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pseudoseizures

Sat, 07/09/2005 - 21:05
can someone please help me? i don't think that i'm doing this right. can someone please respond ? i have been havin these "so called seizures" i start by getting a funny feeling like a tingley sensation and start to space out i i shake and twitch and either pass out or fall asleep i have a doc appointment with neuro in tampa on the 27 can someone tell me what to expect? nervous in chuluota.

Comments

RE: pseudoseizures

Submitted by mommy2kyra on Fri, 2005-07-08 - 12:07

Hi Nervous,

Just curious why you call your experiences pseudoseizures? Has someone told you that they are? Have you had any testing done yet (EEG, MRI, blood, bp)? Pseudoseizures are typically exaggerated and dramatic-looking seizures. Your description of what happens to you does not seem to fit that. It sounds like a complex partial seizure. Complex partails don't cause me to pass out, but they are incredibly draining. When they occur as I'm falling asleep, I won't wake up from it (nor will I be aware that one occurred).

Anyway...if you haven't had previous mentioned tests, you can expect that after you see the neuro. They probably won't do an EEG and MRI that day, he/she will go over your symptoms and do some basic tests in office. Testing blood pressure, coordination, reflexes, ordering blood tests. They may then go on to schedule MRI and EEG tests. If you could bring an eyewitness to one or more occurrances, to tell exactly what they've seen each time, that would be very helpful in diagnosis. The doc usually doesn't prescribe AED's (anti-epileptic drugs) until the tests have been done and a diagnosis has been made.

Try not to worry too much (I know, easier said than done!)...take it easy. Take care!

Heather :)

Hi Nervous,

Just curious why you call your experiences pseudoseizures? Has someone told you that they are? Have you had any testing done yet (EEG, MRI, blood, bp)? Pseudoseizures are typically exaggerated and dramatic-looking seizures. Your description of what happens to you does not seem to fit that. It sounds like a complex partial seizure. Complex partails don't cause me to pass out, but they are incredibly draining. When they occur as I'm falling asleep, I won't wake up from it (nor will I be aware that one occurred).

Anyway...if you haven't had previous mentioned tests, you can expect that after you see the neuro. They probably won't do an EEG and MRI that day, he/she will go over your symptoms and do some basic tests in office. Testing blood pressure, coordination, reflexes, ordering blood tests. They may then go on to schedule MRI and EEG tests. If you could bring an eyewitness to one or more occurrances, to tell exactly what they've seen each time, that would be very helpful in diagnosis. The doc usually doesn't prescribe AED's (anti-epileptic drugs) until the tests have been done and a diagnosis has been made.

Try not to worry too much (I know, easier said than done!)...take it easy. Take care!

Heather :)

RE: RE: pseudoseizures

Submitted by butterfly on Fri, 2005-07-08 - 14:34
thanks heather for your response. I was in the hospital for 5 days in the begining of june,they did all those test and nothing showed up. since i had a normal eeg the dr. said it was most likely pseudoseizures. I'm on dilantin clonazepam phentoin and zoloft. I'm not allowed to go back to work yet or even drive. I hope they can help me in tampa when i go on july 27,maybe get some answers. thanks again anna [nervous]

RE: RE: RE: pseudoseizures

Submitted by mommy2kyra on Fri, 2005-07-08 - 16:33

Anna (nervous :-),

I've got tell you, that doc just bugs the heck out of me! People with E have normal EEG's all the time. Now, I'm not saying that you do have epilepsy. But it shouldn't be ruled out until after you've seen a specialist. You may need to do a sleep-deprived EEG or an extended VEEG in order to capture some abnormal electrical activity. How often are you having these episodes? (daily, weekly,...) Did you go through a traumatic event shortly before the episodes began? Has the dilantin and zoloft effected your episodes at all (less often, less intense, or changed the event)?

Hope to hear more soon...good luck on the 27th!

Heather :)

Anna (nervous :-),

I've got tell you, that doc just bugs the heck out of me! People with E have normal EEG's all the time. Now, I'm not saying that you do have epilepsy. But it shouldn't be ruled out until after you've seen a specialist. You may need to do a sleep-deprived EEG or an extended VEEG in order to capture some abnormal electrical activity. How often are you having these episodes? (daily, weekly,...) Did you go through a traumatic event shortly before the episodes began? Has the dilantin and zoloft effected your episodes at all (less often, less intense, or changed the event)?

Hope to hear more soon...good luck on the 27th!

Heather :)

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