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Simple Partial Seizures and EEG/EKG
Sun, 01/09/2005 - 16:08I have not been diagnosed, but I am beginning to supiscion that I have been having Simple Partial Seizures. Please bear with me, it might take a little while to describe my experiences and my questions....
Every so often (perhaps once every 2 months and more frequently at times) I have been experiencing what I have seen other people on this site describe as strong, scary deja vu feelings. It feels like deja vu, but much stronger. It feels like I know what is going to happen next or I have dreamed that moment in time before. Sometimes this feeling is so strong that I almost wonder if I am losing my mind - or if I'm just now seeing the world with a rare moment of clarity. It is like I am seeing the world with new eyes for just a few seconds. This is accompanied by what feels like a frightening adrenaline rush. I'm not sure if this rush is a response to the deja vu/psychic feeling frightening me or if it just part of the experience itself.
A few months ago I was sitting on the floor in a very emotional state and I had one of these "episodes". (I wish I had a name for them!) But this time, the next thing I knew it was about 15 minutes later and I had no recollection of what had happened since the episode. I felt a bit nauseus with a headache and my tongue was bitten and quite swollen. This has never happened before.
I went to the doctor and I had an EEG and EKG/ECG taken. It while I was waiting in the neurologist office that I saw for the first time a poster describing a "psychc simple partial seizure". This was the first time that I had ever heard of something that may have explained the "episodes" I have.
My physician called me after breifly reviewing the EEG results and said, "It looks like you didn't have a seizure in the EEG, so you must have just stood up too fast and passed out."
I think that perhaps when I lost conciousness I may have experienced a Psychic Simple Partial Seizure (one of those "episodes") that lead to a Complex Partial Seizure (the part I don't remember) which was triggered because I was in such an emotional state. Is it possible that these deja vu "episodes" are Simple Partial Seizures that would not have been detectable by an EEG? Is it possible that if I did have a Complex Partial Seizure that didn't show up on an EEG? I don't understand what exactly an EEG can determine.
~Erica
Age 24
Comments
RE: Simple Partial Seizures and EEG/EKG
Submitted by gdog on Thu, 2005-04-14 - 21:31
OH MY GOD!!! I can not believe what I just read from some of you, especially Erica !!! This is what has been happening to me since the spring of 1999! The doctors have done all the scans that they have done on all of you, but found nothing, of course! I have these "auras" / deja vu´s (I used to call them blackouts because I had no other word to describe them) then I will turn red, then quickly turn white and sweat profusely!!!. It feels like someone "pulled the plug" on me and I get really tired. I will go home and sleep for 2-3 hours during the day, even after a good night sleep! This happens for a 48 hour period every 2-3 months (just like Erica). I will get 15-20 of these things during that 48 hour period. I am aware of what is going on. By the end of that 48 hour period they will try to happen, but they (auras) are"too week" do anythig and I am good for another 2-3 months until it happens again.
Everything that Erica describes (esp. in her second paragraph) is the SAME thing I feel and sense (word for word!!!). I can not believe the similarities between Erica´s experiences and mine. I had these auras two weeks ago and decided (again!!) to research these experiences on the internet, which led me to this fantstic website!!!!
I use to feel quite alone when I had these things, in the past I wondered if I was going nuts! Just knowing that these auras might be a form of a seizure made me quite happy ( if you can believe that), because there might be a medical problem for these things and a way to "fight" them. I have learned to deal with these things quite well, but I would like to get rid of them if possible.
I would like to thank everyone who worte in response to Erica´s letter and especially to Erica herself for sharing her experiences. This may sound silly, but it comforts me to know that I am not alone in dealing with these experiences. THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH!!!
if anyone wants to respond to me that would be great!!!
GEOFF AGE 32
OH MY GOD!!! I can not believe what I just read from some of you, especially Erica !!! This is what has been happening to me since the spring of 1999! The doctors have done all the scans that they have done on all of you, but found nothing, of course! I have these "auras" / deja vu´s (I used to call them blackouts because I had no other word to describe them) then I will turn red, then quickly turn white and sweat profusely!!!. It feels like someone "pulled the plug" on me and I get really tired. I will go home and sleep for 2-3 hours during the day, even after a good night sleep! This happens for a 48 hour period every 2-3 months (just like Erica). I will get 15-20 of these things during that 48 hour period. I am aware of what is going on. By the end of that 48 hour period they will try to happen, but they (auras) are"too week" do anythig and I am good for another 2-3 months until it happens again.
Everything that Erica describes (esp. in her second paragraph) is the SAME thing I feel and sense (word for word!!!). I can not believe the similarities between Erica´s experiences and mine. I had these auras two weeks ago and decided (again!!) to research these experiences on the internet, which led me to this fantstic website!!!!
I use to feel quite alone when I had these things, in the past I wondered if I was going nuts! Just knowing that these auras might be a form of a seizure made me quite happy ( if you can believe that), because there might be a medical problem for these things and a way to "fight" them. I have learned to deal with these things quite well, but I would like to get rid of them if possible.
I would like to thank everyone who worte in response to Erica´s letter and especially to Erica herself for sharing her experiences. This may sound silly, but it comforts me to know that I am not alone in dealing with these experiences. THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH!!!
if anyone wants to respond to me that would be great!!!
