Seizures causing Pain?

[momof3boys]

When I had my follow up appointment with the heart doctor on thursday, she said she believes the pain I was experiencing in my left side, (upper shoulder, collar bone area, and upper back area) could be caused from prior seizures. When I went into the urgent care clinic on October 24th, they told me I had bronchitis. Gave me some medication, and then I saw my dr as a follow up appointment. It was the PA I saw, and he also gave me some Hydroco to help with the chest pain. They then switched the medication i was using for gerd, to a different one. When I took the new gerd medication and the Hydroco I started having seizures. Less than 48 hours after starting the new gerd medication, I started having them. I didnt put the two medications together, as part of what was going on til around 4-5 days later when my mom brought it to my attention. But my husband said I was having seizures at night. The following day I would wake up to pain in my left side, like my shoulder area, upper back area, etc. After I told this to my heart doctor, who wanted the full story as to when the pain all started with my heart, and so on, I told her all about being my PA telling me I had thoracic outlet syndrome. But whats weird is that the pain I was having was when I was taking both of those medications, then the seizures began shortly after, and the pain came really bad then. Now I havnt had any more pain since I last took the two medications, and a few days later, felt much better.

So this doctor thinks that the pain I was having was from the seizures. She said because Ive had seizures all my life, Im probably prone to get pain in that area, my left side, more when I do things to cause the pain to come back. Like lifting heavy things, and using my left side more.

has anyone's doctor believed that pain could be from having seizures all your life and then over doing it can cause a flare up to come about? I was just suprised to hear it from a heart doctor. But after she said it, it made total sense. Why the pain got worse during that time period, and then healed.

[Endless]

Interesting, Mom.

I also find it very interesting that this may have been made worse by a combo of two drugs. I've found drug combos bad in the past when the drug alone wasn't a problem, like any of the anti-epileptic drugs and Sudafed. Sudafed was okay in the past. Now that I'm on anti-epileptic drugs, Sudafed causes buzzing in my brain and body. Ugh.

It sounds like you've got a couple of really good doctors. They think outside the box. Any chance they would be willing to talk directly with each other?

[momof3boys]

Well, my heart doctor, based on the times Ive been seeing her, seems to have a good head on her shoulders. Its my primary care dr, the PA actually who I am thinking about switching. Prescribing me the Hydroco medication, trying to double up on the generic prilosec, and then changing the medication, so Im taking two medications that both have the risk of irregular heart beat and seizures, while Im taking Keppra XR, in my opinion wasnt a good call to give me those medications while taking seizure medications. So In the meantime, Im going to look around to see what kind of other primary care drs are out there. Yesterday and today my left ear has been killing me, along with my throat. I hate to go back to the doctors, but Im going to tough it out and see if it gets worse. I hate paying my copay too! Especially after everything Ive gone through with that place! Telling me I have thoracic outlet syndrome, and only diagnosing me by raising my left arm? My heart doctor I told this to, couldnt believe it! She recommend I look around too.

[petero]

well two things I can add for sure:

I quite often have weird side and shoulder pains I end up attributing to night seizures (I also have coffee at night but there is no corellation it seems) because I do "homemade" yoga of sorts, not knowing Yoga poses exactly, but knowing my structure/musculature very well having always been very limber (photos of me floating around at my parents' houses/at the school somewhere, of me doing the "Eka Pada Sirsasana" just because I figured out by myself that I could basically do it (front leg not quite that extended, bent a little) and I talked about it in gym in 4th-5th grade and showed the gym teacher who took a photo of me doing it in class- lol

AND

I was on Keppra for a few months (the generic I believe it was) and I'm quite sure that s**t f****d me up beyond belief. I attribute as being an impetus of sorts i guess, for the worst seizure span I've ever had that I still feel psychologically. I found out it is a precarious chemical apparently. I would advise you to take care with alterations around Keppra chemicals.

and actually additionally I was on hydrocodone (if that's what you mean Hydro) after a car wreck for my back and that stuff did not treat me well either!

just some things to consider...

[momof3boys]

Thank you for your input.

Yes, it was Hudrocodone, the liquid stuff, that the dr prescribed me to help with chest pain due to bronchitis. I was taking it starting at the end of October, but it wasnt til when my dr switched my gerd medication to a different one, pantaphrozle (probably spelling this wrong). Both the hydrocodone and gerd medication had the side effects of Irregular heart beat and seizures. Both of which I had. I quit taking those two medications the night I went to the ER, on thanksgiving. Once I quit them, the irregular heart beats and seizures went away. So Im staying clear of those. I did find out that my magnesium level was low, which I had my heart dr who took the blood levels, to send to my neurologist's office for them to look at. Hopefully I will hear back from them soon, I just want to make sure they are ok with the level, or else if they want me to take something to get it higher.

[petero]

I've been trying to eating to get a higher potassium level, taking a daily vitamin too

[momof3boys]

Yeah, Im so far taking a vitamin b-12, and vitamin b complex. Along with my Keppra XR in the morning and night. I try to take a multi vitamin too, but sometimes I forget it!

[SimonYork]

I just started having seizures for the first time in 25 years. One was two Months ago and another this past Friday. The first one, I was in Bed. Apparently, I let out a blood curdling yell that the neighbor heard and she came over and found be not breathing. When I came to, I refused calling an ambulance. The last one, I was standing, yelled again and fell through a breakfast table. Guess who heard it and came running. This time, I was out for a little over 30 minutes, so she called anyway.

Since the ER Doctor reported it to the DMV, I have had my license suspended. Between that and having to follow through with Doctors again, I am a bit uneasy.

As far as the pain. The first one left me with back pain, this time I have sore muscles from my knees to the muscles in my neck. As well as all of the pro wrestling injuries I ever received.

For your chest pains that you feel all over. I ended up with Atrial Fibrillation after my last seizure 25 years ago when my heart stopped. I have those kind of pains that you can't touch to massage. Can't twist a certain way for relief.

I was diagnosed with Costochondritis. It is an inflammation of tissues in the rib cage, mostly the cartilage connecting the ribs to the sternum. You can only relax and keep your heart rate down as it beats against the painful area.

Good luck to everyone. This is not fun.

[momof3boys]

Im sorry to hear of all the complications you've had. I went to the heart doctor and had a stress test done, all that came back normal. My heart doctor thinks the pain was having, was from the seizures I was experiencing while on Hydroco and the GERD Medication mixed together, with the Keppra XR. She said to get it checked out by a GI dr, which I did, and am scheduled for a procedure for them to look down my throat to see if its a possible ulcer that I have causing the problems. So til then, Im trying to take it easy so I dont get a flare up again.