Hello. I believe I’ve posted on here before, most likely regarding my hypochondria about having seizures. This is an enduring problem for me, which has gotten worse recently, so I’d like to come back with the hopes that I can solve it here. My specific problem is that I used to have seizures in my childhood, probably from the age of about 11 to age 13 or so, having one each year. They were grand mal seizures, triggered (supposedly) by lack of sleep or exposure to uncomfortable heat, and it’s possible they were due to a head injury, since I sustained one the day prior to having my first seizure, though my doctors said there was no particular evidence of this and ruled it out as a coincidence. I was brought to the ER for my second and third seizures, after which I was put on Keppra. I never had a seizure while on Keppra and haven’t had one since being taken off Keppra a few years ago. I’m now 18 years old and have been declared seizure free after taking an EEG.
That’s great, but I have an enduring fear of having seizures, especially when exposed to my old triggers of tiredness or heat. This fear isn’t consistent, from day to day, but it’ll happen occasionally usually for a few days in a row. Typically I’ll be excessively vigilant for seizure symptoms, e.g for a taste in my mouth or especially for the feeling of an aura. I’ll often worry that normal sensations on my face or other parts of my body are auras, sometimes causing me to freak out momentarily and sort of startled, immediating grabbing my face (where I used to experience tactile auras) or just moving my body around in general as a response to fear and to make sure I won’t undergo paralysis. This presents a particular problem when I’m trying to sleep, since it keeps me up, and there’s nothing else to really focus on in that situation except my bodily sensations.
I hope no longer to do this, to no longer fear seizures irrationally, or to even care as much as I do if they do happen. I don’t know exactly how to do that, but I once read that it helps such fears to just talk to people who have had similar experiences about the issue, which is why I’m here. I’d like to exchange stories with people, in detail, preferably privately if this site has a feature for it. If anyone is willing to do that, let me know.
Thanks
That’s great, but I have an enduring fear of having seizures, especially when exposed to my old triggers of tiredness or heat. This fear isn’t consistent, from day to day, but it’ll happen occasionally usually for a few days in a row. Typically I’ll be excessively vigilant for seizure symptoms, e.g for a taste in my mouth or especially for the feeling of an aura. I’ll often worry that normal sensations on my face or other parts of my body are auras, sometimes causing me to freak out momentarily and sort of startled, immediating grabbing my face (where I used to experience tactile auras) or just moving my body around in general as a response to fear and to make sure I won’t undergo paralysis. This presents a particular problem when I’m trying to sleep, since it keeps me up, and there’s nothing else to really focus on in that situation except my bodily sensations.
I hope no longer to do this, to no longer fear seizures irrationally, or to even care as much as I do if they do happen. I don’t know exactly how to do that, but I once read that it helps such fears to just talk to people who have had similar experiences about the issue, which is why I’m here. I’d like to exchange stories with people, in detail, preferably privately if this site has a feature for it. If anyone is willing to do that, let me know.
Thanks
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