GEOFF AGE 32
Re: RE: Simple Partial Seizures and EEG/EKG
Submitted by colleenm on Tue, 2010-02-09 - 12:58
I can relate to falling asleep for 2-3 hours Geoff. I have had simple partial seizure/complex partial seizure in the past but I have noticed as well getting really fatigued and just passing out on the couch for 2-3 hours. Sometimes if I lay on my back I feel like it is harder to wake up. Cannot open my eyes or move. I feel like I am still in a dream but awake? It worries me that it felt like I could hear kids playing outside in a pool? I wanted to see what was going on but could not open my eyes if I tried. We are talking winter. :) I wasn't sure if Sleep Paralysis is related to these type of seizures. Does anyone know? I remember the seizures started out with tingling that started in one leg and would spread upwards slowly for about a week. The muscle jerks started but I thought it may have been from the car accident I was in and maybe the body going through changes. It was not alright it went into full blown seizures. I can remember my seizures and the muscle jerks how the increased in to an intolerable level it really hurt my right shoulder. The room became distorted,my vision was blurry, i could hear buzzing, hissing sound in my ear, could not move or stand up for a while and when I could I staggered as if I had been drinking. When I tried to call someone I did not how to use the phone, I could not spell/write or use the computer to document, eyes still blurry. But I did shortly after and with the help of spell check I managed to get something I could understand. What a day that was. When I went to the hospital 2 hours after they only did a CT and said you did not have a seizure. I could not believe what I was hearing. Go home and take vitamins they said? I felt like an idiot going in to the hospital. After two EEG's starting 2 months later they were positive for Epilepsy. I can understand not being helped! My heart goes out to anyone going through this!
I can relate to falling asleep for 2-3 hours Geoff. I have had simple partial seizure/complex partial seizure in the past but I have noticed as well getting really fatigued and just passing out on the couch for 2-3 hours. Sometimes if I lay on my back I feel like it is harder to wake up. Cannot open my eyes or move. I feel like I am still in a dream but awake? It worries me that it felt like I could hear kids playing outside in a pool? I wanted to see what was going on but could not open my eyes if I tried. We are talking winter. :) I wasn't sure if Sleep Paralysis is related to these type of seizures. Does anyone know? I remember the seizures started out with tingling that started in one leg and would spread upwards slowly for about a week. The muscle jerks started but I thought it may have been from the car accident I was in and maybe the body going through changes. It was not alright it went into full blown seizures. I can remember my seizures and the muscle jerks how the increased in to an intolerable level it really hurt my right shoulder. The room became distorted,my vision was blurry, i could hear buzzing, hissing sound in my ear, could not move or stand up for a while and when I could I staggered as if I had been drinking. When I tried to call someone I did not how to use the phone, I could not spell/write or use the computer to document, eyes still blurry. But I did shortly after and with the help of spell check I managed to get something I could understand. What a day that was. When I went to the hospital 2 hours after they only did a CT and said you did not have a seizure. I could not believe what I was hearing. Go home and take vitamins they said? I felt like an idiot going in to the hospital. After two EEG's starting 2 months later they were positive for Epilepsy. I can understand not being helped! My heart goes out to anyone going through this!
RE: Simple Partial Seizures and EEG/EKG
Submitted by khaos119 on Sun, 2005-02-27 - 03:40
Hi Erica! I'm Bridget. WOW! I have been experiencing the same things as you since I was pretty young. I saw a neurologist when I was a teenager and, same as you, my EEG was normal. But I am certainly convinced that I have SPS. Only now, they seem to have changed from "the dream thing" (as I called it when I was younger) to my head almost going numb and tingling all over, then it moves to my hands and they get so stiff I almost can't move them. My lips get very tight (I look pretty silly) and sometimes it goes to my knees and stomach area. It's pretty frustrating when a doctor thinks you are a "hypochondriac" because you think you have seizures and they find nothing! But I'm sure of it. I've always thought I was weird because of the "dream thing", but turns out I'm not alone! What you described in your letter is EXACTLY what I feel like during an episode. Just as you said.... feeling like you've dreamed that moment before and the adrenaline rush afterwards. Although when it's over (1-2 mins) I cannot remember what the "dream" was no matter how hard I try. Well, maybe at least we can both say we are diagnosed (even though its a personal diagnosis) lol. Well, good luck with finding the right doctor - and it's nice to know i'm not wierd afterall :)
Bridget - age 25
Hi Erica! I'm Bridget. WOW! I have been experiencing the same things as you since I was pretty young. I saw a neurologist when I was a teenager and, same as you, my EEG was normal. But I am certainly convinced that I have SPS. Only now, they seem to have changed from "the dream thing" (as I called it when I was younger) to my head almost going numb and tingling all over, then it moves to my hands and they get so stiff I almost can't move them. My lips get very tight (I look pretty silly) and sometimes it goes to my knees and stomach area. It's pretty frustrating when a doctor thinks you are a "hypochondriac" because you think you have seizures and they find nothing! But I'm sure of it. I've always thought I was weird because of the "dream thing", but turns out I'm not alone! What you described in your letter is EXACTLY what I feel like during an episode. Just as you said.... feeling like you've dreamed that moment before and the adrenaline rush afterwards. Although when it's over (1-2 mins) I cannot remember what the "dream" was no matter how hard I try. Well, maybe at least we can both say we are diagnosed (even though its a personal diagnosis) lol. Well, good luck with finding the right doctor - and it's nice to know i'm not wierd afterall :)
Bridget - age 25