Automatisms and absence seizures

[kirsten]

I saw my psychiatrist today. She was a medical doctor and has spent a lot of time studying TLE. I was telling her about these experiences of mine, where I sit down at my computer to touch type as I ordinarily would, and will confidently hammer away at the keys thinking I'm typing the sentence that I'm intending to but it literally comes out like this "skldjrfofwier oiewrj wlkerj." She explained it to me. She says I'm having automatisms, and that they happen directly after I have absence seizures.

I always thought of automatisms as being in a fugue state or in the middle of a partial where you fiddle with your clothes and so forth, but with these typing spells, I really think I'm normal. I have the sentence in my head and I know exactly what I want to type. It feels as though my brain isn't connecting to my fingers. I also have less severe ones where I almost type the word I want to but not quite, which becomes embarrassing sometimes with all my editor friends correcting me on Facebook. I was curious to know how you had experienced automatisms and whether you had them following a seizure or directly after a seizure?

 

[urza3277]

I've never heard that term before today in your post.
Directly after I have a partial I am corherent and can for the sentence in my head like "Calm the f**k down" which I am usually trying to tell to someone near me. But it will come out like "clam the fools done" So almost like aphasia. I don't know if that is what you are talking about. I've never experienced the typing thing.
Cheers!
Rourke

 

[CQ:)]

When my seizures weren't under control if I was typing while having a partial seizure it would often not make sense, most of the time this would happen when I was talking to my American friend on messenger.

My seizures are under control except for the odd funny feeling I get, most of the time these funny feelings don't affect me as they would usually not affect me to much (could still talk & type as per normal).

In November I started typing or writing gibberish either while I had the funny feeling or just after the funny feeling had gone.
The 1st time it happened I had a funny feeling while on the computer, while I still had the noise in my head (part of the funny feeling) I sent my American friend 4 private messages on FB. The 1st 2 made no sense at all, I realised that what I typed was wrong but what i was thinking in my head didn't come up on the screen.
The 2nd time it happened I had the funny feeling which only lasted a few minutes, I waited a couple of minutes after I felt ok again before I wrote it in my journal. When I 1st wrote the funny feeling in my journal a lot of it made no sense & there were a lot of words I wrote which i'm sure dont even exist.
I think I realised it was wrong because I kept crossing it out then re writing it then crossing it out again. Eventually I did manage to write it down & have it make sense but it took a while.

So far I only had 2 of these gibberish episodes but I'll still be bringing it up with my neurologist when i see him at the end of the month because I think they may be simple partials.

 

[urza3277]

But you are still aware of everything and your surroundings when these happen right? Like you know what you want to type or write but just can't seem to get it out correct? Thats the same kind of thing I have except I can't form the correct words and just gibberish comes out. I get alot of those funny feelings. They aren't usually aura's but they just make me feel aweful. I really only usually get them at work after ive been at me desk for quite some time. What part of the globe are you in? Could it be a side effect from your meds do you think?

 

[CQ:)]

Urza.
The funny feelings usually tend to happen more when i am either over tired or stressed.
The gibberish episodes are rare & ive only had 2 gibberish episodes, maybe 3 (3rd im not to sure).
These gibberish episodes have happened when ive been home on my own & yes i am still aware of my surroundings & dont lose conciousness.

I used to have a lot of auras & complex partials which werent controlled by meds so i had brain syrgery 3 years ago. Since the surgery i haven had any tonic clonics or conplex partials & the only issues ive had are tge funny feelings/ gibberish.
I have to go see my neuro at the epilepsy clinic for a yearly follow up in a few weeks time, he is aware of the funny feelings but not the gibberish as it is new.

Until last year i was on 2 epilepsy meds but las year i came of tegretol & am just on keppra.
I will be asking if i need a med adjustment.

I am from Australia.

 

[Nakamova]

Kirsten, if the person is experiencing semi-impairment in terms of writing or speaking, I would think that might qualify as a complex partial. But I think the line between one kind of seizure and another can be a fuzzy one...

 

[kirsten]

The thing that makes me suspect it's not a complex partial is that I feel so clear in my mind. That's what makes the whole thing so weird. But then, today I feel absolutely clear and my typing is coming out as I intend it to. So I guess on those gibberish typing days I'm not quite as clear as I think I am. It's all relative. My psych has mentioned the typing in her letter to the neuro, so I'm sure he'll give me a better explanation when I *eventually* see him.