2nd Neurology Visit Went Fairly Well

[sjconner]

I had my second visit with my neurologist - I really like him. He listens, he cares, and he is fairly blunt and to the point. My MRI and EEG were normal which is a huge relief. The closer I got to todays appt the more stressed I got. After having cancer this last summer I dread all of those scans.

In fact I was so stressed about it I thought I had a bunch of seizures last night. I went to bed and found myself thrashing all over the place. I was conscious the whole time. The neuro said those weren't seizures as I was alert and so on. He said it was most likely PNES. He didn't discount my partials/hallucinations that I have had in the past. He still thinks I probably have temporal lobe epilepsy. He just thinks that I need to get my stress levels under control and take better care of myself. :soap:

He asked about my meds. I am on Topamax. He decided my side effects were too severe and that I was having too many. I didn't whine ... I was willing to keep on for a while longer. But he's the man in charge ... he lowered my dosage. He says it should still control my migraines but may or may not control my partials/hallucinations. If not he will try have me try something else. Before meds my partials were few and far between so we will see. I see him again in two months. And I still CAN'T DRIVE! :crying: I see him again in two months.

 

[CQ:)]

I had my second visit with my neurologist - I really like him. He listens, he cares, and he is fairly blunt and to the point.

Hi Sjconner,
Glad your appt with the neurologist went well, it is always good when we have a good neurologist who listens to us & takes us seriously.

He still thinks I probably have temporal lobe epilepsy. He just thinks that I need to get my stress levels under control and take better care of myself.

I don't know about you but stress is one of my major seizure triggers & I have always had trouble dealing with stress. Over the years though I have learnt to try to keep my stress levels to a minimum but it isn't easy & there are still times where I do over stress. For me the best way to reduce my stress is writing what is stressing me out in a stress journal or have a moan to someone who listens (my mum, my neuropsychologist, my close friends).

Good luck with the new dosage of Topamax

 

[RunningGirl85]

I know I have been diagnosed with epilepsy, and have had a couple of abnormal EEGs, but my last one was normal, and I still reported having a decent amount of partials. My neurologist also thinks mine might be anxiety related. I'm kinda hoping he's right (I think it was the sweaty palms/increased heart rate I said I experience along with my partial episodes - deja vu and whatnot). I do know stress makes everything worse for me. Definitely take care of yourself It's hard sometimes, I Know, but it will help!

 

[Nakamova]

It's nice you've found a neurologist you can trust, and who seems willing to listen to you.

I do think that being alert during the thrashing doesn't necessarily mean that it was psychogenic rather than epileptic. You could have been experiencing myoclonic jerks.

 

[sjconner]

I don't know. It might have started out that way. I started with some twitching in my left shoulder. It would start and stop... Kinda in waves. Sometimes both sides would get involved. The longer it went on the rougher it got. I was conscious the whole time. At one point my back started arching. This occurred over about a two hour period. The neuro thinks that (with the severity and back arching) if it had been epileptic in origin that I should have lost consciousness.

I really wonder if some of the problems I had after I started the higher dosage of the topamax weren't just side effects but actually increased anxiety and a great big whopping dose of depression. I guess I didn't realize it because I went up so slowly and some of the side effects are the same as the symptoms of depression. I am going to see my primary care doc on Thursday.

I feel a lot better on the lower dosage.