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Could seizures be psychosomatic?

Thu, 04/26/2007 - 18:10
I have had epilepsy for eleven years now. God, it sounds like so long when I say that. Anyway as with most people's seizures my doctor can give me very few answers about the cause of my seizures. I sure get a lot of "I don't knows" though. My seizures started when I was fifteen. I continued to have them every six months (almost to teh day) and recently have started having them every six weeks (almost to the day). I have tonic clonic seizures. I lose consciousness and bite my tongue. I have never lost control of my bladder or bowels. My seizures last from 1-2 minutes. In June 2006 I changed my medicine from Tegretol to Lamictal because I was starting to have seizures more often and the doctor thought that the Tegretol might be losing its effectiveness after 10 years. In all of the 11 years the only time that I have had my seizures is in the morning after I wake up, and luckily I have always had them in my bed. Since starting the Lamictal a few changes have occurred, besides the frequency increasing. I am now remembering events immediately prior to the seizure, including my boyfriend trying to make me focus in order to try to stop the seizure. THis did not happen with the Tegretol. A couple of months ago I had a spell that he did succeed in snapping me out of so now he is determined to do it again. I was in bed and felt "funny." I started to twitch, but was still conscious. I actually had the thought that I was about to have a seizure. I focused on him waving his hands in front of me and did not end up having the seizure. I am wondering if it was him, or another type of seizure, such as a Myoclonic (limbs jerking after waking) or an abscence seizure. I have definitely never had that happen before though. In the seizures that have followed I remember what he does prior to the seizure, but have had the seizure anyway. He can tell when I am about to have one and that is when he tries to snap me out of it. Partly because of this new development I have been starting to question the specifics of my case. This has led me to wonder about the strict schedule that my seizures seem to keep. The whole every six months and now every six weeks thing is puzzling to me and my doctor. I am now wondering if I am some how causing these seizures to happen by expecting them. I know it sounds crazy, but seizures are such a mystery that I think anything might be possible, even psychsomatic seizures. My questions for you are: 1. Is it possible to cause seizures to happen by expecting them? Do I cause them because I "know" and expect to have one every six weeks (or six months in the past)? 2. Has anyone ever heard of specific morning seizures like mine?

Comments

Re: Could seizures be psychosomatic?

Submitted by rosegirl on Fri, 2007-05-11 - 19:06
I've had just morning seizures with 3 exceptions in the 12 yrs that I've had epilepsy. Don't know why that's the only time but I feel thankful that i know when they are coming.

Re: Could seizures be psychosomatic?

Submitted by wjh on Sun, 2007-05-20 - 21:19
To: amuffet I dont wish to say much on this site, but I stumbled onto your post and thought i would give some o my own personal input. My seizures typically only occur in the morning right after I wake. Usaully within 5-10 minutes. I am always aware of them. Over time I learned to concentrate on specific subjects or ideas to help keep the seizure low or under control. This took some time to do. My seizures once would bring me to a grand maul state. Now when I have them they either leave quickly or make me very ill. The heavier seizures make my head hurt for many hours after and leave me very exhausted. I do not have epilepsy. I have an AVM that ruptured and destroyed 2 inches of my brain after the bleed. My point of all that I stated is that I very much agree that with concentration of any subject other than the illness can help get you back under control. Sometimes its difficult for me not to concentrate on the illness and I always find thats when the seizure gets worse. Things that I focus on are: what I have to do for work that day. Or even things as simple as the order of tasks that I need to do that morning. I would like to add that I always take my medication in the morning now as well. I was once taking up to 2500 mg of keppra and 300 mg of lamictal a day. Now I only take 250 mg of keppra first thing in the morning. The doctors told me that I would never be able to reduce my meds the way I did. They also said I would most likely hemmorage again in the near future from my AVM. I love proving doctors wrong. A strong will can cure a frail body. Napoleon. Your will is not your mind. I will leave the rest of that comment to the individuals opinion. I also was told that I would most likely not regain the ability to read and write again. I love doctors. lol

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