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normal eegs....i feel like i'm going crazy

Fri, 10/13/2006 - 01:01
Ok I know this is long, but I really need some help figuring this out. I started having weird symptoms in May of last year. I thought they were panic attacks so I didn't pay them much attention, even though I knew they didn't really have the symptoms of panic attacks. After a couple of monthes I finally looked up panic attacks on the internet and discovered I had known of the symptoms. Somehow I got on a page that talked about seizures and it was there I recognized my symptoms in the section on simple and complex partial seizures. I have worked with adults with developmental disabilities for many years and a lot of them have seizures. I never expected that to be my problem. It all starts with a weird sensation that I can't really describe. Then I start to smell a chemical smell. I taste blood in my mouth and then my mind starts racing and I see things. Not like hallucinations but things in my head like a memory of something. It all seems really familiar, but after the spell is over I can't remember what it was that I was seeing I just know either it was a memory or a past dream. Everything apears strange to me as if I'm in a dream. I also get deja vu and a weak feeling. Sometimes I get a pins and needles feeling all over and I feel a little nauseous. When I get the blood taste in my mouth I start either drooling or I will start spitting. I'm somewhat concious of what I'm doing, but its like I don't care. When its all over and I see that either I'm drooling on myself or I'm spitting in the floor I feel really embarrassed, but at the time of the spell it makes perfect sense to spit on the floor. I also have very strong emotions. Its like a fear/panic/depression feeling. Sometimes the emotions are so strong it brings tears to my eyes. I mainly get these spells around the time of my period or when I'm ovulating. I will have several in a day for a couple of days and then nothing for two or three weeks and then it starts all over again. I have problems with my memory after having these spells and then the longer I go without having them my memory starts to improve until I have another one, then I'm right back where I started. It took me having these for nine months before I finally told my doctor. He did a blood test, CT scan, and an EEG. They were all normal so he referred me to a neurologist. The neurologist did a sleep deprived EEG. It was also normal. I didn't really like that doctor so I had my primary care doctor refer me to a neurologist who specializes in seizure disorders. He did a MRI which was normal, so he put me on Trilepital. After three weeks I broke out in rash so that med was discontinued and I started on Keppra. Since taking Keppra I have had no seizures and I finally am starting to feel like my old self again. My new doctor did a ambulatory EEG because he said a lot of times the other EEG's don't last long enough to catch abnormal brain waves. It also came back normal which really surprised my doctor. He said that the medication must be working good for me thats why the test was normal.I feel like I'm going crazy. At first I thought maybe this was all stress related which is why I waited so long to talk to my doctor about it, but if it was stress related the medication wouldn't be helping would it? I don't know what to do. I was thinking of going off my meds to see if the problem comes back. Can someone please help me?

Comments

mulva - Have you been put on

Submitted by akepi on Wed, 2006-10-18 - 15:44
mulva - Have you been put on meds?

Most often, when one has

Submitted by solis on Wed, 2006-10-18 - 16:45
Most often, when one has complex partials one is completely unaware they even occurred. So, not only the lost consciousness during the actual seizure occurs; but, during the post-ictal stage (afterwards) there is an immediate memory loss of the event. Like falling asleep and having no memory of doing so, one will only 'know' about complex partials if they are 'informed' by the situation after the seizure. Like 'finding themself' in the produce section of the grocery when the last thing they remember is looking at meat on the other side of the store. Other people's reactions is also a dead giveaway. My other question is....does anybody ever feel like their brains are just not working right? Nope. Despite having E since I was three, I also have a degree from this country's oldest university, so I never thought seizures affected my intellect. I did realize long ago I had a problem writing exams (I had no idea this conformed with the memory being affeceted via meds and epilepsy) so, I made sure all my electives were paper courses (= where one was graded on long essays rather than exams). My surprise came when I moved to a large city after graduation and suddenly my inability to drive had an effect. Unlike some who began epilepsy late & lost a career; due to not driving, I never got the career I'd spent years preparing for. But, I didn't realize it was the epilepsy, not my flaw that caused that to occur. And, inwardly, I blamed myself for 'failing'. Thankfully, years later I was completely controlled for a decade.. THEN I realized that comparing myself career wise with those who were mobile was like comparing apples and oranges. ~sol Maggie.. I just read your post. Know you are in my thoughts & I wish you the very best.

Re: Most often, when one has

Submitted by Peaches78 on Thu, 2006-10-19 - 01:06
I feel so much better having read everyone's comments. It's nice to know I'm not the only one who has had normal test results. I'm currently taking 500 mgs of Keppra twice a day and 75 mgs of Lamicatal in the mornings to counteract the sleepiness of Keppra. I still have problems with my memory. Before I was on meds I would have memory problems after I would have a seizure. My memory just wouldn't function well for about a week after having a couple of days of seizures. Then just when it would start coming back slowly I would have another day of seizures and then I was right back where I started. I also find myself having problems reading and spelling sometimes. I have always been very good with spelling, but sometimes I can't spell words that I know I should know or I will be reading something and suddenly certain words just don't look right to me, like they are misspelled or something but yet I don't know how to spell them. Sometimes someone can ask me to spell something and I can't tell them how to spell it, but I can write how to spell it. I lose my train of thought all the time too. Then I look really stupid having to stop in the middle of a conversation and ask someone what we were talking about. Does anyone else have this problem?

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