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Guess I'm nuts after all...Psychogenic Seizures

Sat, 01/27/2007 - 09:58
Now, to those of you reading this, please do not take my title to heart. I have a bachelors in psychology and I am being very flippant in my terminology, but I mean no disrespect to anyone. Anyway, after a year of searching for an answer to my various health issues, I have been given a diagnosis of Psychogenic seizures. Now, this is a two-sided issue. On the one hand, for the last two weeks I have had these jerking spells a couple of times a day, and after being admitted to the hospital for two days of EEG video monitoring they decided the episodes were Psychogenic. As difficult as it was for me to accept that, I did, and the episodes have not occurred in the two days since I was released from the hospital. On the other hand, I don't believe that everything that I have experienced in the past year is due to mental disorder. I have had issues like phlebitis (recurrent inflammation of various veins in my arm and leg) and anemia, been diagnosed with carpal tunnel and plantar fascitis (foot problem that I believe was accompanied by nerve pain due to the type of pain and existing altered sensation in one toe), found to have nystagmus (sign of possible neurological dysfunction), and I have had neurological episodes that did not feature jerking, only this strange buzzing sensation in my head. During these times I cannot talk very well (it is difficult for me to concentrate on speaking) or move very well, and they have featured strange things like nausea, a feeling of being paralyzed in my legs, increased respiration, blah blah blah. Right now I feel like I have been kicked in the gut. I feel like all of my work toward a diagnosis has been sabatoged by the label "Psychogenic". I am afraid that no doctor will ever take me seriously again. My cognitive functioning is going downhill, but the neuropsychologist has been working with the epilepsy center and because of my education is assuming that I have the knowledge to fake all of this and actually stated that he probably couldn't test me because I would know the testing material. Nevermind that I reassured him that I didn't get to take the class on psychological evalution and testing. This is yet another low point for me, and I could really use some advice... Sam

Comments

Re: Re: Re: Re: Guess I'm nuts after all...Psychogenic Seizures

Submitted by slhmurphy on Tue, 2007-01-30 - 10:11
Caboose...yer crazy! ;.) Wildheart, I haven't been diagnosed with both types, just the psychogenic ones. This diagnosis was based on observing the episodes, noting no change on the eeg, and seeing a pattern of motor activity that doesn't quite jive with what they know about motor activity (ie. bilateral movements without a loss of consciousness). As I said, I have no doubt that these are psychogenic in nature, and I met with a Psychologist last night that I think can help me. The issue remains that I have other spells that only occur once or twice a month that didn't occur in the hospital that feature this buzzing in my head. During these episodes I can't think easily, and I have a hard time talking as the concentration required makes the sensations worse. I believe that these are epileptic, but since they didn't occur during the hospital stay, the docs don't believe they are epileptic. They have a "one or the other" approach to diagnosis. I will seek a second opinion if and when those spells become more frequent, but for the time being any epileptologist is going to look at the history of testing and agree with the current diagnosis of psychogenic seizures. I can't blame them, but I know in my heart that this isn't the end... Thanks for all your encouragement. Sam

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Guess I'm nuts after all...Psychogenic Seizu

Submitted by Peaches78 on Mon, 2007-03-26 - 14:59
I just have a question for everyone. If you have psychogenic seizures does AED's work? All my tests have been normal so I kept thinking it was stress, but I'm taking Lamictal and as long as I take my medicine I have no problems. My neuro doesn't think its stress since the meds work, but I still have my doubts. Just wondering if anyone else has this problem.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Guess I'm nuts after all...Psychogenic S

Submitted by Maggie on Wed, 2007-03-28 - 21:22
Hi Peaches...I have had many tests done and all come back with normal brain activity.Docs say NES = non epileptic seizures and AED's do not help with that because AED's are for the abnormal brain activity.They told me see psych,who put me on Effexor(anti depressant)and klonopin(anxiety/seizure)med.Now she wants to put me on Tegretol or Lamictal.At the beginning when I had a different type of seizure the neuro tried Tegretol and it was helping some,did cut them back,but Epi took me off cause VEEG was normal.Neuro says Tegretol or Lamictal won't help..can cause more seizures if not epileptic.I say give it a try!If I have more seizures because of meds then I can always go off of them.Cannot have these darn seizures everyday.TRY something!!!This started after car accident in '04,did not hit my head but did have a concussion.I also have a small menningioma brain tumor but neurosurgeon says not the problem..to small.Have had several different opinions and still now I am labeled with NES! My childhood was wonderful,parents were married 52yrs.and had 4 kids.I have been married for 34yrs and have 3 grown kids and 4 wonderful grandbabies.So where is my problem steming from??? Hmmmm go figure! I'm confused to say the least.Hope we all get unconfused some day....

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