Aphasia, hormones, epilepsy... I need advice!

[sah313]

Hi everyone,

I am in need of a bit of advice. The neurology dept at my local hospital has been closed down and referral to the nearest one will take 3months so i need the expert advise of you good and knowledgeable people.

I have been on max dose of keppra for over 9 months now and its working amazingly well! I am more focused, happy, no more mood swings, no more migraines; it really has been a dream.

Now, for the past 3 months I have started slurring and stuttering a day or two before my period starts and it only last an hour if that (which i accepted as just new feature of my keppra side effects). Then all of a sudden last Friday (over a week before period was due) I was walking back from the shop with my partner and I started to get really anxious and panicky then I couldn't talk, I was stuttering and slurring really bad when I did try. I sounded as if I had a stroke . I knew what I wanted to say but it was like my brain had forgotten how to speak so i had to mime and say just one basic word to help people understand me.

I thought it was just another one of these "new" side effects, just a bit worse than before, and it would go away the next day. It didn't go away, I had spells (lasting and hour or two) where I could talk normally but the aphasia has lasted all week. It seams to be getting a little better, I'm only stuttering a little today but I am not holding my breath as to whether it will completely go or not.

Has anyone else had anything or heard of anything like this happening before with epilepsy? Im a bit worried that my epilepsy has spread to my frontal lobe, which is causing the aphasia but I wont know until i can get an appointment with a neurologist. I was going to go through my GP and wait the 3months it takes to see one but, if this is something that is really serious then maybe i should consider going to A&E on the next attack to push me in quicker?!

Thank you for taking the time to read all this and ANY advise would be gratefully appreciated.

Sah

 

[Fedup]

I am not much help as I am male, but the hormonal change within your body could be causing this, so some of the lady's here will be better able to advise you, but yes I think you need to talk with your GP and neurologist about this and explain what is happening, the suggestion about A&E might be a good one but talk to your GP first. There are posts already which might be of help and you could take a look?

 

[huskymom]

If it doesn't right its self soon, I would go to the emergency room or urgent care facility. I have not heard of that caused by hormones, but I could be wrong. I hope it gets better soon!

 

[KarenB]

Speech problems are a side effect of Topomax, and, as I recall, it is in the same family of meds as Keppra.

Our son lost 90% of his speech (although he clearly still understands language) whilst on Topomax (which controlled his seizure for 3 years) -- not initially, but when the medication was increased due to seizures returning.

 

[LJ-Bain]

Ah the joys of Keppra. I wanted to reassure you though that the majority of my seizures begin with an elevated heart rate, slurring, facial grimace and then my head drops and a more familiar seizure begins. Mine supposedly originate in my brain stem which is really close to the pituitary gland which is responsible for "lady" hormones and mine are worse when I ovulate and the few days before my period. And when mine all began the slurring and facial grimace lasted for hours sometimes and even days.
It is amazing how you can get by with gesturing and the word "yah".
When I was on Keppra I found that it created lots of fun (sarcasm) and new seizures, especially when I was on a high dose.
If it makes you feel better to go to an emergency room then I would recommend it.
They would be able to direct you at least or let you know if this is a major concern.

 

[Cint]

As LJ-Bain suggested, it could be hormonal issues causing breakthrough seizures that last longer than usual.(Catamenial seizures). I take Keppra (3000 mgs. + 200 mgs of Topomax=Dopemax) and experience some memory loss, aphasia (but I had a lobectomy, also) and mood swings.
I would suggested you call your neuro if this happens again.

 

[sah313]

Thank you for the replies! My speech is back to normal, which is a lot easier for my family, they aren't great at guessing games! I have made an appointment with the neurologist to see whats going on, Im hoping not for another attack until then but If I do get another, im going to get myself to the doctors pretty quick in the hope they might be able to record whats going on when its actually happening!

Thank you all for the help, its great to know there's always place to ask for advice.

 

[Electra]

Hi Sah313,
That happens to me every month...during ovulation and before I start. Ever since I was a teenager I used to get strange feelings when I was exhausted or stressed but I didn't know what the heck it was and just thought is was anxiety or something worse. My mom would get scared and bring me to hospital and where I was always told by doctors the same but was never tested even when I had the shakes in from of them. I would get electric shocks in my head and in the middle of my spine/back and feel strange and knew then something was coming over me like a complex or noctural seizure. My husband used to tell me time to time that I was acting funny during my sleep but I just said "whatever". There would be times when I would wake up to go to work and feel like I never had sleep and felt weak and bit the side of my tongue. My husband said I grind my teeth. But last year, I ended up in hospital after a cluster of noctural seizures where I didn't wake up and finally had the opportunity to find out what was going on...my docter said yup seizure activity. I take Lamotrigne now and for the most part feel the best I have ever felt in years as I haven't had any noctural but I still get this feeling 2 or 3 times every month where I can't recall where I am and I can't communicate/function/move. Sometimes I can manage to answer "I don't know" and sometimes not able to answer at all because I can't comprehend or talk when I get this "surge" but I am ok with it because I am use to it. At first I feel nausea in my stomach then the surge rises straight up to my head and I feel like I am in a strange place and my brain is trying to recall where I am and my heart sometimes starts to race, then I come out of it and I am fine again. So I have to take more meds or add something else if doesn't change but I really think it's just my hormones. My eegs show slowing but it's not as bad as when I had the noctural seizure activity. First it was Frontal now it's temporal...lol

 

[sah313]

Thank you for the reply Electra. I am so pleased with the help you have all given. I was so worried about it and felt a bit useless not knowing what it was and the thought of having to wait 3 months to even have an appointment with a neurologist when it could be something serious was driving me crazy!

Living in the UK means its a post code lottery when it comes to hospital services, my 1st and only neurologist had to discharge me after 6months due to the closure of the neurology department at my local hospital. Due the mass influx of people who are now going to other neurologists in the surrounding hospitals your only allowed 1 appointment before your discharged!

Thank you all again

Sah

 

[stilldancing_98]

I stutter and slurr sometimes when I'm having a myoclonic seizure. But I also had really bad seizures grand mal when I was on my period. And the pill well that was just to many hormones. So anyway I got the mirena.Almost no hormones , I have no periods and grand mals are maby once this year. Talk to your Dr. about it. Love Teresa



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