Trying to learn more about Epilepsy/Seizures

[Beautiful-Love]

Hello everyone,

I am new here. I am here because I have a loved one going through some rough time, which I'm suspecting it has to do with a type of epilepsy from mental break down due to stress....It sounds like psychogenic non-epileptic seizures to me.

I had witnessed him gone through 2 episodes. He had talked to several doctors about it but none of them said it was anything specific other than stress.

I am having a hard time trying to be there for him because I know so little nor have I experienced anything like this. I would so love to do anything for him to get better. He lives in London. Sadly, I am not where he is at the moment.

 

[marty]

Gday beautiful-love .
Sorry to hear about your loved ones problems , with me epilepsy came out from stress + mental breakdown and a few other things , i wish you both all the best .

 

[Fedup]

Beautiful-Love

Trying to learn more about epilepsy and its seizures in reality is no small feat but you made a good start by coming here. Its easy learn you just go and read all about it every where you can but in truth the only way you can really learn about it, and I am not being smart or anything like that or putting you down is to have epilepsy that is the reality of it. But for what you are asking like I said you came to the right place, you need to read some of the posts here from parents of children with epilepsy, a Girlfriend whose boyfriend has epilepsy or the other way around, a husband or wife and this will give you an insight into things and help teach you more. Its good you are doing this and it says a lot about you and as you said its not easy being there for someone with epilepsy, you might know very little nor have experience at anything like this as you say but you are doing a lot more than you think right now by being there for your friend, its not easy and trying to cope (thus the name Coping With Epilepsy) well you can only try. You might as you say "I know so little nor have I experienced anything like this" but you are not "trying" you are doing a lot, so well done to you.

 

[BrandiBrat]

Hi Beautiful-Love,
It sucks to have E, on so many levels. Its hard on the body, it drains a person emotionally and robs people's independence much of the time. I don't know much about non-epileptic seizures because I've been one of the lucky few to have positive EEGs every time I've been tested but I do have someone that I care about in my life that went through some testing after starting to have seizures again after being seizure-free for a number of years. He was suspected of having non-epileptic seizures and had to live in frustration for several months with no emotional support before substantial seizure activity was finally detected on an EEG. My message is: Please be careful when forming the opinion of non-epileptic seizures in your boyfriend because we simply don't know. He may in fact have Epilepsy and he needs more diagnostic procedures. 24hr Ambulatory EEG's aren't a long period of time. Albeit, it would have been a long enough period of time for me because I have a grip of seizures every night, perhaps he needed a 72hr EEG? Or even a video? It's bad enough that so many of us are not supported by the medical field, we really need the support of our family and friends....especially when they say, "It's all in your head."
I really hope he goes back to the doctor! I know you have mentioned in another post that he's reluctant to go back. It's got to be difficult for you, not being local to him. Keep up the support and CWE is a great place to learn about E and some of the struggles. Fedup is right though, unless you live with it yourself it's hard to know what it's like to have it but you came to the right place and you are doing the right thing by supporting your boyfriend. Learn as much as you can!

 

[Sandie]

All I can say is you are wonderful for being so understanding and caring enough to want to find out more. To witness any form of epilepsy can be daunting and to continue to offer support is a very loving thing to do. Your loved one is truly blessed.

 

[Chaz1]

hello Beautiful-Love

warm welcome to CWE

wonderful site to learn all about seizures - look past the word child as this info is relevant to all...my Son is 27 and has E..

http://www.theseeprogram.com/html/s_e_e__library.html

We go for a more holistic approach (not med only), but my humble opinion is that this site/info is very educational

 

[Beautiful-Love]

Thank you so much everyone. I was afraid I wouldn't get any feedback but you guys are awesome!

The more I read and the more I find out that many or pretty much everyone with this have had EEG done. I made a mistake thinking about EKG/ECG...which is totally different. WHAT HE HAD done was a 24-hr EKG...they monitor his heart's rhythms since he was developing some chest pain with the stress prior to the PNES. I didn't find anything and just gave him some temporary meds.

The meds didn't really help.


He didn't not have EEG done since we were basically just concerned about his heart. Now that I know, perhaps I can try to persuade him. I only hate to nag him or try to tell him to this and that since I'm afraid it's going to drive him over the edge. He knows that I'm trying the best but as he said, sometimes I'm really not helping.


But so far he has agree to do go see a therapist and get some help.

 

[Chaz1]

"he has agree to do go see a therapist and get some help"

great news!!!

we rooting for you 2...

keep us posted.