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Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures?

Thu, 02/24/2005 - 09:01
Topic: Family & Friends
My 3yr old just had three seizure like episodes in one day that only physically effected her eyes and sense of awareness.  The first one happened when she was sitting on the floor.  She fell over, eyes were rolling, and became very lethargic.  She was rushed to the hospital and was very sleepy for hrs.  During her sleepiness, she had two more episodes that resembled the first one.  This time it was monitored that her oxygen levels significantly dropped during those episodes.  Could this be Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures?  The reason I think this may be so is because her very first episode was when her mother ran off with her to another state because she "felt a calling to due so."  The seizure like symptoms -like above- happened a few months after the mother's move.  A long court process finally ordered my daughters return to me.  Then, nine months later she has three.  My daughter has always been by my side from when she was a baby crying to playing soccer in the backyard.  We do everything together and have the strongest connection.  Could a nine month period of time away from me cause an emotional seizure? 

Comments

RE: Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures?

Submitted by theresab72 on Wed, 2005-02-23 - 08:32

Have you had any tests done by a neurologist?  And does she lose consciousness during the seizures or just get very lethargic? 

I have a moment disorder that resembles seizures that is called paroxsymal dyskinesias and stress could bring on the seizure-like episodes.  If you cannot find answers, you might want to look into this.  It's not well known by doctors, but search around on internet and see if this resembles your child.  It is also known to strike at an early age (infancy-childhood), but is less common to strike at later ages (but it does, as in my case, not til I was 31).

Try wemove.org and look under dyskinesias.  If you think this might be the answer, be armed with as much info as you can get before going to the neuro.  Good luck with everything. 

Theresa

Have you had any tests done by a neurologist?  And does she lose consciousness during the seizures or just get very lethargic? 

I have a moment disorder that resembles seizures that is called paroxsymal dyskinesias and stress could bring on the seizure-like episodes.  If you cannot find answers, you might want to look into this.  It's not well known by doctors, but search around on internet and see if this resembles your child.  It is also known to strike at an early age (infancy-childhood), but is less common to strike at later ages (but it does, as in my case, not til I was 31).

Try wemove.org and look under dyskinesias.  If you think this might be the answer, be armed with as much info as you can get before going to the neuro.  Good luck with everything. 

Theresa

RE: RE: Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures?

Submitted by jvalent on Wed, 2005-02-23 - 22:00

Yes she has had one test done by a neurologist.  She had an EEG done while no seizure activity was happening, but during the same day of her three episodes.  The EEG was recorded as being normal.  In terms of her losing complete consciousness, I do not know.  I know when she is having an episode, she does not reply to anything I say to her and does not respond to me trying to "wake her up".  This does however lead me to believe she does lose consciousness.  She is very lethargic before the seizure and is very lethargic after the seizure.  She does reply to my questions after the seizure, but I can tell she would rather just sleep (and falls asleep regardless how much I would like her to stay awake).  Do you get very sleepy after a "seizure like" episode?  She does NOT currently have seizures that make her twitch, eyelids flutter, or becomes stiff.  Her condition does make her eyes roll back in her head sometimes.  One time she reached out to the doctor while sitting in my lap, did not respond to my voice, and then fell back to sleep in my arms.  My daughter's mother told me today that last night it seemed that she woke up-sat up in bed-opened her eyes-put out her arms like she was grabing for something-and then just fell back to sleep with her eyes closed like nothing ever happened.  I have experience this with her too, but never linked it to be anything at all.  

Thank you for the very helpfull links and your entry.  I will definitely look into what you suggested.

jvalent 

Yes she has had one test done by a neurologist.  She had an EEG done while no seizure activity was happening, but during the same day of her three episodes.  The EEG was recorded as being normal.  In terms of her losing complete consciousness, I do not know.  I know when she is having an episode, she does not reply to anything I say to her and does not respond to me trying to "wake her up".  This does however lead me to believe she does lose consciousness.  She is very lethargic before the seizure and is very lethargic after the seizure.  She does reply to my questions after the seizure, but I can tell she would rather just sleep (and falls asleep regardless how much I would like her to stay awake).  Do you get very sleepy after a "seizure like" episode?  She does NOT currently have seizures that make her twitch, eyelids flutter, or becomes stiff.  Her condition does make her eyes roll back in her head sometimes.  One time she reached out to the doctor while sitting in my lap, did not respond to my voice, and then fell back to sleep in my arms.  My daughter's mother told me today that last night it seemed that she woke up-sat up in bed-opened her eyes-put out her arms like she was grabing for something-and then just fell back to sleep with her eyes closed like nothing ever happened.  I have experience this with her too, but never linked it to be anything at all.  

Thank you for the very helpfull links and your entry.  I will definitely look into what you suggested.

jvalent 

RE: RE: RE: Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures?

Submitted by theresab72 on Wed, 2005-02-23 - 22:39

My EEG's also came out normal even though paroxysmal dyskinesias are considered by some to be an epileptic event.  They do not show up on EEG's as an epileptic seizure, because the brain appears normal between episodes.  I'm not sure that they would show up if she was having an EEG during the seizure or not.  From what my neurologist told me, there were no great tests to prove that you have this disorder, it's mostly just ruling everything else out.

My suggestion to you is to try to videotape some of these events.  They will really help a neurologist to see what is exactly going on.  My neuro also required this of me and it has led to my diagnosis.

When I am having my episodes, most times I cannot open my eyes or speak (answer questions) but I can hear everything going on and remember everything.  I know she's young, but see if you can find out if she remembers any of it.  Ask her during the seizure to shake her head if she hears you, or squeeze your hand.  Sometimes I can do that, sometimes I cannot because I am too weak.

I don't know what her reaching out could be from.  I do not get that, but I go get very lethargic before and after these episodes. 

I'm going to try to find this website that I saw a few weeks ago that has videos of infants having this movement disorder.  It helped me a lot, even though they were infants, to see that that was what I also go through.  If I'm able to find it again, I will post the link here.  It is a sad thing to watch, but if it helps you, it will be worth watching.

Well, I hope everything turns out OK for you and your daughter.  You'll be in my prayers.

Theresa

My EEG's also came out normal even though paroxysmal dyskinesias are considered by some to be an epileptic event.  They do not show up on EEG's as an epileptic seizure, because the brain appears normal between episodes.  I'm not sure that they would show up if she was having an EEG during the seizure or not.  From what my neurologist told me, there were no great tests to prove that you have this disorder, it's mostly just ruling everything else out.

My suggestion to you is to try to videotape some of these events.  They will really help a neurologist to see what is exactly going on.  My neuro also required this of me and it has led to my diagnosis.

When I am having my episodes, most times I cannot open my eyes or speak (answer questions) but I can hear everything going on and remember everything.  I know she's young, but see if you can find out if she remembers any of it.  Ask her during the seizure to shake her head if she hears you, or squeeze your hand.  Sometimes I can do that, sometimes I cannot because I am too weak.

I don't know what her reaching out could be from.  I do not get that, but I go get very lethargic before and after these episodes. 

I'm going to try to find this website that I saw a few weeks ago that has videos of infants having this movement disorder.  It helped me a lot, even though they were infants, to see that that was what I also go through.  If I'm able to find it again, I will post the link here.  It is a sad thing to watch, but if it helps you, it will be worth watching.

Well, I hope everything turns out OK for you and your daughter.  You'll be in my prayers.

Theresa

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