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Concerned

Sun, 06/01/2014 - 12:05

I'm very new to this forum and am seeking advice. I've already had one appointment with my neurologist, EEG, cat scan,  blood work, MRI, echo and a holter monitor. All results came back normal. My next appointment with my neurologist is on Monday. I've been prescribed ativan. It seems to not help. 
My issues with possible seizures started July 2013. I was slipped a drug and overdosed. I was eventually taken to a hospital 12hrs later. Ever since then I've had health problems. I do not use drugs and hardly drink. I'm a 33yr old female. 
The first time I had a possible seizure came 3mths after the overdose. I was alone on an elevator and passed out. Got very hot, shaking and cold sweats. My stomach was very upset and I became tired afterwards. 
The second seizure I believe was in my sleep. 
The third was similar to the first. I passed out and remember shaking, pounding in my head and stomach was messed up. 
Since the first three seizures I no longer pass out but am aware. My jaw during the day is super tight and I just feel out of it. Then when it hits me I get little jerky movements. My back arches and tingles go up and down my body. My face feels as if someone is pressing down on me. My pupils are dilated. 
about three months ago I had an experience that just wouldn't let up and was taken to the er. The dr gave me ativan. 
I then made an appointment with my neurologist. All test are normal. But my boyfriend who lives with me definately knows something is not right. My dr first said I might be having panic attacks. I never feel panic though. My foot, hand, and face twitch. Again, my pupils are dilated.  
Recently I've had no energy and am usually very active. I'll be super tired at night. Immediately when I go to bed I'll start getting strange tingles and then start a dream. In my dreams I know I'm having a seizure. I can feel my body twitch. I can feel my breathing change. I've even called out my boyfriends name for help. He says whenever this happens I'm only asleep for 10mins and I'm either shaking a bit in my sleep or moaning. I can feel myself having them. Once I alert my body to wake I'm not able to speak for a few minutes. I'm very confused when awake. 
I keep asking my boyfriend am I just imagining this happening. My body does not feel normal. The ativan doesn't seem to make a huge difference if I take it or not. It's a benzo so I don't want to be addicted to it.    
If you have similar symptoms or any advice I'd greatly appreciate it. It's very scary not knowing. 

thank you for taking time to read my story. 

 

Comments

Welcome MAny of the things

Submitted by just_joe on Sat, 2014-06-14 - 10:40
Welcome MAny of the things you posted could be different things happning in seizures. You need to contact your neuro and tell him whats happening. It would also be good to have your boyfriend there with you and let him tell the neuro what he is seeing and how you are acting in your episodes. Your medication ativan is also called lorazepam which is also a recovery drug used to get people out of status epilepticus or to stop their seizure clusters. As for your statement the medications iit doesn't seem to make a huge difference if I take it or not. Generally it taked the body time to adjust to medications which generally takes 2-3 weeks. It also depends on the dosage that was set for you. If used for a recovery med then that dosage is higher then daily dosages.I don't want to be addicted to it  Everything in this world has a give and take in it.  Do I get the red car because it looks great. Or do I get the ugly blue car because it gets better gas milage. Do I get the job that has advancement opportunities or get the job that is easy to do and it is closer to my house? Some people have to look at things and use common sense. Generally your neurologist who gave yo uthe perscription sets another appointment for about 1-3 months away from your first visit. It is to give your body time to adjust to the medication and to see how the medication is doing. If it has reduced the seizures but you still have some then adjustment can and generally made then. Which is followed by another visit with a time period to see if the dosage change helped reduce your seizures.  I say that because a medication that helps one person may do nothing for the next and dosages are the smae. Everybodies case is different and each persons seizure is different because the body is different with each person, Medications are not a one size fits all. If it was then they wouldn't be creating them all the time. They are tested and if out on the market thats fine but the testing goes on. Once a medications is tested to treat certain seizures they get tested to see the other types of seizures followed by the medications they can be coupled with, They are also tested to see which other things they can be used for.  In many seizures people don't black out. I have focal seizures and yes I know hwen I am in one whether it is a partial seizure or it has generalized (generalized and gone into a convulsion) In all of my seizures I have been aware of everything going on around me .The only seizures I did not know what happened was a grand Mal seizure. Use some common sense and think about your issue. Would you rather have your seizures ot take a medication that might stop them once your body gets used to the medication and the dosage? I hope this helps..

If he is requesting a longer

Submitted by just_joe on Tue, 2014-06-17 - 10:16
If he is requesting a longer EEG then that EEG might show something. People can have an EEG and it can come back normal because the abnormalitite (seizure activity is deeper in the brain. There are  many people who have there EEG come back nromal yet they have seizures.If you and your boyfrend are not happy with this neurologist then by all means get another one. But when you do please take all the tests you have had done to his office and take your boyfriend with you becasue his input will help. He sees things that you don't and yes that does make a difference. There are times I take my other half with me and doc is working with me and he asks questions. Doc is wanting answers from the both of us. So Doc is wantinginformation about what happens in my seizures not only from me but from people arround me.I have known that people do not want to get hooked on medications for many years. I never wanted to take meds.  A well adjusted woman can be fine and do the things you have been doing while taking medications.  A question to ask is do I want these episodes so I don't have to take medications or do I want to take medications and not have these episodes? As for everyone around me know I'm not having panic attacks    For a diagnosis ofepilepsy all the doctors need to know is you have had 2 seizures, The tests are a varification and in many cases those tests come back normal.

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