Hi, Dorothy,
Welcome to CWE!
I'm so sorry you are going through this. I can tell from your post you have already done some reading. But a diagnosis from a doctor is important. Try to find a good neurologist and pay him/her a visit as soon as you can. A negative EEG doesn't mean you don't have epilepsy. The EEGs are negative at least 40% of the time for people who don't have generalized seizures (seizures that involve the whole brain, like Tonic-Clonic seizures).
I have all the same symptoms you do. I have Temporal Lobe Epilepsy, with complex and simple partial seizure. I agree with the others, read through the strings in here and I bet you'll recongnize yourself in them. Here's a few websites that may help, too. But fankly, I think the reading in here is even better. People talk specifically about what they are feeling without the generalities.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temporal_lobe_epilepsy
http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/epilepsy_temporallobe
http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/about/types/syndromes/temporallobe.cfm
What concerns me most is you said you have lost time. Seizures with loss of consciousness of the type I think you are talking about are called Complex Partial seizures. Here's more:
http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/seizure_complexpartial
Can you say more about that loss of time? What things make you think time has gone by? It's possible to have the sensation of lost time without it really happening. So if you have any objective evidence that you had altered conciousness, that would help nail it down.
During a complex partial seizure, a person cannot interact normally with other people, is not in control of his or her movements, speech or actions; doesn't know what he or she is doing; and/or cannot remember afterwards what happened during the seizure. (Epilepsy Foundation)
I count it as a CP when either there is a witness. Or, I'm one physical place one second, a completely different place the next second and I have no idea how I got there. Or I have huge unexplained bruises or other injuries, or stuff broken (like my computer or knicknacks) with no explanation. One time I was naked with no explanation or memory of it (thank goodness I was inside my house at the time). I KNOW those were loss of conciousness, not just inattention.
Some altered conciousness seizures even have some memory of the event, and the memory is wrong, or dream-like. What makes it a complex partial is that the person can't control their actions or words, or they can't speak, or they can't remember it. Another type they can't remember, but they did do or say really goofy stuff while having the seizure. Other people seem perfectly normal, are walking and talking, but don't remember a thing.
If you are having complex partial seizures, driving could be unsafe right now. I know you have kids and that makes this hard, but you may want to hang up your keys for awhile. Here's where you can look up the laws for your state:
http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/living/wellness/transportation/drivinglaws.cfm
The general consensus in here is that if your state isn't a mandated reporting state (your doctor doesn't have to tell the licensing department) then don't turn in your license or tell the licensing department, because it is really hard getting your license back. Just put your keys away and obey the law. Take the keys back out when your seizrues are under control. You don't have to yet because you haven't been diagnosed with seizures. But you may want to use some common sense here.
Good luck. Let us know how you are doing.
