Partial seizures or something else?

[jfitt]

I know that the symptoms of seizures vary between different individuals, but do they vary in actual individuals. I have read that simple partials usually follow the same sequence mostly every time for example, tingling arm, then sweating, then a bad smell, ect. The episodes I am having are varied in time, symptoms and severity, sometimes they start with a weird sensation in my stomach feeling of doom, then sweating feet, anxiety, pins and needle in right leg and so on, each symptom usually last for a few minutes to an hour and can be alone followed by another one or all together. Other times I will have sweating feet, heart palpitations, confusion, spaced out, dry mouth, tingling in left arm instead of right, buzzing in my head a feeling like I am going to fall over, breathing issues. Other sorts are dejavu, a sort of seeing things happening in my mind but not a hallucination, I feel like I can see myself having a seizure and feel it but its not really happening, which sounds weird I know. Others are I get a memory completely random in my mind that I have no idea why its there which kind of confuses me as I don't know why I have just started thinking about something so random when I am doing other things.I know some of these sound like panic attacks but I have had them since I was 16 and am now 32 and these episodes are very different. I just want to know if the symptoms of simple partials can vary so much in the same individual, or could it be more a migraine aura? I have had EEGS and they have shown abnormalities but not seizure activity, although I was not having an episode when I had them done. My neruo is at a lose with me and I just want to know what is wrong with me. I also get weird visual stuff sometime before or during episodes.



Also is you have the seizures in you right side of the brain do you get symptoms in the right or left side of your body, or can it be either??

 

[jfitt]

I have also been looking if SUDEP is relevant to people with simple partials that effect the autonomic system but I cant find any information. I have panic attacks as I mentioned and SUDEP really freaks me out. I have 2 daughters with epilepsy inherited off their father, and they have toniC clonics so SUDEP has been a constant worry to me anyway and when whatever I am having affects my heart (which I have had checked by a cardio and all he found was sinus tachycardia and PVCS) so apparently everything is okay on that side. I have had EEGS and some abnormalities did show up but not epilepsy related he is unsure what it is, I was not having the episodes when I had them anyway.

 

[Emee]

I have migraines with aura. I have visual disturbance, sometimes tingling & numbness, phantom smells, loud ringing in my ears. If I see the aura in my right eye the headache pain will be on the left side. Usually with a migraine I don't have a problem thinking clearly even with the terrific pain.

When I have a partial seizure I get dejavu, weird feeling in stomach, confusion, can't think what I should do, a feeling I'm slipping into an old familiar place or memory that is almost calming but yet I'm fighting going there. I usually have a dull headache after. The first time this happened to me I thought maybe this is what death is like.

I also have autonomic nervous system dysfunction ( dysautonomia) in which I have the sweating, cold, can't breath, anxiety, heart palps, shaking,
blood pressure ups & downs, fainting etc.

It sounds like you have a lot going on in your body & brain. Hope you can find a neuro that can help.

 

[Cint]

Also is you have the seizures in you right side of the brain do you get symptoms in the right or left side of your body, or can it be either??

If you are having seizures stemming from the right side of your brain, the symptoms will occur on the left side of your body. You could be having SP seizures along with CP's as well. With CP's, sometimes those feelings of "deju vu" and seeing things that aren't there are a form of seizure activity. Here is info on temporal lobe E:

http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/newsletter/apr11_onmymind

 

[Cint]

I have also been looking if SUDEP is relevant to people with simple partials that effect the autonomic system but I cant find any information. I have panic attacks as I mentioned and SUDEP really freaks me out. I have 2 daughters with epilepsy inherited off their father, and they have toniC clonics so SUDEP has been a constant worry to me anyway and when whatever I am having affects my heart (which I have had checked by a cardio and all he found was sinus tachycardia and PVCS) so apparently everything is okay on that side. I have had EEGS and some abnormalities did show up but not epilepsy related he is unsure what it is, I was not having the episodes when I had them anyway.

SUDEP is actually more common with those who have TC seizures and for those with hard to control E. Usually, not always, it happens in the teenage years and early 20's. Here is more info on SUDEP:

http://www.epilepsy.com/sudep/faqs#q1

 

[kevinman4404]

Just to clarify what Cint said, symptoms can be either on the opposite side or same side as the seizure location, depending on what symptom we are talking about. For example, during minor seizures, clonus (muscle twitches) are contralateral. Many symptoms such as head movements often occur on same side as seizure focus, or on either. I just checked and sensory symptoms such as numbness or tingling are usually contralateral but can be on same side or both depending on the part of brain affected.

To answer your other thoughts- the symptomology is often different each time. A feature may be missing or added or you may have completely different symptoms, depending on the severity of seizure, or what areas of the brain the seizure spreads to (frontal lobe seizures spread a lot). On the other hand, it is uncommon to have multiple unrelated types of epilepsy. Usually someone won't have focal motor s. p. seizures and photosensitive tonic clonics, for example.

EDIT: Also, they sound like seizures to me.