Seizures or Anxiety

[Trinity]

Well that is the million dollar question and it's driving me bonkers not knowing the answer.
I am having numbness and tingling sensations mostly around my face and head and been feeling light headed on a few occasions. I've had a CT scan MRI, Nerve Conduction Study, blood tests on absolutely everything and all has come back fine. I also had an EEG and my neurologist said that it was fine with no major abnormalities, just 'general slowing' but nothing too much to worry about.
He said he didn't think that I was having seizures although he did say that it was possible but even if they were they wouldn't be picked up on an EEG.
I have an appointment to see my psychiatrist at the end of June and can't get in earlier but a friend told me today that I may be able to get into the one she visits at the beginning of April and I think I may take that option.
It is so frustrating not knowing definitively what is happening to me because I know that it's real, whether it's a mental illness or neurological condition or something else. I feel like people must think i'm imagining things by now.

[Trinity]

Oh yeah also, does anyone know about the 'general slowing' would that be the cause of 'memory problems' (I can recall a conversation I had when I was 8 but talk about yesterday, or earlier today and i'm messed up - I will even get confused mid sentence) and processing of information (sometimes when people talk to me it's like my brain takes a while to send the information through so I 'hear' but don't initially understand eg. if you said the word 'train' it will be as if I didn't hear it at first and then after a lapse in time (not huge but noticeable) I will realise "oh, you said 'train!' " I think that sometimes people think i'm pretending.

[Nakamova]

Both the tingling and the slowing/cognitive stuff could be caused meds. Are you still on meds? And if so, how long have you been on them?

One way to track changes in cognition is to do a neuropsych exam. It's basically a whole bunch tests that measure different kinds of memory and processing. It sets a baseline of where you are now by which you can measure the pace and extent of any future cognitive changes.

[elizzza811]

I was on Klonopin, an "anti-anxiety" medcation that also is considered an anticonvulsant, and it was only after I cold-turkeyed the Klonopin in 2005 that my seizures started...and they've continued to this day.

I'm the same way though...I remember childhood events, conversations, but I have trouble remember events and conversations from yesterday.

[Trinity]

Well, i'm on Epilim (sodium valproate) and my neurologist has said that the tingling is definitely not a side effect

[elizzza811]

Personally I think you should take these 'dizzy spells' seriously, especially dizzy spells with memory problems. I went to my family doctor last fall, and she refused to do any neurological testing on me until she had a copy of my psychiatric records...which I refused. She also refused me a referral to a neurologist, even when I persisted.

I eventually saw a neurologist anyway (one that didn't require a referral from a primary). My MRI and MRA were normal, and since the only abnormal was an elevated rheumatoid factor, she referred me to a rheumatologist.

Then in December I had one of my 'dizzy spells' behind the wheel of my car. They think I might be having partial seizures now. I would never have thought these 'dizzy spells' and memory issues were seizures though, at least until I crashed my car.

So take these dizzy spells and memory problems seriously. I noticed that if I wake up with memory problems that persist for more than a minute or two after opening my eyes (what day is it? what am I supposed to be doing today?) and it takes me a while to figure it out, I will have these 'dizzy spells' (seizures) throughout the day. I'm not sure if your memory problems are as severe as mine, but watch them closely.

[momof3boys]

I just had a video EEG done last week, and after 40 hours of going Cold Turkey with no medications, I had seizures that started out with the funny feeling arua, then came the tingling-numbness in my hands and feet, which then went into non controllable jerking of my body. During the jerking, my face, hands, feet and legs would go completely numb. After the seizure was done, the numbness faded away.

I was referred to a psych by my neurologist because he said those seizures were non epileptic seizures. But today when I went in for the appointment with the psych dr, she doesnt believe the seizures are stress related like my neurologist thinks they are. She and I spoke, and we both can see these being simple partial seizures that just didnt show up on the video EEG.

[Trinity]

well, i'm going to ring the psychiatrist tomorrow and see if I can be assessed. I have had depressiong and anxiety so I guess that's where i'm different. I was not taking my meds regularly though due to forgetfulness but over the last couple of months have been extra careful to do so and putting reminders on my phone so I don't forget. I figure that if it was anxiety then the medication i've been having would be making it somewhat better but instead it's staying the same. I've had periods of stress in that time but i'm often totally unstressed when these seizures/panic attacks happen.

[Trinity]

Well, I made my appointment with the psychiatrist - it's on the 8th of April at 4pm. I'm actually rather happy to be getting in so much sooner even though i'll have to see a different dr.

[momof3boys]

Hope things turn out ok!