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Is it possible to have seizures while remaining conscious? PLS HELP!!!
Sun, 11/21/2004 - 19:19I'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
Re: RE: Is it possible to have seizures
Submitted by AmandaLynn on Thu, 2009-02-05 - 22:21
Nancy
"It is possilbe to ahve seizures while consious.
However, they are few and far between. having gone through 3 or years of medical school leaning on being a neuro, I ahve some textbooks I can look in and give you information based on the medical aspect of what you want to know."
Sorry but that line about consious seizures being few and far between is FALSE. I know I been doing half my life. And trust me its no fun espically when your convulsing in the shower and know your banging your head aginst the wall and your arm's got 3rd degree burn from falling and flipping the cold water off....but you still wait for the convulsing to end so you can find the strength to scream for help.
A person may loose complete AWARENESS and controll but many people have seizures with CONSIOUSNESS. I've been an epileptic for 17 years and have had a number of full body covulsing 3-4min seizures. I'm not a unique case either. Many epileptics are consious through convulsive seizures. There is also the epileptic that will lose consiousness as soon as a seiz begins. I 've only ever doen that once. I think you better spend some more time reading up on your epilepsy FACTS while your in school .
Nancy
"It is possilbe to ahve seizures while consious.
However, they are few and far between. having gone through 3 or years of medical school leaning on being a neuro, I ahve some textbooks I can look in and give you information based on the medical aspect of what you want to know."
Sorry but that line about consious seizures being few and far between is FALSE. I know I been doing half my life. And trust me its no fun espically when your convulsing in the shower and know your banging your head aginst the wall and your arm's got 3rd degree burn from falling and flipping the cold water off....but you still wait for the convulsing to end so you can find the strength to scream for help.
A person may loose complete AWARENESS and controll but many people have seizures with CONSIOUSNESS. I've been an epileptic for 17 years and have had a number of full body covulsing 3-4min seizures. I'm not a unique case either. Many epileptics are consious through convulsive seizures. There is also the epileptic that will lose consiousness as soon as a seiz begins. I 've only ever doen that once. I think you better spend some more time reading up on your epilepsy FACTS while your in school .