My first post

[caz36caroline]

Hi there everyone, I am a first time visitor to this forum. I joined for my partner Chris. He lost his father in March this year and on 30th April suffered a seizure at 2 am. I thought he was having a nightmare so just shoved him and told him to wake up. Then at 7.30 in the morning he let out an almighty groan and started shaking. I was completely freaked out and called 999. He was tested at hospital and released later on in the day. He slept for nearly 48 hours and seemed to just function, no emotions, no conversation. This went on for a week. He had a few "wierd" episodes where he would speak but didn't make any sense these lasted for only 20 seconds or so. Then on 31st may he suffered another seizure. This time I just made sure he was safe (these seizures only happen when he is asleep) He has been for an EEG which has revealed increased brain activity and is being referred to a neurologist. He has been prescribed Beta Blockers for anxiety. MRI on thursday. I am so pleased to have found this forum It has given me lots of information. Is anxiety a common symptom of epilepsy?

 

[lindsayschu2]

Anxiety definitely can be a part of seizure activity, as well as a part of experiencing seizures for the first time and not knowing what is going on. After all this recent activity and this EEG, did they only start him on a beta blocker, or did they start him on any kind of epilepsy drug? If not I find that unusual. He has had a lot of seizure activity in so short a time frame. I'm glad he has a neurologist appointment soon. Please stick with him and take care of him. I'm glad you found this forum, and encourage him to join as well as he goes through this process.

 

[caz36caroline]

It was our GP who prescribed the beta blockers. Hospital haven't really told us anything. I find myself living on a knife edge wondering when the next seizure or episode will occur. I am so glad to have found this forum which i found by complete chance when looking up symptoms of epilepsy. Its far more informative than any doctor or hospital has been. Thankyou xx

 

[arnie]

Welcome, and I'm glad you found us. There is a lot of knowledge and support to be gotten here. It sounds to me like he's having seizures. Probably complex partial ones in addition to the toni-clonics. How old is he? I was first diagnosed at age 23, and I'm 56 now. Four of my five tonic-clonic seizures happened in my sleep, and that's not uncommon. Those seizures have been controlled, but I still have several hundred complex partial seizures a year. I have what's called refractory epilepsy since we haven't really found a way to control it. Yet. I'm still hopeful!

Here's a link to seizure types, which you may find helpful:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seizure_types

I encourage the two of you to learn as much as possible, to not be shy about questioning your doctors, and to work with an epileptologist and not just a regular neurologist. Epilepsy is too specialized and complex for a general neurologist to be familiar enough with.

Keep us posted, ok?

Carry on!

 

[caz36caroline]

Thankyou for the link. Chris my partner is 42. The first seizure he had came out of the blue although the morning before, he couldn't remember coming home from work, he forgot he was supposed to be meeting me and when I saw him he didn't look right. The next morning he suffered his first tonic clonic type seizure ( that's what the doctor said). He had two in one night. Then inbetween he has funny episodes where he talks but doesn't make sense. I just play along. He told me during one episode that we had to line up all of the old films and that I had forgotten to press the stop button. I'm just taking it as it happens and am not letting it get him down. He goes for an MRI this thursday and then we take it from there. Again many thanks for responding to me xx