I haven't pressed the button in over 24hrs

[Wobblez]

Day 8 and 9 of my in hospital EEG have been quiet. Not sure if it's a good or a bad thing in terms of the test, but it tells me my body is showing some resilience considering I also have a cold. Doc says the Lamictal should be out of my system by now. It's exciting to think I could get to attempt life without the Lamictal, but being in a bed all day isn't representative of real life so we'll see. In the meantime, the waiting game continues...

P.S. I'm really itchy, do you think that's the air conditioning?

 

[LW6279]

That could be from not taking the Lamictal... Nerves are reacting to no meds.

 

[Wobblez]

Hhhmm...I do seem to get itchy easily so its either that or maybe the washing powder they've used on the bedding and towels etc. I imagine it could be a heavy duty one!

 

[MuayThaiFighter]

That would be pretty awesome if you could just feel good and live without any meds. I hope all stays well and keep us all informed how you are.

 

[Wobblez]

Thanks mate, will definitely keep you all posted but i'm guessing it will be a long journey. One big plus to my seizures not showing up on the EEG is that the neuro said he can use that to defend my driver's license for me. I'm not convinced I'm safe to drive when i'm going through phases of seizures but if i can legally retain my license and use my own common sense, and my normal neuro's discretion, then it would sure make things easier!

 

[Nakamova]

How much longer are you in for Wobblez?

 

[RunningGirl85]

My neurologist wanted to use my EEGs to justify my driving as well... the last two were normal, but I still can't drive, even though he's questioning whether my seizures are even epilepsy, and is still upping my doses. Grrrr....

 

[Wobblez]

Ahhh geez Runninggirl, its hard work isn't it. I hope they agree on a diagnosis and treatment plan for you soon.

Nak, the 2 week EEG finishes this Friday!! YAY!! We are now working with an initial diagnosis of a chemical imbalance caused by my childhood epilepsy, that is apparently causing my symptoms of fatigue, dizziness, psychogenic seizures etc. The neuro is open to this diagnosis but is continuing to look for epilepsy also, as best practice I guess. There is a good chance i'm having both epileptic and psychogenic seizures, but I've only had psychogenic ones in here. They want to treat with anti-depressants. I'm not sure if i will go back on to the Lamictal as well. This was a massive blow and sent me into a spin when they said they thought i was suffering from a depressive disorder, commonly seen with and caused by epilepsy, especially temporal lobe. "But i'm not depressed!" But when I listened to his reasoning, and his insistence that this type of depressive disorder actually has very little to do with low mood, it did make sense. I guess its the best we have at the moment, and worth investigating. Not sure how i'll manage study and work while still having seizures, but hopefully it wont be long before the drugs start to take effect. I think they want me to do some cognitive therapy too, but as i've done a lot of that he is happy that i'm functioning well psychologically and is mainly interested in treating the chemical imbalance. Yesterday was very overwhelming, I felt like i'd walked happily into this hospital, and now i'd be lucky to crawl out!! But we're getting somewhere and that's what matters.

 

[Nakamova]

but I've only had psychogenic ones in here.

I'm not sure that's been determined. Having a normal EEG is not proof that your symptoms are psychogenic.

his insistence that this type of depressive disorder actually has very little to do with low mood

I'm not buying this either. Plenty of folks here on CWE are struggling with co-occurring depression. They experience the clinical symptoms of depression. If you're not experiencing the symptoms below, then a diagnosis of depression may be a stretch:

Depression is a constellation or set of symptoms including:
Changes in sleep, mood and appetite
Decreased interests
Suicidal thinking
Poor concentration/attention
Change in thoughts, movement and speed
Pains in various parts of the body
Depression causes feelings of sadness, helplessness, hopelessness, and guilt, and makes the person unable to experience happiness. Other problems include difficulty sleeping (insomnia or sleeping excessively), decreased sexual desire, and appetite disturbances (loss of appetite or overeating). All people feel sad at some time in their life and the depth of sadness varies. The line between sadness and depression is not precise but at some point, when sadness is prolonged and impairs a person’s ability to enjoy life and to work, there is a problem.

