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When are hallucinations actually seizures?

Sun, 07/26/2009 - 11:49
I visited my neurologist last Friday and told him about these small flashes of light that have been occurring in my eye since I have been diagnosed with Epilepsy, which has been about 25 years now. He told me "They might be seizures." However, he didn't tell me anything else. Does anybody else have this problem and would anybody else know more about it? It usually happens before I have a big tonic-clonic seizure, so I take it as a sign that I have to lie down. What about everyone else? Or am I crazy?

Comments

Re: When are hallucinations actually seizures?

Submitted by 3Hours2Live on Sun, 2009-07-26 - 20:56
Hi MichaelK, If I have any other symptoms of a pain-free migraine, I write off my flashes of light as just a migraine. Occipital seizures can also be confused with such migraines, and vice-versa. And if an otherwise focal seizure spreads through the occipital region, or originates there, flashes of light are some of the most common sensations. With secondary tonic-clonics, the original focal seizure is suppose to spread in a more-or-less set manner per individual, but there are so many exceptions after having epilepsy a long time, the exceptions seem to be the rule with me. At times, I can have a very intense migraine with my vision flashing to a total white out (usually more in one eye), then an aura of a seizure will occur, my migraine vanishes, and a tonic-clonic in a few minutes is very likely. In my youth, my seizures where usually limited to TLE, but started to spread out more often in my mid-30's, to about monthly secondary tonic-clonics during clusters of partial seizures in my 40's to mid-50's.

Re: When are hallucinations actually seizures?

Submitted by tonialpha on Sun, 2009-07-26 - 22:15

When I read your statement on clusters I have them too.  They just started me on Vimpat and that has stopped my clusters!  I have been taking the medication for a month.  I cannot believe it  This medication really is helpful, I would recommend a trial run on it!  I am on 150 mg. BID.  I wish you luck 3 hours!

When I read your statement on clusters I have them too.  They just started me on Vimpat and that has stopped my clusters!  I have been taking the medication for a month.  I cannot believe it  This medication really is helpful, I would recommend a trial run on it!  I am on 150 mg. BID.  I wish you luck 3 hours!

Re: When are hallucinations actually seizures?

Submitted by MichaelK on Tue, 2009-07-28 - 11:57

Hi 3Hours,

 

Do migraines run in your family? This seems to be very important, I found out. Your input has made me do some searching on the Internet to find out more, because it really surprised me. If a pain-free migraine occurs with an aura of a seizure, your migraine then vanishes and then a tonic-clonic is likely. This is exactly the same with me. I will have a pain-free migraine with an aura of a seizure and then it will stop. A tonic-clonic is then likely in me as well. 

I was curious about how to tell the difference between migraines with auras and seizures:

"There is no diagnostic test to confirm Migraine disease. Diagnosis is achieved by reviewing both family and patient medical history, evaluating the symptoms, and performing an examination to rule out other causes of the symptoms. If there is any alteration in consciousness, seizure disorders should also be ruled out."

source: http://www.healthcentral.com/migraine/types-of-headaches-38003-5.html

If there is an alteration in consciousness, then seizures may be the problem. Otherwise, by reviewing a combination of symptoms as well as patient and family medical history will lead to the answer.

For me, this is vital because it may mean that I have been misdiagnosed. Up to now, my neurologist has been treating me for temporal seizures, without any luck. If these seizures are occipital, then they may respond to different medicines. It may turn out to be a false lead, but I need to do whatever I can at this point. 

Thanks, 3Hours!

Hi 3Hours,

 

Do migraines run in your family? This seems to be very important, I found out. Your input has made me do some searching on the Internet to find out more, because it really surprised me. If a pain-free migraine occurs with an aura of a seizure, your migraine then vanishes and then a tonic-clonic is likely. This is exactly the same with me. I will have a pain-free migraine with an aura of a seizure and then it will stop. A tonic-clonic is then likely in me as well. 

I was curious about how to tell the difference between migraines with auras and seizures:

"There is no diagnostic test to confirm Migraine disease. Diagnosis is achieved by reviewing both family and patient medical history, evaluating the symptoms, and performing an examination to rule out other causes of the symptoms. If there is any alteration in consciousness, seizure disorders should also be ruled out."

source: http://www.healthcentral.com/migraine/types-of-headaches-38003-5.html

If there is an alteration in consciousness, then seizures may be the problem. Otherwise, by reviewing a combination of symptoms as well as patient and family medical history will lead to the answer.

For me, this is vital because it may mean that I have been misdiagnosed. Up to now, my neurologist has been treating me for temporal seizures, without any luck. If these seizures are occipital, then they may respond to different medicines. It may turn out to be a false lead, but I need to do whatever I can at this point. 

Thanks, 3Hours!

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