I'm new! about my seizure experience...

[allfoaton]

hello all! I just wanted to share what I've been going through. A few months ago, I had what was possibly a seizure. I was sitting in class, minding my own business, when I started to feel super nauseous and off and felt like I needed to lay down immediately. I have fainted/nearly fainted before, and it is the typical slowly lose vision and ringing in the ears for that, but it was nothing like that at all.

Anyway, before I could do anything, I sort of felt myself nod off -- it almost felt like I had fallen asleep and I remember feeling like I was dreaming, only I woke up to my professors hands on my shoulders and found myself leaned back in my chair with my knocked my glasses of, having dropped the book I was holding, and having no idea why everyone around me looked terrified! I am not sure if I was confused because of what was happening brain-wise, or just because I had no idea it was so scary seeming!

Apparently my eyes were open the whole time and had gotten very wide, I was breathing heavily with my arms and body rigid, and I wouldn't respond to the boy sitting next to me saying my name, for maybe 30 seconds. I also lost bladder control. Once girl said that I looked very pale, almost a grey/blue, and her first thought was that I was choking.

Since then, nothing extraordinary has happened, though I have woken up feeling like my body was shaking more than once since, which has been written off as a case of sleep paralysis.

What I had doesn't sound like a typical seizure, that I know of (I've done lots of googling and found maybe some sort of complex partial?) but all my tests have come back normal. Normal EEG, CAT scan at ER, MRI, various heart tests, glucose tolerance test, allll normal! My neurologist said he can't diagnose it as a seizure officially and is just calling it an unexplained loss of consciousness and is doing a wait and see approach in case it was a random unexplained seizure that won't ever happen again. he also said I could have just fainted and it mimicked a seizure, but I have fainted before and since this and it was a completely different experience.

I was just wondering if anyone has had seizures similar to what I described up there or if it sounded familiar at all, and to say hello in case I eventually get an epilepsy diagnosis.

 

[Soniag]

i have the same kind of seizures as you explain. if the tests were clear then yours may have just been a one off, many people do have seizures that are non epileptic. if this happens again though then it would be best to talk to your doctor again

 

[Nakamova]

Hi allfoaton, welcome to CWE!

What you describe does sound like a seizure. The loss of consciousness AND of bladder control suggest a neurological cause. The nausea, heavy breathing and rigidity are all characteristic as well. Also typical is your paleness during the episode -- it happens because the body is taking blood/oxygen away from the extremities and sending it to the brain to deal with the overload of activity occurring there.

Usually they don't diagnose epilepsy after a single seizure unless there is other compelling evidence or test results (such as a positive EEG) to confirm that diagnosis. So your neuro is right to hold off on a diagnosis for the time being. It could well be a random one-off event. About 2% of adults have a seizure at some time during their life. Two thirds of these people never have another one. Here's hoping that's the case for you.

Even if it is a one-off, it's worth paying close attention to the circumstances surrounding the episode. Can you think of any unusual events or stressors in the months/weeks/days/hours leading up to the episode? Sometimes a "perfect storm" of stresses can push us over the edge. Were you unusually tired before the event? Had you had any illnesses or infections or taken any medication? Had you been eating and drinking in a generally moderate and healthy way? You mention fainting in the past -- were there any particular triggers associated with those? Have you ever experienced any other odd sensations? If you can put your finger on anything that might be relevant, it could be helpful. Take the episode as a warning and play it extra-safe for a while.

If you continue to have the shaking sensation when you wake up -- esp. if it progresses in frequency or duration -- let the doc know, and ask about having an overnight sleep study done.

Best,
Nakamova

 

[N Sperlo]

If I were o be tested, all tests would likely come back normal. Id suggest talking about a video EEG. Sometimes it is the best option.