a lot of electricity coursing through my body but not painfully. Although my vision was blacked out I still felt like I was "seeing" some colors. I then recall my husbands voice being very panicky and asking me if I ok and what was going on. From his point of view I had gone completely stiff and began to twitch and he said it sounded like I Was humming? Or my teeth were chattering?
I felt very peaceful and not alarmed at all-but it took me a few minutes to be able to remember what was going on. I also felt very weak.

It's because of these experiences I began researching epilepsy. I was surprised when I read about absence seizures because these sound like something I have had all my life... a very intense zone that I get locked into and cannot get out of until I just come out of it- or fall asleep and wake back up. I used to get into so much trouble for episodes like these with my parents and such.

I am also wondering if any of you had doctors think that you may be narcoleptic? Because of the absence like episodes I saw a doctor who sent me for a sleep study- I;m not narcoleptic, but I'm wondering if the problem really was/is epilepsy made worse by pregnancy? Can anyone relate or help?

Thanks in advance!

[epileric]

To me it does sound like a seizure but I"m no professional. Whether you be epileptic or narcoleptic I would have thought an EEG would be more informative.

Isn't narcolepsy when your seizures make you fall asleep? If so then I don't understand how watching you when you're sleeping would help determine if you're having seizures that make you fall asleep.

Either way what you're experiencing sounds neurological, IMHO so I would think a neurologist would be more qualified to diagnose you.

If it is epilepsy you should find the threads on this site that discuss what medications might effect a fetus.

[Bernard]

Hi Moriendi, welcome to the forum.

I am 27 weeks pregnant with my first child.

Congratulations!

... but the sensation was like being sucked under the tides at the ocean- going all black with a ringing sound sort of. I was anxious- but not really scared. Later that night I was sitting on the couch and I started to feel dizzy. I had a feeling of my throat closing up- kind of like the tightness you get when you feel naseuas. I remember leaning foward and the next thing I know I'm on the floor. Myhusband said that it looked almost like I threw myself or let myself fall completely down.

Loss of consciousness ... check
Loss of balance/motor control ... check

Sounds like seizure activity is a definite possibility. Check these out - complex partial seizures, atonic seizures, tonic seizures.

... From his point of view I had gone completely stiff and began to twitch and he said it sounded like I Was humming? Or my teeth were chattering?
I felt very peaceful and not alarmed at all-but it took me a few minutes to be able to remember what was going on. I also felt very weak.

Sounds like a tonic clonic or complex partial seizure.

... but I'm wondering if the problem really was/is epilepsy made worse by pregnancy?

The hormone changes that accompany pregnancy can exacerbate seizure conditions. My wife's seizure patterns got progressively worse with each pregnancy.

Are you taking prenatal vitamins? Vitamin/mineral imbalances can also contribute to increased seizure activity.

IMO, you need to be checked by a neurologist (EEG testing) and also have your hormone levels checked.

[skillefer]

Epilepsy can be triggered by hormonal changes in women who have a lowered seizure threshold. To put that simply, anybody can have a seizure. But for most people it takes a lot to trigger one. For some of us, it doesn't take as much. So we're said to have a lower seizure threshold. A neurologist would ask if there was anyone in your family with seizures or perhaps migraines. (Yes, migraines count as epilepsy. ) I agree with Bernard. You need to go see a neurologist. You're at week 24, so if they do feel you need to be put on meds, your baby should be fine. However, as any good neurologist will tell you, there is no such thing as a safe anti-epileptic drug. They all have the potential for causing birth defects. But, you may not be put on meds. IF you are having seizures, which we're not sure...it could be drops in blood sugar for all we know...., the doc may choose not to put you on any meds. Some women need to take meds during pregnancy, and some don't. Definitely go see the neurologist, and in the meantime, make sure that your eating right, eating frequently (every 2 hours ), drinking enough water (3 quarts), and getting enough rest. Lack of sleep, dips in blood sugar, as well as stress can all trigger seizures. So try to just kick back and enjoy the pregnancy. hope this helped.

[morgan381]

Hi, welcome & congratulations on the pregnancy!

To me, in my unprofessional opinion, it definately sounds like it could be epilepsy...or some other neurological thing. I was diagnosed with epilepsy after I had a series of complex partial seizures (I called them 'brain farts' because I would just forget what I was saying in the middle of a sentence) that generalized into a tonic/clonic seizure. After the seizure, I got an ambulance ride and stayed in the hospital for a week because the doctors had trouble controlling/stopping the seizures. I was 37 weeks pregnant with my first child at the time. In retrospect, I probably had been having partial/absence seizures since childhood...
During my 2nd pregnancy, I took anti-epileptic drugs and had no seizures during the pregnancy. My son was born healthy & had no adverse effects from the medications. The crazy surge of hormones during pregnancy can affect a person's seizure threshold. Many women experience increased seizure activity during their time of month due to the hormonal changes. There is always a risk, but a safe pregnancy is possible on anti-epileptic drugs.

I highly recommend you talk to a neurologist (at the very least to your OB)... IF you are having seizures, they do a doozy on your body. During a tonic/clonic seizure, my breathing almost completely stops...I turn blue until the seizure is over & I start breathing regularly again. A concern during pregnancy is that seizures can possibly cut off oxygen to your baby...

I didn't say all this to scare you... You should enjoy your pregnancy. In my opinion it is better to find out what is going on than to risk it.

[skillefer]

Oh! I forgot! Sometimes the only thing that triggers the seizure is a drop in progesterone. So the doc may check your hormone levels and prescribe you a hormone cream instead.

[Shelley]

Moriendi. Do you also have high blood pressure? Do you have a lot of stress in your life?
It could be eclampsia. Try magnesium supplements. Also Talk to your doctor. Keep a journal of what is going on, and tell him everything. While you may have epilepsy as well, you may have eclampsia.
No more anime until you do talk to your doctor.
Not everyone with absence seizures will get progressively worse. But it is more possible than not.
Let us know what your doctor says, after you tell him everything. And have a moratorium on the anime. No more until you get an all clear from your doctor, as anime can cause some people to have seizures.

[Meetz1064]

welcome to CWE!

I would have to agree with what the others have said. Having had 3 kids (all are now in college) successfully as an E patient myself, it's possible with the right communication between you and ALL of your doctors.

And yes, Shelley's right. Lay off the anime until you know what's going on for sure. Get an EEG done, possibly an MRI (I don't know if they'll do that since you are pregnant) and go from there.

Skillefer was right, too, about the journal. Make it as detailed as possible so that you and the doctors can figure things out. OK, it's a pain in the arse. But isn't everything that's worth it?

Feel free to ask as many questions as you want. We'll listen, and try to give you the answers. If we don't know them, we'll head you in the right direction. And, if you really need to vent, there is a Padded Room here.

Mr B thought of everything when he built this AWESOME place.....

Take care,

Meetz