All of us experience some of the above. But it's important to be careful before diagnosing depression, particularly if you aren't experiencing "prolonged sadness that impairs your ability to enjoy life and to work."
Anti-depressants are powerful meds, and they can have just as many side effects as anti-seizure meds. Proceed with caution -- maybe try CBT first rather than adding another med to the mix right away.

I'd ask for more details about the chemical imbalance. Is it serotonin? Have they tested your blood levels for low serotonin? B6 can boost serotonin levels, as can exercise. In fact, most test of anti-depressants have found that they do no better than exercise and/or counseling, except in cases of serious depression.

I'm not trying to make things more confusing, just to say that more meds isn't always the answer -- and may make things worse. So take your time before making a treatment decision.

 

[Wobblez]

Very good point Nak thank you. To clarify, he's not diagnosing me with depression, but a depressive disorder, so he's not discounting depression or expecting me to fit in the box of criteria. You're right, I don't fit the criteria for depression as its commonly known (eg your criteria), and i will ask about serotonin tests, because it is all very circumstancial. You did make it more complex but I appreciate you saying so because i was wondering how he could verify his theory. Thank you, i'll discuss it with him xxx

 

[MuayThaiFighter]

Either way Wobblez I just hope you start feeling better. Glad your Dr. is keeping an open mind, and with that mentality things will work out.

Regardless of what treatments they want, trust your body. Let them know what is not working for you and what isn't. Because they are working for you, not the other way around.

Glad you get out soon! Wrestle some crocodiles for me buddy.

 

[Nakamova]

:agree: I hope you find a course of treatment that makes you feel better. Period.

But...
Your doc is splitting hairs with the"depressive disorder" diagnosis. The depressive disorders are subsets of a depression diagnosis, not something different. They include major depression, along with things like post-partum depression. (See http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publ...t-are-the-different-forms-of-depression.shtml) I think perhaps the closest match for your situation is dysthymic disorder, or dysthymia. (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dysthymia). Does that feel like it describes how you've been feeling?

As for the serotonin test, I threw that out there to see if he's saying he has a an actual way to prove that you have a chemical imbalance. The test itself is iffy, since there's no way to confirm low levels of serotonin in the brain correspond to low serotonin levels in the blood. At this point, the only way to confirm his diagnosis of "depressive disorder" is if the treatment makes a positive difference. It's similar to the situation of some folks with epilepsy. Backwards confirmation: Here are some pills, see if they help.

Okay, I'm offa my soabox.

MTF says it wisely (and more succinctly): "Trust your body. Let them know what's working for you and what isn't."

 

[Wobblez]

Dysthymia fits, except for a few points. I don't think I'm ready to accept it yet. It's very scary and kinda hit me across the side of the head! Thanks Nak and MTF

 

[chmmr]

Hey Wobblez, i was just wondering how you have been doing since you got out? Thinking of you

 

[Wobblez]

Hey Chmmr,

Sorry about the late reply. I'm supposed to be relaxing at home for a few weeks before getting back to work but with exams looming, and the usual life stuff, I still seem rather busy lol.

The dizziness has eased up a little, and I haven't had any seizures but I interestingly feel EXACTLY how I felt before they put me on the lamictal. Constant dull headache that worsens and turns into auras if I do too much, and dizziness that comes and goes according to activity levels. Doing too much can be an hour on the computer and making a meal. Sigh...

I'm upping my Lexapro to 15mg tonight, the neuropsych wants me on 20mg by the end of next week. I'm hoping to get up to 20 by midweek so I can gauge how I'm likely to feel, and call my boss and arrange for her to roster me on the following week, if all goes to plan. I'm hoping this headache will go away but isn't it interesting that the headache and the dizziness were helped by the lamictal. Maybe its migraine related?? There was talk that I could be having silent migraines.

How is everyone else?

 

[Nakamova]

Lamictal is supposed to help with cluster headaches and migraines, so it may have been working for you that way. I hope the Lexapro helps you feel better all around.