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Please Help Me: New To Epilepsy

Sat, 02/16/2008 - 00:28
Well, My doctor believes that I have epilepsy. I am just starting Topamax. I have these "episodes" in the mornings. I usually get my seizures later that night or the next day..or not even at all.  But the last episode I had was so earth shatteringly scary I had to write about it. I'm 20 and I've just started dealing with all this happening. All of this has landed in my lap at once and I am really freaked out. When I had my episode, which I am wondering if it might be an aura, it starts off like static in my head. It sounds like a shovel scraping lightly on a snowy wet pavement. Then I usually lock myself in the bathroom to catch my breath and tell myself that none of this is real. That I need to get a hold of myself. That is when the worst part comes. I see everything including my body in super fast speed. Like everything is a movie being fast forwarded. And I am trying to keep up with it. Usually there is a small part of my brain that I can control and hear and calm until the episode eventually stops, but this time was the first time it disappeared completely until it eventually went faster and faster until I felt like my brain was going to explode and boil. It was so frightening. I had never experienced anything that scary before. Usually I am scared but not like that. Please help me and tell me what you think. All of this is new to me. I've dealt with passing out and shaking all my life, but now it is getting worse and worse and I am very frightened. Plus with being a senior at university it is very difficult being tired and confused all of the time. Thank you for helping and listening.

Comments

Re: Please Help Me: New To Epilepsy

Submitted by cfiddler18 on Sat, 2008-11-01 - 01:07

I know how you feel.  I am fairly new to epilepsy myself.  I have been diagnosed with the condition for three years, but my seizures recently changed from the absence seizure to a combination of the grand mal and absence seizure.  I know how you feel.  I am in my second year at college and being tired all of the time makes it really hard to get anything done.  I have not been able to figure out my aura, so I usually just have the seizure.  I am sorry that you are having a hard time.  I know that it can be very scary as well.  Just always take your medicine and get rest; this will help the medicine help you.  I have also found that exercise can help take away some of the fatigue.  Keep your chin up.  I wish you the best of luck.

Cfiddler

I know how you feel.  I am fairly new to epilepsy myself.  I have been diagnosed with the condition for three years, but my seizures recently changed from the absence seizure to a combination of the grand mal and absence seizure.  I know how you feel.  I am in my second year at college and being tired all of the time makes it really hard to get anything done.  I have not been able to figure out my aura, so I usually just have the seizure.  I am sorry that you are having a hard time.  I know that it can be very scary as well.  Just always take your medicine and get rest; this will help the medicine help you.  I have also found that exercise can help take away some of the fatigue.  Keep your chin up.  I wish you the best of luck.

Cfiddler

Re: Please Help Me: New To Epilepsy

Submitted by evil_stepmom on Sat, 2009-01-10 - 23:12

I'm brand spankin' new to the epilepsy seen too.  I'm 44, and my doctor tells me I was born with generalized epilepsy which he says is hereditary...only, as far as I know, no one in my family tree ever had it....except me.  Anyway, no aura's, no warnings, just lights out, seizure, indefinate suspended drivers license, lot's of medication, unsure future.

I'm curious though, does anyone else out there have fibromyalgia??  I was diagnosed with that 12 years ago, research is also finding a lot of neurological ties involved, and I have been on Topamax for migraines for several years already - had the seizures right through it.  Anyone else having similar experiences??

Thanks for the time and input -

I'm brand spankin' new to the epilepsy seen too.  I'm 44, and my doctor tells me I was born with generalized epilepsy which he says is hereditary...only, as far as I know, no one in my family tree ever had it....except me.  Anyway, no aura's, no warnings, just lights out, seizure, indefinate suspended drivers license, lot's of medication, unsure future.

I'm curious though, does anyone else out there have fibromyalgia??  I was diagnosed with that 12 years ago, research is also finding a lot of neurological ties involved, and I have been on Topamax for migraines for several years already - had the seizures right through it.  Anyone else having similar experiences??

Thanks for the time and input -

Re: Please Help Me: New To Epilepsy

Submitted by ireneg on Fri, 2009-01-30 - 10:42
i have fibromyalgia, i seem to have something different to everybody else, i had like a mini stroke, but they tell me no evidence on scans it was a stroke, they think it was a seizure, i am now waiting to have a EEG, i dont understand auras, but i have had a couple of spells, where i feel cross eyed and had to sit down until it passes, head feels light ( but heavy also)

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