I'm 28/male and I have never had a seizure, so far as I'm aware. However for about 6 years now I've had some undiagnosed problem that causes an assortment of symptoms, chief among them is this constant "head pressure." Other symptoms include brain fog, chronic fatigue, ringing in left ear, tingling, sugar/alcohol intolerance, cold intolerance, dry eyes, the list goes on. The head pressure is the worst symptom, I just have to live with it for most of the day (sometimes eating/exercise can reduce it, but it comes back quickly), and nothing supplemental or dietary seems to do anything for it. Well but that is only some basic backstory, the reason I'm here is in the next paragraph.
I'm here now because for the last month or so, occasionally when I wake up in the morning--and not at any other time, ONLY when I wake up in the morning--I will notice my vision is just "not right." Things seem to have slightly more "jagged lines" and may appear "sharper" and sometimes a tiny bit wavy, but the waviness is nearly imperceptible. The longest this has ever lasted was about 2 minutes. Usually it only lasts for 30 seconds or less. Sometimes I will notice numbness along with the visual oddity, the numbness appears to be random, and its not total, its more like "reduced sensation" say on my arm or back. I also notice the times when I get this visual oddity, my head pressure is really bad. But... there is no migraine that follows, and no black outs, and no seizure. The whole thing goes away within a minute and then I'm back to normal.
I'm asking if this could be an epileptic aura, or perhaps more like an aura without migraine (I've read these exist)..? The concern is they are happening more frequently, and I want to be sure it's not a sign of epilepsy. I do take Paxil and have for many years, I've recently switched to generic, and it's also true that the first time I got this problem I was on Paxil. "Abnormal vision" is a listed but uncommon side effect for Paxil.. but what does not fit: why is it I would usually only get this vision thing a couple times a year, and now I'm getting it at least once a week??
My brother was recently diagnosed with epilepsy at 32 and he gets tonic clonic seizures, this is why I'm so concerned about myself. He had his first seizure at 32, and he tells me never noticed any odd sensations before then. Also, his auras dont seem to be anything like my strange waking phenomenon, he describes his aura as dizziness, lightheadness, and deja vu.
I'm thinking there could be a genetic tendency, although oddly, neither parent, nor ANY relatives on either side of our family, has had a seizure. Could excessive caffeine use also cause something like what I'm describing... perhaps this could be from constricted blood vessels? Could this be hypnopompia, where I wake up before my brain is "ready"?
In any event, I'm dealing with a lot of stress these days being prone to anxiety in the first place, and now seeing my brother get 1-2 tonic clonic seizures every week (this is a new development, before it was just once every 1.5 months or so), it's not a pleasant sight. Now I've got concerns for myself, due to these sensations I get when waking, wondering if I'm developing epilepsy. Or am I paranoid, worrying myself to death, just making the anxiety worse? What do you guys think?
Sorry for the long post,
Bill Z.
I'm here now because for the last month or so, occasionally when I wake up in the morning--and not at any other time, ONLY when I wake up in the morning--I will notice my vision is just "not right." Things seem to have slightly more "jagged lines" and may appear "sharper" and sometimes a tiny bit wavy, but the waviness is nearly imperceptible. The longest this has ever lasted was about 2 minutes. Usually it only lasts for 30 seconds or less. Sometimes I will notice numbness along with the visual oddity, the numbness appears to be random, and its not total, its more like "reduced sensation" say on my arm or back. I also notice the times when I get this visual oddity, my head pressure is really bad. But... there is no migraine that follows, and no black outs, and no seizure. The whole thing goes away within a minute and then I'm back to normal.
I'm asking if this could be an epileptic aura, or perhaps more like an aura without migraine (I've read these exist)..? The concern is they are happening more frequently, and I want to be sure it's not a sign of epilepsy. I do take Paxil and have for many years, I've recently switched to generic, and it's also true that the first time I got this problem I was on Paxil. "Abnormal vision" is a listed but uncommon side effect for Paxil.. but what does not fit: why is it I would usually only get this vision thing a couple times a year, and now I'm getting it at least once a week??
My brother was recently diagnosed with epilepsy at 32 and he gets tonic clonic seizures, this is why I'm so concerned about myself. He had his first seizure at 32, and he tells me never noticed any odd sensations before then. Also, his auras dont seem to be anything like my strange waking phenomenon, he describes his aura as dizziness, lightheadness, and deja vu.
I'm thinking there could be a genetic tendency, although oddly, neither parent, nor ANY relatives on either side of our family, has had a seizure. Could excessive caffeine use also cause something like what I'm describing... perhaps this could be from constricted blood vessels? Could this be hypnopompia, where I wake up before my brain is "ready"?
In any event, I'm dealing with a lot of stress these days being prone to anxiety in the first place, and now seeing my brother get 1-2 tonic clonic seizures every week (this is a new development, before it was just once every 1.5 months or so), it's not a pleasant sight. Now I've got concerns for myself, due to these sensations I get when waking, wondering if I'm developing epilepsy. Or am I paranoid, worrying myself to death, just making the anxiety worse? What do you guys think?
Sorry for the long post,
Bill Z.
