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Simple Partial Seizures v. BiPolar Disorder
Wed, 01/05/2005 - 09:13Comments
RE: Simple Partial Seizures v. BiPolar Disorder
Submitted by USMALE on Wed, 2004-06-09 - 09:18
RE: Simple Partial Seizures v. BiPolar Disorder
Submitted by boddhisattva on Thu, 2004-11-25 - 23:32
I have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder and even once schizophrenia. I have never felt comfortably with these labels, as their descriptions do not fit my case perfectly and leave a lot of unanswered questions.
I first experienced affective symptoms immediately after a head injury in kung fu. I had horrible comprehension of language, felt confused and depressed for months. A few months later was a great improvement to the point of hypomania along with vivid, cartoon like hallucinations when I 'spaced out' for a few seconds. I would see lights and hear a loud POP.
However, all of my visions and delusions came in the form of 'memories', 'insights' and 'deja vu' feelings that were very intense and took me out of my brain for maybe 10 second intervals. Then when I was back in my head again, I would think "what is wrong with me? Why am I thinking such bizarre stories?"
I's been 5 years since I've been diagnosed as bipolar. I'm on an antidepressent and take an antipsychotic only when these "wierd spells" happen. They happen regularly, perhaps a few times a month. Other than that, I have a fairly successful career, good social life, and completing a graduate degree.
And I am in shock that temporal lobe seizures sound incredibly similar to what I experience and no psychiatrist, in my five years in the mental health system, has ever suggested an MRI or EEG. I've just made an appointment with a neurologist (2 months away). Putting all the pieces together on my own is difficult, and once a person is diagnosed as 'psychotic', no doctor really believes what you say anyways.
I have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder and even once schizophrenia. I have never felt comfortably with these labels, as their descriptions do not fit my case perfectly and leave a lot of unanswered questions.
I first experienced affective symptoms immediately after a head injury in kung fu. I had horrible comprehension of language, felt confused and depressed for months. A few months later was a great improvement to the point of hypomania along with vivid, cartoon like hallucinations when I 'spaced out' for a few seconds. I would see lights and hear a loud POP.
However, all of my visions and delusions came in the form of 'memories', 'insights' and 'deja vu' feelings that were very intense and took me out of my brain for maybe 10 second intervals. Then when I was back in my head again, I would think "what is wrong with me? Why am I thinking such bizarre stories?"
I's been 5 years since I've been diagnosed as bipolar. I'm on an antidepressent and take an antipsychotic only when these "wierd spells" happen. They happen regularly, perhaps a few times a month. Other than that, I have a fairly successful career, good social life, and completing a graduate degree.
And I am in shock that temporal lobe seizures sound incredibly similar to what I experience and no psychiatrist, in my five years in the mental health system, has ever suggested an MRI or EEG. I've just made an appointment with a neurologist (2 months away). Putting all the pieces together on my own is difficult, and once a person is diagnosed as 'psychotic', no doctor really believes what you say anyways.
RE: Simple Partial Seizures v. BiPolar Disorder
Submitted by ajjech on Tue, 2004-06-08 - 18:55
was diagnosed 25+ years ago to have a problem in the temporal lobe and have at least two types of seizures. The diagnosis came after several...I still call them grand mal seizures, MRIs, cat scans, and EEGs.It is critically important your nephew sees a neurologist, have the necessary tests and gets the proper diagnosis. I do not know his age but he must be young and still living at home or you would not be concerned about his mother's stubbornness. My parents tried to hide from me and the world the fact I have epilepsy and I did not learn they were even aware of it until approx. 15 years ago when my wife and I were visiting my aunt and I had a grand seizure. She, my aunt, commented to my mother, in front of my wife, "You mean he is still having that problem". I am trying to say that a diagnosis is important, an opinion based on descriptions of his behavior could be forever detrimental to him. I was approx. 35 years old before being diagnosedÂ…. Do not let your nephew grow up to learn his mother has been hiding a physical problem. His life can be different with proper diagnosis and treatmentÂ…I wish mine had been earlier; and wish that proper diagnosis would reveal your nephew is not epileptic.