hi! hoping someone reads this! sorry for the length!

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hi - i am new to this site(obviously), and i am hoping to maybe talk to others that have gone thru things similar if not the same that i have. i was in a car accident almost a year ago- currently being eval. for a possible head injury-due to symptoms i am expierencing(memory loss,trouble with word finding,co-ordination-you name it.)anyway-since the accident, i have had what i call episodes- as i have read on the other posts on the board you call them auras. these "episodes"-vision disturbances,deja vu,out of body expierences,etc.etc.-come out of nowhere- they have continued at random to get worse. for some reason- my doctors do not want to listen when i tell them -brushing it off as panic or depression- the feelings of fear/doom are horrible! i know when i have felt panic -it never felt like this! last bad episode-was monday, standing in a doorway next thing i know i felt like i needed to shut my eyes-i got the deja vu feeling/familiar yet unfamiliar? everything went black,thanit seemed like i was going thru a dark tunnel with flashing lites at a million miles an hour-the tunnel was getting smaller and smaller,felt like being watched and watching myself from? frozen i could not move or scream, but i could hear buzzing and sounds flying around me,eyes were fluttering(i think) and i could hear my breathing (weird),than i got this feeling of sinking(like going up a big hill on a rollercoaster-than everything seemed to start to slow downi could see again and i turned around and walked into the kitchen real tired,it felt like i had all the life drained from me walked back and forth for i don't know why or how long- the rest of the day was a big blur,i do not remember most of it except that the back of my head and neck felt like i had been clubbed- that was the worst pain,nothing would make it leave,it took almost 2 days for that pain to stop. now- i am not looking for a diagnoses - i am just hoping maybe this sounds familiar to someone- i am scared to death -i have no one to talk to about this that does not look at me like i am spaced out on some crazy drug trip- i have read the epilepsy/seizure symptom pages and that info is helpful- possibility of seizure(s) after a closed head injury? (oh-by the way, the two days before monday, i felt nauseas and ill/sick)-if that helps.

Comments

Re: Re: hi! hoping someone reads this! sorry for the length!

Submitted by tangledvines on Sat, 2007-01-27 - 17:06

hi littlebug (cute name! i call my daughter "bug", short for kaitybug.) :) any how- here's where i am- eeg-short one done in dr. office, he said it was normal. same dr. ordered mri said that was normal- these random episodes have been getting worse since both tests were done. the dr's don't seem to want to listen- which makes me feel like i am going nuts(i know i am not imagining all this -who would want to imagine all this!?!) thanks for the responses and advice so far- this has helped me more than you know! :)

Re: Re: Re: hi! hoping someone reads this! sorry for the length!

Submitted by sasquash on Sun, 2007-01-28 - 13:45

Hi, I would seek out a second opinion if I were you. Ask your doctor for a refferal or seek out a good doctor or neuroligist yourself and make an appointment. From everything I've been reading EEG's and MRI's are not in anyway conclusive, in fact they are not that reilable at all, however they are the only tests they have at this time. Many people have said that these tests will only pick something up if you actually have one of these episodes during the test. I too have been having not extacly the same but similar episodes. I've had them every since I hit puberty at 15-16, I'm 32 now. I've kinda of got used to it and partially contributed to not being in shape or possibliy blood pressure fluctations. However as Ive gotten older they are happening much more frequently, are more intense and lasting alot longer. Plus I had a host of new things going on, which worries me. To describe my episodes, they come on very suddenly, when I'm out shopping, just sitting talking to a friend, watching a movie whenever. I will get a sudden onset of lightheadedness and at the same time my ears will ring intensely and then my hearing will out all together or all sound will be very very low and things will sound very far away, I see light spots and patterns and then my vision will dissolve out into nothing but a grey expanse. There is also a strange heat or electrical smell when this happens and my heart will race. There is definitely a de-ja-vu or very surreal feeling and I actually start dreaming and tend to forget whatever it was I was thinking just prior to it happening. When this comes on, I usually just have to stop and grab the closest thing to me or kneel down and just grab onto the floor. These episodes can last for 30 seconds or for 3 or 4 mintues. The longest I belivie was 5 mintues. The longer it lasts the more disoritenting it is. Afterwards I will feel very tired and have a headache sometimes a throbbing headache. I find if I sleep for an 1 or 2 then I'll feel much better, but sometimes I will got through the rest of the day in a bit of fog. I've never sought medical advice on this, mainly because I haven't had health insurance since I was 18, but I don't want what is happening to you right now to happen to me. I'm afraid my doctor would also have the same eye rolling reaction. However, after I recently told my financee about them, he became extremely concerned and said that nothing like that has ever happened to him, which worries me even more now. So I deceided to research the sypmtoms and honestly expected to come up with advice on blood pressure, instead I keep getting directed to epliespy websites and after reading other peoples stories and comments, it all sounds way too familiar. I never thought that they could be seizures. Soon for the first time in 14 years I will be getting health insurance and I think I will be making that appointment to at least get things checked out. Just wanted to let you know your not the only one, and don't let any doctor just brush you off. If your current doctor isn't listening or taking you seriously then seek out another opinion. Good Luck, I hope your health improves and my prayes are with you. Jodi

Hi & welcome, Answer, yes,

Submitted by solis on Sun, 2007-01-28 - 13:53

Hi & welcome, Answer, yes, there is a possibility of seizures after an accident: http://www.epilepsy.com/101/ep101_cause.html While I'm no MD, I'll give you some pages to read since what you have decribed 'could possibly' fall into that catagory. You definitely need to get checked asap, as whatever the cause, it needs to be addressed. It is a know fact that EEG tests can come out normal despite a person having E. because (often) abnormal EEG readings only occur during a seizure itself and then it reverts to normal. And the MRI does not corroberate the EEG, as the MRI shows the brain's structure whereas the EEG measures the brain waves. Here is some info on tests for E, though I'd still suggest you get to a specialist. Here is a page of many tests that exist: http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/testing_mri.html Links, (as promised): http://www.epilepsy.com/101/ep101_symptom.html.. Note: What is called "Early seizure symptoms" on that page, can (and often does) occur alone. If and when they do, they are known as simple partial seizures. (The term 'aura' is only applied if/when a simple partial seizures occur before a more complex partial or a priamry generalized seizure.) http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/types_seizures.html There are over 40 types of E.. but these are the most common. 2 sites you might want to read given your descriptions: http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/seizure_simplepartial.html http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/seizure_complexpartial.html Hope that's of some help & wishing you the best, ~sol