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Is it possible to have seizures while remaining conscious? PLS HELP!!!

Sun, 11/21/2004 - 19:19

I've had these "seizure-like" episodes for 5 months now.  The first one I had started while I was sitting at my desk at work and I had an aura for about an hour where I got this zig-zag line in front of my eyes and I couldn't really see straight.  I also couldn't think straight or speak straight.  And when I tried to read something, I couldn't even sound out a simple word.  Then when my sight started to return, my legs and body got very rigid and I could barely move, so much so that I could barely stand up or reach my arm out to get the phone.  My body started tremoring for about 15 minutes.  I was rushed to the hospital, but remained conscious through the whole thing.  The paramedics and everyone else around me never said seizure.  They all thought maybe it was hypoglycemia, or something like that.  Well, 5 months later (and many neurological tests later), I'm still having episodes.  (I've had about 24)  They aren't always the same.  But for the most part, now, I will be sitting and all of the sudden I won't be able to hold my head up anymore (or I'll get a feeling in the pit of my stomach), and then my hands will get all fidgety.  This will escalate, until my foot kicks out, or my hand and eventually it's my whole upper and lower torso and head tremoring from anywhere from 5-30 minutes.  It will be hard to speak and my breathing might get labored.  I'm unable to move my own body at that point, so wherever I am having the episode is where I will be until the episode over, unless someone physically moves me.  Sometimes it slows down and stops.  Sometimes it stops abruptly.  I am always totally exhausted afterward and have lots of trouble with my legs afterward, sometimes for an hour, sometimes for days.  They get very weak and heavy feeling and sometimes will give out when I walk.

They seem to come in clusters, like I will have 4-7 episodes within a 2-3 week period and then I won't have any for 7-10 days.  During the 7-10 days, I will feel good.  During the 2-3 week period, I will feel very lethargic and weak most of the time.

I've had an MRI, MRA, MRV, EEG, 24 hr. EEG, CT scan of the brain, EMG, ECG, EKG, blood work... plus probably some more that I'm forgetting about that have all come back normal.  One doctor even suggested pseudoseizures during an 8 day hospital stay, after he witnessed one of my episodes.  This was because I responded to him (remained conscious) during my "seizure" and he thought I was making it up, I guess.  I have two young children at home who have witnessed these episodes--I would not do that to them!   I was screened by a psychologist who does not believe they are pseudoseizures.

So my question is, could they still be seizures, even though I am conscious?  Or have any of you have similar episodes while remaining conscious and figured out what these episodes are?  I'm sick of the "pseudoseizure" label I've been getting.  I know something is physically wrong with me and I am trying to get to the bottom of it, but need some help from someone besides my doctors.  Thanks.

Theresa

Comments

Re: Is is possible to remain conscious thread

Submitted by franie on Sun, 2009-02-01 - 08:51

mine are similiar to yours in that if I keep walking I won't be paralyzed... I never lose conciousness, am aware of everything... usually I'm very calm feeling... almost euphoric.  I feel the IV insertion... it hurts.  Once I have one they come more often for the next few weeks, months sometimes.  I have finally had to take a disability retirement from work (they didn't like it when I had one at work).

Mine are usually started with the use of albuterol for my asthma (this is a allergy from mold I've developed after working in a school that had a "mold bloom" in the basement... Steven King style).  But now I've had one from the constrast dye in a catscan.

I hope you can get this reply... good luck, Franie

mine are similiar to yours in that if I keep walking I won't be paralyzed... I never lose conciousness, am aware of everything... usually I'm very calm feeling... almost euphoric.  I feel the IV insertion... it hurts.  Once I have one they come more often for the next few weeks, months sometimes.  I have finally had to take a disability retirement from work (they didn't like it when I had one at work).

Mine are usually started with the use of albuterol for my asthma (this is a allergy from mold I've developed after working in a school that had a "mold bloom" in the basement... Steven King style).  But now I've had one from the constrast dye in a catscan.

I hope you can get this reply... good luck, Franie

Re: Is is possible to remain conscious thread

Submitted by beautiful on Sun, 2009-02-01 - 17:19

What a long history of events and so very interesting. My adult daughter has nocturnal seizures. I sleep with 

one eye open, so I do not miss a seizure. This has been going on for as many years as i can remember. Unfortunately, I am not getting much sympathy from  medical proffessionals. Latterly my daughter has developed a new pattern, where she is concious, but cannot move and the whole body is in a spasm to such an extent, that I cannot administer the rectal diazepam.Such episode can last up to 40minutes. She recovers temporarily, opens her eyes looks frightened and in a shock. Falls asleep and after about 20minutes goes into clonic-tonic seizure lasting 1.5-2minutes.It is the most frightening experience for me (her mum) and her.(mydaughter) My daughter is on a coctail of drugs which I administer daily precisely on the same time. I feel alone in this situation there is not much help at all. Our appoitments are once a year and I do not come out from them any wiser just disilusioned. It is a frightful existence. The seizures are worse around her menstrual cycle. Has anyone tried contraceptive pills for the purpose of stopping the ovulation and the periods?  and tried to influence the hormonal changes which are happening around the menstual cycle. Please let me know if anyone has experienced any positive results regarding the epilepsy by taking contraceptive pills. Thank you

 

What a long history of events and so very interesting. My adult daughter has nocturnal seizures. I sleep with 

one eye open, so I do not miss a seizure. This has been going on for as many years as i can remember. Unfortunately, I am not getting much sympathy from  medical proffessionals. Latterly my daughter has developed a new pattern, where she is concious, but cannot move and the whole body is in a spasm to such an extent, that I cannot administer the rectal diazepam.Such episode can last up to 40minutes. She recovers temporarily, opens her eyes looks frightened and in a shock. Falls asleep and after about 20minutes goes into clonic-tonic seizure lasting 1.5-2minutes.It is the most frightening experience for me (her mum) and her.(mydaughter) My daughter is on a coctail of drugs which I administer daily precisely on the same time. I feel alone in this situation there is not much help at all. Our appoitments are once a year and I do not come out from them any wiser just disilusioned. It is a frightful existence. The seizures are worse around her menstrual cycle. Has anyone tried contraceptive pills for the purpose of stopping the ovulation and the periods?  and tried to influence the hormonal changes which are happening around the menstual cycle. Please let me know if anyone has experienced any positive results regarding the epilepsy by taking contraceptive pills. Thank you

 

Wow. That was kind of

Submitted by rebpow on Mon, 2007-10-08 - 03:07
Wow. That was kind of creepy reading the description of your 2 seizures where you are smacking your leg in one and hitting your head during another. I've had almost the exact same thing. I remain aware during my partial seizures (I've giving up caring to describe them as simple or complex - neurologist says complex...whatever!). During one seizure last year, remember hitting my leg repeatedly for a few minute while moaning "kakakakakakkakak" over again, stuck on trying to say a word. During another one, I had sat down on my fire escape, leaned against the bars and started banging the back of my head against the bars maybe 20 times, saying "ouch ouch ouch" during it. I was afraid I'd hurt myself at the time, but couldn't stop. As for your mom laughing when she saw you smack yourself, I have to say that I notice people often laugh when they're nervous or just don't know how to react to a weird situation. I get annoyed too, though, when someone laughs at something i'm doing during a seizure that i can't control. Best of luck! Warm regards, Rebpow

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