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Panic attack versus seizure
Sat, 02/28/2009 - 06:08What is the difference between a panic attack and a seizure? The seizure I had this evening started with a sheer panic attack and progressed into a complex partial seizure. I felt sheer terror at first working up my spine and then it generalized into a true seizure, where I lost consciousness.
Has anybody else had this happen to them? Any information or response would be grateful.
Comments
Re: Panic attack versus seizure
Submitted by diana_kay on Mon, 2009-03-02 - 03:04
I had gone to about 8 different doctors who told me that i shouldn't worry, i was only dealing with "panic attacks". I went from being scared to de je vu, to straight out not being able to move or function but still being aware of everything going on around me. My hand would twitch, and my face would pale. They would only last for about a few seconds my friends would tell me. But they felt like a life time. I crashed two cars because of them. I dealt with these so called panic attacks for 5 years before i had two grand mal seizures and they realized what i had after all! My first seizure i fell down 3 flights of stairs at the San Diego Sports Arena. I went from the top of the arena all the way down to the bottom floor with my 8 year old daughter watching every minute of it. Luckily i didn't get hurt. The next one was at the dentist. I was getting ready to have some work done and next thing i know i woke up to paramedics asking me if i knew my name. I really wish doctors could tell the difference between petit mal seizures and panic attacks from the first time you have one. Not after 5 years and two car crashes later! It took alot out of my life and my daughters life! Time i will never get back!
I had gone to about 8 different doctors who told me that i shouldn't worry, i was only dealing with "panic attacks". I went from being scared to de je vu, to straight out not being able to move or function but still being aware of everything going on around me. My hand would twitch, and my face would pale. They would only last for about a few seconds my friends would tell me. But they felt like a life time. I crashed two cars because of them. I dealt with these so called panic attacks for 5 years before i had two grand mal seizures and they realized what i had after all! My first seizure i fell down 3 flights of stairs at the San Diego Sports Arena. I went from the top of the arena all the way down to the bottom floor with my 8 year old daughter watching every minute of it. Luckily i didn't get hurt. The next one was at the dentist. I was getting ready to have some work done and next thing i know i woke up to paramedics asking me if i knew my name. I really wish doctors could tell the difference between petit mal seizures and panic attacks from the first time you have one. Not after 5 years and two car crashes later! It took alot out of my life and my daughters life! Time i will never get back!
Re: Panic attack versus seizure
Submitted by MichaelK on Mon, 2009-03-02 - 08:55
Hi Diana,
It's so hard to find the right doctor. I wish it wasn't this way but the doctors simply do not seem to think about things the way we do. It's sad but these things cost us valuable time.
As I mentioned before, I have brought this up to my doctor but he brushes it off, asking more about the seizures that occur afterwards. He knows that these seizures generalize and to him, it seems, if the medicines he is prescribing are preventing tonic-clonic seizures then things are going OK. Otherwise, he should increase my dose. Give me the MD!
Sorry for blowing off some steam. Good luck.
Michael
Hi Diana,
It's so hard to find the right doctor. I wish it wasn't this way but the doctors simply do not seem to think about things the way we do. It's sad but these things cost us valuable time.
As I mentioned before, I have brought this up to my doctor but he brushes it off, asking more about the seizures that occur afterwards. He knows that these seizures generalize and to him, it seems, if the medicines he is prescribing are preventing tonic-clonic seizures then things are going OK. Otherwise, he should increase my dose. Give me the MD!
Sorry for blowing off some steam. Good luck.
Michael
Re: Panic attack versus seizure
Submitted by MichaelK on Mon, 2009-03-02 - 07:26
This is extremely helpful and does support a strong relationship between neurology and psychiatry. My understanding is that the "gut fear" of which you speak does not relate to anything else, however, there still remains a lot of controversy of whether "kindling" actually exists.
Originally, I had only absense seizures. I would just sit still to those and not move on. Then I had these TLE seizures as well as tonic-clonic seizures, with the tonic-clonic seizures originating, I now believe, in my temporal lobe. As with the other seizures, I would try to sit still with them, for I was very embarrassed. Occasionally I would be happy about something but most of the time I would have some type of fear associated with it.
I will look up the book that you mentioned on Amazon. Thanks a lot.
This is extremely helpful and does support a strong relationship between neurology and psychiatry. My understanding is that the "gut fear" of which you speak does not relate to anything else, however, there still remains a lot of controversy of whether "kindling" actually exists.
Originally, I had only absense seizures. I would just sit still to those and not move on. Then I had these TLE seizures as well as tonic-clonic seizures, with the tonic-clonic seizures originating, I now believe, in my temporal lobe. As with the other seizures, I would try to sit still with them, for I was very embarrassed. Occasionally I would be happy about something but most of the time I would have some type of fear associated with it.
I will look up the book that you mentioned on Amazon. Thanks a lot.