Odd symptom - Possible seizure

[sbncmo]

Hi Everyone.

After last weeks trip to the ER, I've been confirmed with 7 types of seizures now - complex partial seizures, simple partial seizures (motor, autonomic, sensory & pysch), Tonic & Myoclonic. Great, isn't it? Anyway, I have something else happening that I am wondering about as to whether it is a seizure or not.

This has happened to me a few times before. The scariest time was when I was driving, approaching an intersection where cars drive thru at 45 - 50 mph. I felt like someone had pushed the back of my head rather forcefully, not like being hit, but being pushed. I fell forward into the steering wheel, sat back up, but was so confused & disoriented that I turned my van into a concrete lane divider which stopped forward motion & ruined my tire. I was just thankful that I hadn't gone into oncoming traffic.

It has happened a few more times over the years, thankfully when I have been sitting down. The most recent episode was last evening. Again I felt like I was pushed. My head & upper body fell forward onto my compute desk, I sat up & was very confused, disoriented & suddenly extremely tired. I don't know if I have ever actually lost consciousness, if even for a few seconds. I have been reading & rereading symptoms of seizures, but haven't come across anything exactly like this.

I'm sort of in limbo right now since my neurologist called last week (while I was in the ER from a series of different seizures). He told me he didn't want to treat me any longer, that I was beyond his abilities & he is sending me to an epileptologist. It's been over a week & I still haven't heard anything about a new appointment. So I don't have a professional to ask about this. Any ideas?

Shelia

[Endless]

Hi, Sbncmo, What you describe sure sounds like a seizure. Sounds like a simple focal (partial) motor seizure to me, but I'm not a doctor.

Simple Partial Seizures... Motor seizures:
These cause a change in muscle activity. For example, a person may have abnormal movements such as jerking of a finger or stiffening of part of the body. These movements may spread, either staying on one side of the body (opposite the affected area of the brain) or extending to both sides. Other examples are weakness, which can even affect speech, and coordinated actions such as laughter or automatic hand movements. The person may or may not be aware of these movements.

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

In my opinion, your neurologist is ethically responsible to treat you until you are able to see your specialist. I'd call his office and explain the situation, and see if your old neurologist will fit you in. Or better yet, ask your old neurologist if he can call your new epileptologist and see if he can facilitate getting you in QUICKER with that epileptologist.

I am so glad you are okay, and didn't drive off a bridge or anything. You've quit driving, right?

[Nakamova]

Hi Shelia --

Basically, any unusual sensations can be neurological in origin. And given your epilepsy diagnosis it seems likely that the strange sensations are seizure-related. (I often feel like knocking my head against my desk, but that's out of frustration, not neurological compulsion ). I hope you can get a new doctor soon. Don't be afraid to be pushy -- keep calling until you get some confirmation of your appointment with the specialist.

[sbncmo]

Endless & Nakamova, Thanks for your replies. I have posted this symptom on 3 different epilepsy forums & you are the first ones to reply. I was pretty ure they were seizures, I just didn't know what kind. I didn't think of them as being motor simple partial seizures. And I totally agree with you Endless - I think my neurologist is responsible to treat me until I can see the epileptologist. I mean, where is the professionalism to just drop a patient before they can be seen by someone else? Anyway, my neurologist's office is supposed to be getting me set up with the epileptologist & the nurse said I would hear something by Monday. It's now Weds & I still haven't heard anything.

From what I've heard, it can be difficult to get in to see an epileptologist. Maybe there just aren't enough of them around.

As for driving, no, I'm not driving. My neurologist had me sign a paper in June this year stating that I wouldn't drive, swim, etc., until I've been seizure-free for 6 months, per Missouri law. I don't mind, but sometimes I get to feeling like I'm a real burden on my sister & my neice who take me everywhere. It's funny, well not really funny, that you mention that at least I didn't drive off a bridge, because I almost did once about 16 years ago. I was driving, had my son & nephew in the back seat, came around a corner, then when the road straightened out for a bridge over the lake, I lost consciousness. I came to on the opposite side of the road, on the shoulder, just about to go over the edge into the lake. I was able to whip the car back onto the road. Thankfully there was no oncoming traffic. There weren't any guardrails there either. There are now. It was a very scary thing. When I kept losing consciousness (thankfully not while driving - I quit for a while because it scared me so bad), my old neurologist ran the EEG & told me I had a seizure disorder, but in all the years he treated me, he never explained what was going on. I believe the ones where I lost consciousness are Complex Partial. I still have them occasionally.

Well, thanks again for your help. Now I know what to call it in my ep diary.

Shelia