Dizzy, feels like dreaming.

[Stephanie86]

Hi, My name is Stephanie and I was diagnosed with epilepsy in December of 2008. I'm not exactly sure what kind of epilepsy I have, but my neurologist says he thinks it's secondary generalized. I've never lost consciousness (I'm almost always around family, and they say that if I have, they haven't noticed). But sometimes I get a feeling in my head like my brain is pressing against my skull, and the feeling expands until my whole head feels like that. Then I go into a daze where my thoughts and movements are slowed, and I'll occasionally lose my balance. It lasts for about 2 minutes or so. My memory is awful, and sometimes it takes me a long to time remember what I was doing.

The reason I'm posting is because for the past week and a half, I've been very dizzy and my vision sort of "jumps" and I lose my balance. When I get up, or move my head it happens. It has gotten slightly better over the past few days, but it comes back when I'm very tired or stressed. I went to my primary care physician and he says it may be an inner ear thing, but to call my neurologist to see what he thinks. My neurologist said to go up on my meds a few days ago and I have. I'm wondering if anyone has experienced this, and if it is seizure-related. I'm taking 200mg/day of Lamictal. Thank you very much for taking the time to read this.

[hawke86]

Sounds like you have vertigo. I have had what you're talking about. There's not much that you can do. just let it take its course.

[Stephanie86]

Thank you for responding. It's getting a little better except, like I said, when I'm stressed or tired.

[Meetz1064]

ever had your balance checked? True, Hawke's right, it may be vertigo, especially since your ears have been bugging you. But, there are other possibilities, too.

I have a balance problem, too, on a regular basis--if I were ever pulled over on the side of the road, I would fail the sobriety checkpoints even though I was totally sober.

Consider getting tested by both your ENT and your neurologist for the balance problem, and see what comes up....

[RobinN]

On one of the meds that my daughter took, she had terrible vision issues. It seemed to happen when she moved quickly. The neurologist at the time didnt' think it could have anything to do with the med, but I asked that she be taken off of it, and after about a month, this issue never returned again.

Blood sugar imbalances can also have this kind of symptom.

[Nakamova]

Hi Stephanie --

The dizziness can also be a side effect of the Lamictal -- I experienced it when I first went on Lamictal. It could also be a blood sugar or circulation issue, or a combination of factors. One thing you could try: Before you stand up from a sitting position, "pump" your legs, swinging them up a few times at the knees. This will help with circulation and blood pressure.

[dfwtexas]

I have both simple and complex partials. I don't lose consicousness, I am confused from the simples but have no memory of the complex. My simple partials are visual, sometimes it looks like dream sequence on TV, some time it is wavy....those do disorient me and I stay sitted if they hit. I have had most of my seizures at work and no one else notices. My neurologist said the visual seizures may not be seizures and may be related to inner ear. I haven't had one in awhile, he said he may have ear doctor check it out if it continues. But I think they are seizure related as I get migraines after a seizure.