I’m writing this to record on paper some of the symptoms I’ve experienced over the years as well as some more recent events that really has me concerned. First, I’m a 60 year old (18 September 2012), African American male. I am 6’1”, and weight 245 lbs. (that’s right obese by classic definition) I take a number of drugs for what I call middle-age demons.
Ramipril and Spironolactone for Hypertension; Bupropion for maintenance against depression; Statins for Cholesterol; and Omeprazole for acid reflux. Yet I still consider myself lucky to be as well as I am.
So let’s get right to it shall we? Over the years, I’ve had some symptoms that I always ignored. To begin with as a child, I would drift off in to what seems like a trance and stay that way for up to 15 or so minutes. My family just considered that it was daydreaming but I certainly did not enjoy being teased about it; especially when I would drool all over myself during these episodes. And at varying ages I had trouble paying attention without drifting off. I was an average student but an extremely bright child. Everyone would go on an on about what potential I had. Little did they know that beyond being able to master complex processes I could hardly care about any of that. My coordination was bad, my athletic ability was near non-existent although I did manage to play a little stick ball with my friends and could run without falling but God forbid me to try and walk and dribble a basketball. These periods of drifting off continue to this day to the point that sometimes people have to call my name in order for me to snap out of it. But I was able to finish 20 years in the military before retiring. Of course it always seem like I could never stay out of trouble. I will talk more about that when I get to the diagnosis of a bi-polar condition in the mid 90s.
In addition to the periods of spacing out, I’ve suffered with sleep paralysis all my life. Mostly while having nightmares as a kid but as an adult it is scarier to be awake and not able to move. Fortunately my wife has gotten used to it and knows to shake me if I start making grunting sounds. As I find that I can make some sounds but can not move . It does not happen that often but I would say it happens at lease 6 or 7 times in a year, possibly more.
In 1987, I began having Déjà Vu moments and since that time, it continues to happen more and more. I can drift back into reality with the feeling that I just stepped through a portal to a parallel universe. It first started on a trip to Greece where I was certain that I had been there before during the late BC era and/or early common era (AD). The same thing happened on another trip to Greece but I had been there in 1925. I know by now you might be saying that I’m a little touched in the head but I was sure of these things in my mind. Now these Déjà Vu episodes can happen several times a day or may not happen for months.
In 1998 I begin having momentary blackouts lasting for perhaps a second or two, followed by body tremors or jerking movements. Although they only lasted for a spit second, I would feel like I had missed minuets. These continue on a regular basis today. I’m worried about them as many times it happens while I’m driving.
In 2010, I had an episode of extreme vertigo while driving. Fortunately, it was in slow traffic, the light had turned red, and I was able to recover before it changed back to green. My vision became blurred, I was totally disoriented, I had no dept perception. And I had no clue of where I was.
Now more recently, I went out for about a minute and was collapsing until a friend called my name and I recovered, not before spilling red wine on my rug. I told my Physicians about this but he seems to flip it off and say it a result of sleep apneas, or that It’s because I’m over weight, or I’m drinking too much. I need a new Physician.
But what really scared me is that about two weeks ago I fell twice within a three day period. And when I say fell I mean I hurt myself. Both times, I felt myself falling but could not move to break my fall. I first fell on some shoetrees in my bedroom and bruised my chest really bad. The last time I was in the kitchen and fell flat on my face. More specifically flat on my nose. Each time I snapped right back to functional but during the falls I had no body control.
In addition, I’ve noticed that if I’m suddenly awakened or startled I will begin to have body tremors. My hands are often very shaky and hard to study which make manual dexterity something that other people have.
I have a friend who has a brother who is epileptic, and he thinks I’m having seizures. After reading about the symptoms, I am beginning to think I am also. I don’t know how many falls I can survive without serious injury. That is if you call a busted nose and bruised ribcage minor. A bigger concern is what if this happens while I’m driving?
I almost forgot to mention the sudden body weakness and/or fatigue that I sometimes experience for what appears no reason at all.
