Hi everyone,
I haven't been on in a while, but thought I'd say hi and give you the latest on what's happening in my world. So on the 10th May, I began a two week in hospital EEG, expecting straightforward confirmation of my seizures, given my childhood epilepsy history. When they didn't show on the EEG, but abnormal brain activity and my "spaced out" feeling did, the diagnosis journey began ALL OVER AGAIN. Sigh....Since then, I've had a Neuropsychiatrist diagnose me with a depressive disorder, probably due to my childhood epilepsy, and brought on by a stressful year in 2010. This he believes has resulted in psychogenic seizures and dizziness.
For 6 weeks now, I've been out of hospital and on 20mg of Lexapro (anti-depressant). I don't know if its been a case of "self-fulfilling prophecy", or a well documented but unusual reaction to the tablets, but I've felt like I'm depressed! I feel worse now than I have in years. Although the neurologist and I don't totally agree with his diagnosis, I can see where he's coming from, so I have given the treatment a go. The EEG didn't offer much insight.
Last week I had follow up appointments with him and my neurologist and we discussed my concerns that as I have not been free of medication or acute stress, since 2010, I have not been allowed the opportunity to live med-free, and see how my body reacts. The Neuropsychiatrist surprisingly agreed to let me try to reduce to Lexapro, on the understanding that we will soon find out if its actually helping me, if the seizures return.
Meanwhile, the Neurologist is now seriously looking into "Migraine aura without headache", given my very painful headaches and vertigo symptoms I used to get in 2010, that would have me in tears. I still get the auras, vertigo and headaches, but the pain is nothing like it used to be. He did several exercises to try and induce vertigo, but they didn't really show anything. However taking the lift, working on tills and computers and "scanning" things like supermarket shelves with my eyes does provoke the dizziness. It then stays with me for most of the day. He is going to refer me to a vestibular physio, on the understanding that I may have to retrain my brain to tolerate my dizziness triggers. Apart from this physio, there is no actual treatment.
In the meantime, I'm allowed to drive (YAY!) and I'm trying to hold down two jobs, finish uni and keep my mood positive. One job involves working with horses, is physically demanding but does not cause me any dizziness. The other is retail, and brings on the dizziness within a few hours of starting my shift. I'm struggling with my energy levels, and slept 14 hours last night! So I guess its just one day at a time and hope that one day soon, we will get to the bottom of this!
I haven't been on in a while, but thought I'd say hi and give you the latest on what's happening in my world. So on the 10th May, I began a two week in hospital EEG, expecting straightforward confirmation of my seizures, given my childhood epilepsy history. When they didn't show on the EEG, but abnormal brain activity and my "spaced out" feeling did, the diagnosis journey began ALL OVER AGAIN. Sigh....Since then, I've had a Neuropsychiatrist diagnose me with a depressive disorder, probably due to my childhood epilepsy, and brought on by a stressful year in 2010. This he believes has resulted in psychogenic seizures and dizziness.
For 6 weeks now, I've been out of hospital and on 20mg of Lexapro (anti-depressant). I don't know if its been a case of "self-fulfilling prophecy", or a well documented but unusual reaction to the tablets, but I've felt like I'm depressed! I feel worse now than I have in years. Although the neurologist and I don't totally agree with his diagnosis, I can see where he's coming from, so I have given the treatment a go. The EEG didn't offer much insight.
Last week I had follow up appointments with him and my neurologist and we discussed my concerns that as I have not been free of medication or acute stress, since 2010, I have not been allowed the opportunity to live med-free, and see how my body reacts. The Neuropsychiatrist surprisingly agreed to let me try to reduce to Lexapro, on the understanding that we will soon find out if its actually helping me, if the seizures return.
Meanwhile, the Neurologist is now seriously looking into "Migraine aura without headache", given my very painful headaches and vertigo symptoms I used to get in 2010, that would have me in tears. I still get the auras, vertigo and headaches, but the pain is nothing like it used to be. He did several exercises to try and induce vertigo, but they didn't really show anything. However taking the lift, working on tills and computers and "scanning" things like supermarket shelves with my eyes does provoke the dizziness. It then stays with me for most of the day. He is going to refer me to a vestibular physio, on the understanding that I may have to retrain my brain to tolerate my dizziness triggers. Apart from this physio, there is no actual treatment.
In the meantime, I'm allowed to drive (YAY!) and I'm trying to hold down two jobs, finish uni and keep my mood positive. One job involves working with horses, is physically demanding but does not cause me any dizziness. The other is retail, and brings on the dizziness within a few hours of starting my shift. I'm struggling with my energy levels, and slept 14 hours last night! So I guess its just one day at a time and hope that one day soon, we will get to the bottom of this!
