need advice- possible fainting/drop seizure

[sconesail]

Hi All,

I have a question, well actually an observation.

I began fainting/falling multiple times a day after a flu virus several years ago. Very little has helped. I have had EEGs and pretty much all the neuro and cardio testing and the best we can come with is fainting/POTS.

I take klonopin for migraines. Recently, my dr raised the dose. I have noticed that since the increase, the fainting hasn't been as bad. Also, my roommate saw me have a particularly bad spell about two weeks ago. I fell to the floor and I did have some dry heaves (not uncommon for me), however she also said that she had never seen my body jerk quite like that before. She has epilepsy and said that it looked pretty much like some of her seizures. I couldn't remember exactly what happened. But I do know that the increase in klonpin helped. Pretty mush the only thing that does help falls into the anti-convulsant category.

I was just wondering if it is possible to have small or drop seizures that do not show up on an EEG, but doo respong to meds?

Thanks,
sconesail

 

[Nakamova]

It is possible to have seizures that don't show up on the EEGs. Many seizures are too brief, or occur too deep in the brain to register. Unfortunately, it seems that a lot of neurologists are taught that no positive EEG = no epilepsy.

Most of the anti-seizure medicines have wide-ranging effects on the body, and do double-duty in treating other disorders. So the fact that your symptoms respond to the Klonopin isn't conclusive in terms of an epilepsy diagnosis. Still, it's definitely something to pursue. Let your doctors know that the Klonopin seems to help, and that in the absence of other successful treatment plans, you would like to try treatment with an anti-seizure medicine.