Anyone out there experiencing the same things?
Ramipril and Spironolactone for Hypertension; Bupropion for maintenance against depression; Statins for Cholesterol; and Omeprazole for acid reflux. Yet I still consider myself lucky to be as well as I am.
So let’s get right to it shall we? Over the years, I’ve had some symptoms that I always ignored. To begin with as a child, I would drift off in to what seems like a trance and stay that way for up to 15 or so minutes. My family just considered that it was daydreaming but I certainly did not enjoy being teased about it; especially when I would drool all over myself during these episodes. And at varying ages I had trouble paying attention without drifting off. I was an average student but an extremely bright child. Everyone would go on an on about what potential I had. Little did they know that beyond being able to master complex processes I could hardly care about any of that. My coordination was bad, my athletic ability was near non-existent although I did manage to play a little stick ball with my friends and could run without falling but God forbid me to try and walk and dribble a basketball. These periods of drifting off continue to this day to the point that sometimes people have to call my name in order for me to snap out of it. But I was able to finish 20 years in the military before retiring. Of course it always seem like I could never stay out of trouble. I will talk more about that when I get to the diagnosis of a bi-polar condition in the mid 90s.
In addition to the periods of spacing out, I’ve suffered with sleep paralysis all my life. Mostly while having nightmares as a kid but as an adult it is scarier to be awake and not able to move. Fortunately my wife has gotten used to it and knows to shake me if I start making grunting sounds. As I find that I can make some sounds but can not move . It does not happen that often but I would say it happens at lease 6 or 7 times in a year, possibly more.
In 1987, I began having Déjà Vu moments and since that time, it continues to happen more and more. I can drift back into reality with the feeling that I just stepped through a portal to a parallel universe. It first started on a trip to Greece where I was certain that I had been there before during the late BC era and/or early common era (AD). The same thing happened on another trip to Greece but I had been there in 1925. I know by now you might be saying that I’m a little touched in the head but I was sure of these things in my mind. Now these Déjà Vu episodes can happen several times a day or may not happen for months.
In 1998 I begin having momentary blackouts lasting for perhaps a second or two, followed by body tremors or jerking movements. Although they only lasted for a spit second, I would feel like I had missed minuets. These continue on a regular basis today. I’m worried about them as many times it happens while I’m driving.
In 2010, I had an episode of extreme vertigo while driving. Fortunately, it was in slow traffic, the light had turned red, and I was able to recover before it changed back to green. My vision became blurred, I was totally disoriented, I had no dept perception. And I had no clue of where I was.
Now more recently, I went out for about a minute and was collapsing until a friend called my name and I recovered, not before spilling red wine on my rug. I told my Physicians about this but he seems to flip it off and say it a result of sleep apneas, or that It’s because I’m over weight, or I’m drinking too much. I need a new Physician.
But what really scared me is that about two weeks ago I fell twice within a three day period. And when I say fell I mean I hurt myself. Both times, I felt myself falling but could not move to break my fall. I first fell on some shoetrees in my bedroom and bruised my chest really bad. The last time I was in the kitchen and fell flat on my face. More specifically flat on my nose. Each time I snapped right back to functional but during the falls I had no body control.
In addition, I’ve noticed that if I’m suddenly awakened or startled I will begin to have body tremors. My hands are often very shaky and hard to study which make manual dexterity something that other people have.
I have a friend who has a brother who is epileptic, and he thinks I’m having seizures. After reading about the symptoms, I am beginning to think I am also. I don’t know how many falls I can survive without serious injury. That is if you call a busted nose and bruised ribcage minor. A bigger concern is what if this happens while I’m driving?
I almost forgot to mention the sudden body weakness and/or fatigue that I sometimes experience for what appears no reason at all.
Anyone out there experiencing the same things?
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The tremors you mentioned could likely be caused by one of your medicines you're taking though, so I don't feel they're related to any seizure activity in your case.
