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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
Comments
Re: Is it possible to have seizures while remaining conscious?
Submitted by sheilabeila on Tue, 2010-05-04 - 16:37
Hi Theresa:
My Mom, 71 years old, does have "conscious seizures" for a lack of a better explanation. We brought her to the hospital by ambulance 3 times this last December. The Dr.'s said that these "episodes" were behavioural. My mother was never one to gleen attention from others, nor was she overly drmatic or creative. I really believe that her physicians do not have an explanation. My Mom was diagnosed with MS, as a senior, and this is unusual. The Episodes sound similar to yours in that she does have an aura prior to the event. Then she begins to verbalize and her legs and arms tremble violently. She can answer a question during an episode. Somehow, I believe that they are related to her MS and to some neurological damage.
To answer your question, I have seen these conscious seizures. I hope that you can find an explanation. I was looking for an explanation on the internet when I saw your inquiry.
Sheila
Hi Theresa:
My Mom, 71 years old, does have "conscious seizures" for a lack of a better explanation. We brought her to the hospital by ambulance 3 times this last December. The Dr.'s said that these "episodes" were behavioural. My mother was never one to gleen attention from others, nor was she overly drmatic or creative. I really believe that her physicians do not have an explanation. My Mom was diagnosed with MS, as a senior, and this is unusual. The Episodes sound similar to yours in that she does have an aura prior to the event. Then she begins to verbalize and her legs and arms tremble violently. She can answer a question during an episode. Somehow, I believe that they are related to her MS and to some neurological damage.
To answer your question, I have seen these conscious seizures. I hope that you can find an explanation. I was looking for an explanation on the internet when I saw your inquiry.
Sheila
Is it possible to have seizures while remaining conscious?
Submitted by natas908 on Thu, 2010-10-21 - 01:29
hey
Im 20 years old and have never had a seizure in my life, im at university living in halls, i came back from a night out, i hadnt had loads to drink but i was a little drunk, i sat down in the kitchen that i share and i couldnt stop my head rocking from side to side, i knew i was doing it, but i couldnt control it. I thought it was just me being drunk, as i went to stand up i found that i couldnt and ended up falling on the floor, where my whole body started shaking which i couldnt control or stop it lasted for about 30 mins then i had about 5-10 min break and another one came along, although i was still conscious the movements or spasms started out like shivers, then suddenly they became very excessive and fast, i couldnt understand what was going on, i managed to get hold of a friend who phoned me an ambulance, after the first two, these episodes or what ever, came suddenly and started and ended very quickly. They didnt seem to have any rythm to them, they were a mix of very short violent movements in one episode, and smaller movements over a longer period of time in the next one. When the ambulance people turned up i was feeling ok and didnt have another one, so declined going to hospital as they said there was nothing in the tests to suggest epilepsy or proper seizures.
I was wondering if anyone has any information about this could it have just been me or the alcohol, or is there a possibility there could be something wrong with me please if anybody has any possible information that could help me as i dont know whether im safe going out as the episodes i had weren't easy to hide or carry on with as it seemed reali hard to get enough oxygen into my body, therefore i couldnt speak.
please any help would be appreciated
Thankyou Nat
hey
Im 20 years old and have never had a seizure in my life, im at university living in halls, i came back from a night out, i hadnt had loads to drink but i was a little drunk, i sat down in the kitchen that i share and i couldnt stop my head rocking from side to side, i knew i was doing it, but i couldnt control it. I thought it was just me being drunk, as i went to stand up i found that i couldnt and ended up falling on the floor, where my whole body started shaking which i couldnt control or stop it lasted for about 30 mins then i had about 5-10 min break and another one came along, although i was still conscious the movements or spasms started out like shivers, then suddenly they became very excessive and fast, i couldnt understand what was going on, i managed to get hold of a friend who phoned me an ambulance, after the first two, these episodes or what ever, came suddenly and started and ended very quickly. They didnt seem to have any rythm to them, they were a mix of very short violent movements in one episode, and smaller movements over a longer period of time in the next one. When the ambulance people turned up i was feeling ok and didnt have another one, so declined going to hospital as they said there was nothing in the tests to suggest epilepsy or proper seizures.
I was wondering if anyone has any information about this could it have just been me or the alcohol, or is there a possibility there could be something wrong with me please if anybody has any possible information that could help me as i dont know whether im safe going out as the episodes i had weren't easy to hide or carry on with as it seemed reali hard to get enough oxygen into my body, therefore i couldnt speak.
please any help would be appreciated
Thankyou Nat
Re: Is it possible to have seizures while remaining conscious?
Submitted by pRushbrook on Wed, 2009-05-27 - 11:10
I've had petit mals and one grand mal. I know the terminology is old, but I haven't bothered to get specifics on the new ones.
Anyway..I had the petit's starting at about age 7. I had the grand mal right before diagnosis. My mom always thought I was having seizures with the petit mal, but it wasn't affecting me negatively so she didn't sweat it.
Getting back to the specifics on the topic..I'm always fully conscious and aware. ALL of my petit mals are VERY mild. I can carry-on a conversation, DRIVE, cook, anything. My eyes don't roll back, and I don't have any kind of spasm or facial tightening or paralysis, or whatever. So, I'm definitely conscious and aware. I just get the deja-vu, and if I'm drivign or carryin-on a conversation I'll pull over, or ask the person to hang on a sec while I let it pass. It only takes a few seconds, and I could drive or talk just fine, but if I don't just focus on it and let is pass, it'll hang around longer or disappear and come back later-on.
That said, I've done well on medications (except for getting fat on Depakote) over the years, and haven't had a second grand mal (first was 13, and I'm 29 now) after the first one ever. I didn't have another petit mal from age 13 to 22, and other than having one or so a week back this past summer (went from Zonegran to Lamicatl to fix that), I haven't had any more.
But...I've never heard of anyone having petit mals as mild as mine, and I realize I'm very lucky to have full control during the episodes.
I've had petit mals and one grand mal. I know the terminology is old, but I haven't bothered to get specifics on the new ones.
Anyway..I had the petit's starting at about age 7. I had the grand mal right before diagnosis. My mom always thought I was having seizures with the petit mal, but it wasn't affecting me negatively so she didn't sweat it.
Getting back to the specifics on the topic..I'm always fully conscious and aware. ALL of my petit mals are VERY mild. I can carry-on a conversation, DRIVE, cook, anything. My eyes don't roll back, and I don't have any kind of spasm or facial tightening or paralysis, or whatever. So, I'm definitely conscious and aware. I just get the deja-vu, and if I'm drivign or carryin-on a conversation I'll pull over, or ask the person to hang on a sec while I let it pass. It only takes a few seconds, and I could drive or talk just fine, but if I don't just focus on it and let is pass, it'll hang around longer or disappear and come back later-on.
That said, I've done well on medications (except for getting fat on Depakote) over the years, and haven't had a second grand mal (first was 13, and I'm 29 now) after the first one ever. I didn't have another petit mal from age 13 to 22, and other than having one or so a week back this past summer (went from Zonegran to Lamicatl to fix that), I haven't had any more.
But...I've never heard of anyone having petit mals as mild as mine, and I realize I'm very lucky to have full control during the episodes.