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leoniedelt

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hi. I'm leonie, 36 y.o mother of two with various health issues. under active thyroid, chronic pain, a few prolapses, severe migraines since teens, etc.

back in 1997 I had a massive sz after migraine, took tramadol. ended up in hosp, they thought I'd od'ed. eeg three days later said 'dysrhythmia grade 1' and 'irritability in the left frontal and temporal areas.'

MRI said 'single punctate area of white matter ischaemic change in the right posterior thalamus.'

few years of meds, then no more probs, so let it go. been on and off of clonazepam since for my neck and for anxiety.

recently stated propranolol back in october 2011 to try and stop the migraines, result is poor sleep and 2 1/2 stone weight loss.

and now to the questions: been having these 'funny turns' since I started propranolol. sz are dizziness, intense fear of losing it, fish eye lens look to everything, a sort of rising flush that starts in my middle and makes my head feel weird, pressurised. very hard to articulate.

unprovoked, can't figure out a pattern. have been dismissing as 'anxiety' I've been under a lot of stress in the last six months.

lasts about one, maybe two minutes. not like a panic attack, no shaking hands, no adrenaline or diarrhoea or etc.

could I be having sz again? I am reluctant to say anything if its 'just anxiety.':: noting that clonazepam and propranolol should put an end to anxiety attacks, if that's what they are...
 
sorry for the typing on my last post, i was on my tablet.

also i'm having lots of muscle spasms. biceps, quads, my lips, etc. They just spasm randomly.
 
it does sound like seizures to me. you should see your doctor and let them know what is going on and how you feel, that way you can get some help and get this sorted
 
i'm afraid to - all we have are GPs, they're not specialists in any way. I'd have to be referred to the local hospital for that...

How can one tell the difference between an anxiety attack and a simple partial seizure? Apart from EEG, i mean?

Interestingly i havent had a 'funny turn' in about two weeks.

edited: should i post elsewhere to get more opinions? its really the 'funny turns' i am worried about :/
 
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maybe you should post in the padded room. and don't be afraid to see somebody, your doctor may be able to refer you to hopital to see a specialist
 
i'm just going through some stuff right now and really, ^really^ dont need 'anxiety' or 'GAD' or whatever on my records - it would be held against me :/

Thank you, i will go ask there. xx
 
Is it possible that those might be side effects of the propranolol itself?

If they're not, then your effects sound like simple-partials. The "pressurized head" feeling is something I often get with my simple partials, so I completely understand what that is like. :?

I assume you haven't lost consciousness during any of these episodes? The trigger could be your underlying stress. Stress tends to build, and if there's no release for it, it can effect you at any time. If you're prone to seizures, it's possible your constant stress level over the past few months is the trigger.

It could also be the medication triggering seizures. Propranolol has a dramatic effect on the brain, and some medications do have a tendency to cause seizures.

Also, something to consider, some peoples simple partials can cause, or mimic, migraines.

The best way to know is to see a neurologist and ask for an EEG. That should tell you whether or not there is seizure activity going on, though they aren't 100% reliable. :)
 
well i took the propranolol before, when i was 20. i got all the way up to some obscene amount, and no migraine relief. But this time, it has helped.

No sz sx when i took it before, though.

Whatever this is, it feels different from a panic attack, and definitely different from a migraine (which i've got right now)...

the pressurised head thing is disconcerting.
 
I think it's worth making a note of your symptoms and when they started, and finding a way to see a neurologist -- even if you do have to go the hospital to see one.
 
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