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okidoki78

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Just this past week I have started to be treated for seizures. My condition is confusing me, so hopefully the knowledgeable people here can help. First a little history.

Last week I fainted at home, fell and fractured a vertebrae in my neck. Its is essentially a superficial break, but it was still sobering to hear that from the ER. I was admitted on the basis of a having syncope, and the doctors were focused on my heart. On the 4th day of my hospital stay, they hooked me up to an EEG for 24 hours and performed a tilt table test. The test was positive when they added some drug that increased my heart rate (my blood pressure dropped). When I came to, the doc said I displayed seizure like activity. Once the neurologist examined the EEG results he could see that I did have a seizure and I have had several others during sleep. That was surprising, but my dad had seizures in his 30's so I figured it was genetic...he survived and is now off meds.

My confusion lies in the syncope and seizure activity and how they are related. The docs have not explained if one causes the other or what is causing my BP to drop so fast as to the make me faint and lose consciousnesses. That piece of the puzzle scares me more, since I have no meds to control it. So far the only seizures I've had are during sleep and syncope...no episodes while alert. Currently, I am on 600mg of carbamazepine, and I don't like the effects.

Sorry for the long post. Has anyone here had a similar condition?
 
Hi there and welcome. I started having seizures for the first time in 8 months ago, I have only had two where I totally lose consciousness. I have just had a tilt table test done too to rule out a fainting as a cause, as both my eeg's have been normal. Like you they gave me a drug during the tilt test and my blood pressure dropped so low they couldn't even record it and naturally I was out like a light. They don't think this is related to my seizures though, it just means I am prone to fainting! Great...another thing to worry about! I am on topamax and I struggle with the side effects but I am reluctant to change drugs for fear of ending up on something worse. It's a scary journey but this site is such a great place for support. I'm sure others will have similar stories to yours to share:)
 
Hi

I can say you definately have had a hard time of things lately and im glad that you have come here its great, im new too and i have had so much help already!!

i can relate to the carbamazepine, i took tegretol cr tablets for a large chunk of my childhood and adolescence and i hated feeling like such a zombie, i would tell my mum i was tired and before i could lay my head on the pillow i'd be asleep.

I took myself off the meds(which i wholeheartedly admit was a dumb thing to do) and i havent had any problems with my absence seizures since.I got off the meds at 21 years old and i am now almost 28.i was advised that i needed to be mitored closely whilst going off meds and also you cant go cold turkey with the aed's its very dangerous.

I cant say anything about your condition but i know a little of the meds situation :)

i hope that helped

Stacey
 
Hi okidoki78,

My guess would be that if you have a lowered seizure threshold to begin with, then a sudden drop in blood pressure would act as a seizure trigger. Anything that can potentially affect oxygen levels in the brain can play that role.

There are quite a few seizure meds, so if the carbamazepine is making you unhappy, you might ask your doc about trying something else.
 
Hmm, if you are having a seizure for the first time i would highly recommend getting an MRI, if they have not done so already. OR a CAT scan. Just to rule out a tumor. I was 38 when i had my first grand mal, that i explained to the doc as a faint sleep. Talking to the advice nurse, she told me to come to the ER ASAP, where they found my tumor after a cat scan.

Not trying to frighten anyone, but it would be best to rule that out.
 
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