Sometimes I just feel "weird" -Could it be a simple seizure?

[JustAnotherName]

Hey, everybody.

On top of having myoclonic jerks since my tonic-clonic in October, I also have bouts of feeling "weird." My epileptologist suspects I've been having simple partial seizures.

- Once I was at work, having a conversation, and suddenly I felt strange and tried to respond in the conversation and simply couldn't get it out. I was trying to say, "It's like a 'That's What She Said' joke," but it came out as "It'sh like a, uh, shat's what she shaid, said joke!" Or something to that effect. It was strange. Afterwards, I felt quite sad and embarrassed. Then I felt very tired for the rest of the shift, I guess you could say. I had a migraine later that night.

Sometimes I do get the flashing and feel bizarre but it goes away.

- Sometimes I just go from feeling normal to feeling strange. Weak, I don't know how to explain it. I get this feeling of anxiety and fear in the pit of my stomach for no apparent reason. I usually try not to talk, as I'm worried I'll embarrass myself. I don't lose awareness, I know what's going on around me. Sometimes I don't get any serious auras (flashing lights, loss of vision in one eye) as I would with a larger seizure.

- Last week, I was talking with my roommate as we watched TV. I was aware. Then suddenly, I couldn't remember what we were talking about or what the commercial was about. It came back a minute or so later, but I was confused for a bit.

My boyfriend suspects I'm overreacting and that I might not be having simple seizures. He doesn't live in my same city (long distance, hooray), so he doesn't get to see this first hand.

Anyway, does this sound familiar to any of you?

 

[Nakamova]

You're not overreacting. Everything you describe could be partial seizures. Problems with speech and memory blips are almost always neurological in origin. And the feelings of anxiety and fear are classic simple partials. Make a note of these things and let the doc know.

 

[jemsister]

They sound very much like partial seizures to me. Simple partials, for me at least, feel VERY weird and unpleasant. I don't get any flashing lights or visual hallucinations with mine. I just go from feeling fine to feeling really weird and crappy all of a sudden.

 

[jyearta]

Hi and welcome to our party.

You are NOT over reacting. Your seizures sound a lot like my.
My family doesn't seem to understand or maybe even believe me and that sometimes brothers me. I have to just realize. I have to take care of myself and realize it is their problem.

 

[JustAnotherName]

They sound very much like partial seizures to me. Simple partials, for me at least, feel VERY weird and unpleasant. I don't get any flashing lights or visual hallucinations with mine. I just go from feeling fine to feeling really weird and crappy all of a sudden.

This is very reassuring. I think my boyfriend means well. He just doesn't want me to worry and tries to reassure me that "Well, sometimes I blank out, too!" I think that he'll understand with time. The whole "You have epilepsy" diagnosis is a new idea for both of us. Plus, we are long distance, so he hasn't had to witness any of this, he just goes by what I say.

Whenever I feel bizarre, I guess I tend to talk myself out of it because I'm not having "distinct" auras like I would with a tonic-clonic or complex partial. Instead, I just feel weird for a minute or two. I can talk and whatnot, though I don't say much during the episodes if possible. I always feel like I sound strange, though I don't know if anyone notices. (In instances where I'm not saying much but just standing around. Or maybe I try to contribute a "Yeah..." to a conversation to sound normal.)

I guess the part that I find most frustrating is that I don't even understand when I'm having the seizures, if I am, you know? As in, I feel like telling myself, "You're overreacting, stop it!" But I also know my body and when something doesn't feel right.

I don't think it helps that Simple Partials don't have "classic signs" for me (if that's what's happening) so people may not notice. I honestly can go about my business and try to look normal, but I don't feel normal. Do any of you feel that way?

I think another thing about it is that I am not losing consciousness and I'm completely aware of how strange I feel, so that makes me doubt myself.

I'm sure my doctor would tell me I'm not overreacting and that I'm in denial. :clap: She's said that before. In a way it's very reassuring because I've got one person saying, "Don't worry about it!" and my doctor saying, "You're in denial, sister!"

My family doesn't seem to understand or maybe even believe me and that sometimes brothers me. I have to just realize. I have to take care of myself and realize it is their problem.

I'm lucky, I suppose, that my family is pretty supportive. I had a tonic-clonic at work, and the ER called my grandmother, so I guess that helps. Plus, I've been on Tegretol (400mg) since I was 6. The issue was that my "seizure disorder" was not explained to me, so I was lazy about my meds. I don't think my family really understood how serious it was until October with the TC.

We all got a nice wake up call.