Are My Seizures Tonic Clonic? Please Answer!!

[JLogefeil]

I have been talking to psychological therapist because the doctors think that I'm having pseudoseizures. But I KNOW for a fact that I'm not having those kinds of seizures. So my therapist wanted me to have my husband write down what happens to me during a seizure. So this is what he wrote and I wanted to write it down on this site so maybe someone can help me. This is my husbands point of view.


Tuesday April 17 2012

About 15 min ago Julianne showed signs of her body wanting to have a seizure by spacing out and her telling me she feels funny. Before going into a seizure she stared off with a blank look on her face.
Julianne had a seizure at 5:45, When she had the seizure, her whole body was shaking, sometimes her head as well, with foam coming out of her mouth. Her eyes up in her head with some weird blinking patterns.
It’s now 5:52 and she seems to be waking up from the postictal stage but I don’t know. Julianne is what I think is in postictal stage where both eyes were open and staring with no response to rubbing of the sternum.
6:00 giving words that are unclear and not sure what she is trying to imply. She is trying to talk me without focusing on me. Unsure if her talking was to me or just random words to herself?
6:04 she rolled over and is trying to sleep, going to attempted to move her from floor to the bed. She is telling me it is cold (which was hard to understand)
6:11 she is resting and normally sleeps for a while after a seizure.
Julianne woke up at 7:30, with a headache, wet pants, still tired and a little slow. She is fully awake and talking.
Seizure Lasted: A Couple Min
The Severity of Seizure: Med

MY husband wanted to also know is how long does the postictal stage after a seizure last.

To me it sounds like a Tonic Clonic, but how accurate is the information above sounds like a Tonic Clonic? Is there symptoms that also happen that are not listed? If so, what are they?

Thank you for your time to read and comment on my thread.

 

[Nakamova]

Sounds like a t-c to me. Sometimes there's a screaming or gasping sound at the start, and the lips and extremities turn blue. Afterwards, the tongue or mouth can be sore, as well as back muscles (depending on the severity of the seizing).

Post-ictal phase can vary -- For me, there have been times when I was up and running around fairly promptly, other times when I times I needed to sleep it off.

 

[Wobblez]

Sounds like a tc to me. Absolutely 100%. Keep the camera on standby and see if your hubby can video it, zooming in on your eyes. I hope u can get a referral to see a neuro. Don't give up. Keep us posted x

 

[JLogefeil]

What does zooming in on your eyes do? Why doe the doctor need to see my eyes?

 

[epileric]

What does zooming in on your eyes do? Why doe the doctor need to see my eyes?

I know when someone has a seizure their pupils usually dilate. I would assume that the doctor is watching for the response that makes your pupils contract.

 

[JLogefeil]

I looked at the report from this last time I went to the hospital and it said this about my eyes.
Quote- bilaterally dilated pupils, but reactive to light. Extraocular movements or lid lag can not be commented on. Moist conjunctivae, anicteric sclera. Pupils are dilated, but reactive to light.-End Of Quote
What does this mean? Because the first time I went to the doctor they said that my eyes were not dialated. And now there saying I think that they were. So what does this mean for me? Is this something my doctor should know?

 

[epileric]

I think you would be best off to ask the doctor for the most accurate answer.

 

[qtowngirl]

Sounds like a T-C to me too.
How was your tongue after? Sore in any spot like it had been bitten (even if it's minor and feels like the slightest pain)? Was there any blood?
The headache after and feeling cold are quite common for a T-C. I know both of those happen to me within minutes (the headache sometimes, getting cold always, which is normal as your entire body is in a state of shock). If you're not going to the hospital a warm bed is the answer.
Everything else you describe sounds like it, but like Epileric said it's best to talk to your doctor (or if you can see one, a neurologist). HUGS.

 

[MaryK]

I totally agree with everyone. You have described pretty much a textbook t/c. Before I was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 19, my younger sister had been diagnosed with epilepsy since a baby and I remember watching her having t/c seizures... grand mal way back when so very familiar with how someone looks while having t/c seizures.

I grew up with the fire department making frequent visits to our house for my younger sister and her t/c seizures. There was no 911 fifty years ago and no support for families. My epilepsy started about the time my periods started. It was very difficult for my mother and she blamed herself for years even though the neurologist told her with my history of concussions that may have been the cause and not genetic. I was not officially diagnosed by a neurologist with a positive EEG until the age of 19.

 

[MaryK]

Also, is your neurologist an epitologist (epilepsy specific neurologist)? If you live in a large city there probably is one, but a smaller town like me maybe not.

 

[jenjen]

Don't give up. I would get a second, even a third opinion. Physicians like to use the "it's all in your head" dx espcially if they don't have a cut and dry answer. Good luck on getting an accurate dx.

 

[aaron]

Sounds exactly like my girlfriends seizures. In fact she just had one and is now resting. I ask her occasionally if she knows where she is or who I am but still can't answer at the moment.

Within the next 15 mins or so she should be able to start answering.

From your description it does indeed sound like a TC.

 

[JLogefeil]

That's how I am. I can't talk as well. I try it's all mumbled when she tries to talk is it all mumble as well?
Well I hope she is doing better.
So did you sign up for this site to help her? Or is she the one that signed up so she could have someone to talk to.

 

[aaron]

Yeah I think in her mind she knows what she's trying to say but it just comes out wrong.

I wish she was doing better, she had a 4th seizure in 7 hours so I called an ambulance because it seems like too many for her. Right or wrong, I don't know. Will probably just lie in a bed up there for 5 hours or so then come home. That's usually what happens but I just freak out sometimes and have to call them.

Just rang the hospital and she's still waiting in an ambulance to be admitted. Going to be a long night for me.

I signed up here to get answers to questions I was having, learn how to deal with it and basically learn all I can about it.

She is yet to make an appearance here. Despite it being almost 4 years since she was diagnosed, she still doesn't seem to have reached the point of accepting it and moving onto learning how to deal with it. She's getting there though. I've finally got here interested in going to a support group near us.