Need help understanding what i am going through

[kayell]

Hey all,

Just to introduce myself first, i am 23 and had my first grand mal 10 years ago at 13 years of age.

In my mid teens i stopped taking my medication, i was kind of depressed and just gave up on everything, and i suffered another grand mal seizure.
I think i might've had another one in between, i don't know, my short term and long term memory is getting hazier and hazier.
Since then, i've been taking my meds 3 and 4 pills on alternate nights and it's been kept in control aside from abscence seizures here and there when i am stressed and tired, but the worst part of it hasnt affected me...until last night.

I think i might've had a seizure, i don't know. I woke up at 2am on the floor beside my bed. I was dizzy and really out of it. Right now, the tip of my tongue is numb, my right arm is stiff and i have cramps on the left side of my body, and i have this weird sensation when i drink and eat, the drink feels like extra cold and just...strange, i don't know how to explain it, so does the food -- it almost tastes like paper, and even though i am hungry i don't feel like eating.
Also, I am just mentally exhausted.
Did i get a seizure, and if so, what kind of seizure would it be called?
And one overarching question i've always had is, based on my history do i have epilepsy? Or am i just someone who gets seizures? Is there a difference?
I have a neurologist who is cold and doesn't really talk much, he never said i had epilepsy so i guess i don't.

Anyways, this is all kind of weird not only because it hasnt happened to me in years, but yesterday i interviewed a girl living with epilepsy for an article (i'm a journalist) exploring the benefits of participating in sports and being active for people living with epilepsy.
So the topic of seizures is at the forefront of my mind, and then i possibly get a seizure, is that normal?

My apologies for asking so much in one post, it's just i'm sitting here trying to write and i can't focus, it's killing me, and i just need some answers.
Thanks.

 

[Fedup]

kayell

Welcome to C.W.E. You sound as if there is more, but there is enough for now. You could have had a seizure, I honestly cannot tell you yes or no. Only you can really answer this question. You could just have fallen out of bed, but from what you say, its worth stopping and thinking for a minuet. Some people do get the sensation you describe as regards taste. Any or most seizures will leve you mentally exhausted. My one piece of advice first is get a new neurologist, one you trust and can talk to.

 

[Chaz1]

Warm welcome kayell,

If not diagnosed (with epilepsy), what kind of medication are you taking or are the meds you mention for another condition?

Agree with fedup, time to find a new neurologist, one you can talk to. Can u get a referral to see new one from your GP?

 

[kayell]

i'm taking Dilantin/phenytoid sodium. The girl with epilepsy said usually that's the meds children take, but it's helped me so.
What is a GP? just my normal family doctor? i don't know how all thos works, changing my neurologist n all

 

[Fedup]

kayell

Where are you from that is this question. GP is a general practitioner or your ordinary doctor. Depending on where (country) your living decides what they are called. Changing your neurologist depends on the quistion.

 

[Nakamova]

Hi kayell, welcome to CWE!

Did i get a seizure, and if so, what kind of seizure would it be called?

Since no one else saw it it's hard to know. It might have been a tonic-clonic (grand mal) since you report a lot of stiffness. It could also be a complex seizure since you ended up out of bed.

And one overarching question i've always had is, based on my history do i have epilepsy? Or am i just someone who gets seizures? Is there a difference?

Epilepsy is a catch-all term for having had more than one seizure, and are vulnerable to having more. So someone who gets seizures = someone with epilepsy. A lot of folks say they have "seizure disorder" instead of saying "epilepsy" since it there can be a lot of ignorance and misperception surrounding epilepsy.

It could be a coincidence that you had a seizure after interviewing someone with epilepsy, or it could be that you've been under stress and the interview was the "tipping point", and your brain just let go. All kinds of things can be triggers. At this point, given your history, it would be a good idea to see a neurologist. At the very least, you should be careful and moderate with your general health -- get plenty of sleep, avoid stress and extremes, eat and drink properly, etc.

Best,
Nakamova