Hi everyone!

[Chrabowski]

Hi everyone, the name is Cas and I am new to the forum. I signed up to this forum because I have been having an issue that seems to be unknown at this point.

Several years ago, I had what I would say "brain zaps". They would come and go and eventually began to effect my daily activities. When they began to affect my daily activities, I decided that enough was enough and to go to doctor. This thing started out on one part of my brain and spread throughout causing the whole brain to have these zaps. They referred me to a neurologist where I had an MRI done and waited a few days for results. They found nothing and I was left without any answers and an issue that would continue to grow. I finally had a more massive episode that involved me waking up and feeling unable to move. I believed I blacked out and woke up feeling sore all over my body. But after the MRI, I felt like at that point, I was hopeless and began to believe it was all "just in my head". As time went on, it mysteriously disappeared and moved on.


Fast forward to now. I had recently been diagnosed with ADHD. I started off taking Vyvanse but was forced to stop after an allergic reaction. I was then switched to Adderall(generic) and it has worked wonders for me however, I have run into an issue. The "brain zaps" are back with vengeance and worse than ever. Yesterday, I had an incident while standing in line at the costco. The whole right side of my brain was zapping like crazy. I then trembled and shook(this tremble and shake thing has been happening for a long time and I feel like my brain is forcing me to do this whether it be noticeable or not, but my face never went numb.) for a few seconds and then the right side of my face felt like it went numb. The numbness went away after a few hours. I also take thyroid medication(generic levoxyl, very low dose) but that's not one of the side effects I believe and this zap was going on long before I was on medication.

I have to go back to the doctor(I recently went to a new doctor) in 2 weeks and I have to tell him how the medication is doing and if I am having any issues. I am frustrated and at my wits end with this thing. I don't know to do, I don't know what it is. I was told that I may have been having seizures by an old friend who did have epilepsy. Can anyone give me any input? This thing is going to ruin my life.

 

[Chelsea]

Hi Cas! Welcome to CWE Forum. I'm sorry you are having such a tough time...you definitely have a journey ahead of you. It's a process that most of us have gone through before, and we are more than happy to help support you emotionally as you gain more and more information. . . and adjust . . . and adapt.

Trembling and shaking of that sort sounds like it may be a partial seizure. Partial seizures sometimes manifest as mumbling, fumbling, drooling, shaking, trembling, and purposeless movements, and MANY MANY other symptoms. You can arm yourself with knowledge--I've found that's the best thing to do.

Have you ever had any other 'funny feelings' in your head? Like deja vu, etc.?

It sounds like the Adderall made it much worse.

Hmmmm...you've got me thinking...and I love research.

 

[Chrabowski]

Thanks for replying Chelsea!

I don't believe it's deja vu. In the past, I have had fogginess and confusion. I don't really know how to explain it, but I do know it's just unexpected. I don't have any control over it and have no idea when it is going to happen. In the past, many if not most of the time my face just froze up, I would let out a weird groan(I forgot to mention those two things would happen first) and then I trembled and shook for a few seconds. I felt a little dazed and weird afterwards, but for the rest of the day, I was ok. Many times, the shaking and trembling was violent enough for someone to notice it and there were times where it was mild.

 

[Chrabowski]

Actually one question just crossed my mind. Is it possible that I may have been misdiagnosed w/ Adhd?

 

[dejavudu]

A misdiagnosis might be possible, but I wouldn't jump straight to that conclusion personally. It could prevent you from getting help with a legitimate issue. Just put it up on the board as one of the current "I don't knows."

Have you talked with a neurologist about migraines? Sometimes they can produce symptoms like you're describing. The episodes can be nasty.

Just explain what's going on. Don't give up! It took me 14 years to find a neurologist who would listen, and my first video EEG caught a bunch of seizures. That was life changing.