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Havok

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Hello all,

I've signed up because this forum is pretty cool. Been on here many times over the past few months for various topics. I have epilepsy. My doctors think it's related to sleep apnea, but I've had what my neurologist calls a complex partial seizure while awake (though it's not exactly a textbook CPS). I also have a long history of mental health problems including depression and anxiety.

I have a couple concerns, and I was wondering if anyone had experienced these things in relation to epilepsy or anything else.

Over the past year or so I've developed a strong paranoia when it comes to certain things. For instance, sometimes I will not go outside at night, and if I have to go outside, I take a weapon.

Second, I've developed weird OCD type symptoms only in some situations with no other symptoms of OCD. For example, sometimes I put my cup down on a coaster, then I look away. Then I look back, realize it isn't in the middle of the coaster, and straighten it. Then I'll semi- zone out staring at it. I don't think, I just stare, but I'm aware of it.

Third, and the real reason I'm here, for the past two days I've developed a tremor. I start to feel a tad odd, and within ten seconds, my hands begin to shake a little bit. Within 15 or so seconds, they shake worse, to the point where I have a hard time doing anything (but I don't lose grasping ability). Within 10 seconds after that, my arms shake, then my head shakes, then the rest of my body. It's a gentle shake, not jerking or rapid constriction of my muscles. Lasts for about five minutes at peak shaking, then slowly goes away over 20 minutes or so. It's only happened twice and has no lasting affect after.

Thanks for any help you all can give :)
 
Oh, I should say that the way I feel before the shaking is only comparable to the auras I had before seizures as a child.
 
Havok

Sorry to hear you are having a hard time of it. A lot of depression can come with the epilepsy and the medication you are on, so this could be part of your problem and having a word with your doctor might be an idea.

The fear at night, with the hair standing on the back of your neck is mostly related to your medication so tell your doctor.

I do not know what medication you are on but this obsessive behavior with the cup or any thing else is again medication.

I have developed a tremor in my left hand sometimes it stops but the muscles in my hand were affected by medication years ago, you can still have a tremor and shaking, does it make it hard to eat, like you feel your going to stick the fork in your mouth. The only thing I found is if you rest you hand against the table or something, it is very annoying. But again tell your doctor, it is probably a result of the medication your on but like I said you did not say.
 
I'm currently on Dilantin. The depression has been going on for 8 years or so, and it isn't medication. I stated it for a bit of medical history. The paranoia started two years ago, and I was on no medication at the time, same for the obsessive behavior.

I've been on Dilantin for about 8 months. I would think that the tremor would have manifested sooner if it was medication. And it's not constant, just two short episodes in the past two days. I haven't tried to eat, but I was shaking enough to spill my drink on me. If I was to quantify it, my hands, arms, and head were shaking in an up and down pattern of about an inch. Nod your head a bit rapidly, that's what happened.

Oh, forgot to mention that my complex partial seizure was about four hours of me obsessively cleaning and straightening everything, stuttering, and rapidly repeating phrases. I'm not knowledgeable enough about the brain to pinpoint the area, but my doctor said it happened from a seizure in the certain part of the brain that would cause this.

Oh and thanks for helping :D
 
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Havok

You are pretty certain its not the medication so you are keeping a diary of everything I presume. Side effects from medication effect people differently and taking them effects everybody differently, some people their body's absorb medication quite fast others slowly and the same can occur as regards side effects although not often.

The obsessive behavior and the tremors could be as a result of a seizure as your doctor said. My brother in law who does not have epilepsy has the same obsessive behavior as regards cleaning and straightening things, where as I am obsessive about putting everything in proper order which I was told as well was a result of a seizure. The same apply s for the stuttering and nodding of your head more than likely the result of a seizure but cheek all side effects again and talking to your doctor.

Dilantin I did not take and know a little about it but not enough to tell somebody this is the way if effect or can effect you, so on that I will not comment. But I would have another talk with my doctor and tell him your concerns. Make sure you keep your diary up to date. Your doctor will be your first line of help, we may not get on with them or agree all the time but they are still a line of defense so keep talking to them and keep insisting you want help in these areas.
 
Hi Havok, welcome (officially) to CWE!

Is the tremor a static one? (i.e., it occurs when your muscles are resting). Or is it a postural one? (i.e. occurs when you are holding a muscle against gravity, like holding a cup of coffee, or when you stand up straight). Can you stop it at all once it starts? Does moving around affect it in anyway?

I agree with Fedup, you should mention this new symptom to your neurologist. He should make sure to rule out things like Huntington's and Parkinson's, which can sometimes feature psychological issues like paranoia and OCD, as well as tremors and occasionally seizures.
 
Thanks for the welcoming :)

It's static. I'll be sitting down when it starts. Once it starts I can't stop it. Once it has nearly gone away, I can focus and stop it. Moving around makes it more pronounced, and makes me feel wobbly from my legs shaking while walking. Unfortunately, I can't go to the doctor often because it's rather expensive.
 
Definitely make a note of whenever this symptom occurs (and any other symptoms too), so that when you do get a chance to see your neurologist he can take it into account. Keeping a seizure/symptom diary can be very useful -- you may be able to identify patterns or triggers (like caffeine or stress or fatigue), and get a sense of whether your symptoms are progressing in any frequency, duration, or nature
 
Okay thanks :) I haven't had to bother with it since my seizures are so far apart, but if this keeps up I'm going to have to so I remember it.
 
Havok,

My heart is feeling for you, big time....

Are you seeing a therapist to help you deal with all this, the all that and some to boot :(?
 
I can't afford a therapist. When I saw one years ago, it made my anxiety worse trying to talk to a stranger face to face. I went through a rough couple years, and that experience keeps me going because it was a bad place I never want to go back to.
 
Havok said:
Thanks for the welcoming :)
Moving around makes it more pronounced, and makes me feel wobbly from my legs shaking while walking. Unfortunately, I can't go to the doctor often because it's rather expensive.
Click to expand...

Hi and welcome to CWE,

I been on Dilantin for about 40 years (give or take a year--Dr. tried other meds. on me) I had tremors and the wobble,shaking in my legs. I had gone on a diet and lost 39 lbs. that caused the Dilantin to become toxic to me.
I used have tremors on my arms and hands BAD, but I was drinking about 5 to 6
cups of coffee each morning.
 
Was it a contact tremor or isolated episodes of about 10-20 minutes?
 
When I when toxic on Dilantin it was constant, my legs was so wobbled I had to use a walking cane.

When I was drinking to much caffeine it would last around 15 mins. or less ( I think that was about that I eat something)

I was seeing a Neur. during all this time and told him all that happening, he would just say "O UMM"

I live in a sm. town went to a old time drug store, When the Phar. saw me he told me it was the Dilantin. I called my Dr. He just didn't seem to want to listen to me. I found a new Neur. who started reducing my Dilantin.
 
Well mine is short. First time I hadn't had much caffeine, second time I had a decent bit. I'm not sure if it's caffeine. I just had blood work done about a month or so ago to test my levels. I would hope my doctor would notice the levels to be high enough if I was going to be in range of toxicity. *hope* lol
 
On a side note, I'm feeling really, really weird today. I keep misspelling things, and they look correct. Then I look back, and it's not correct. Like the post before last where I said contact but meant constant. I feel like I'm falling apart! :(
 
I have dealt with depression and anxiety on top of my seizures. Consistent changes in diagnosis doesn't help either. But I am sorry your dealing with all of this stuff. I know I find myself struggling to do everything when my seizures aren't controlled. As for the OCD stuff, I seemed to be a lot more apt to do those things on Keppra. I was a clean freak way more. I would get bothered if things were out of place, not my usual habits. I would tend to feel random bouts of fear or panic, usually at night and a seizure would follow. Hope you can get some answers and solutions soon.
 
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