Have i got Epilepsy?

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Hi, First post and il dive straight in with a few questions etc. Over the past 3-5 years I've had rare seizures, that's full blown, no memories etc, i didn't even know their where any other kind of seizures until I started researching it and what I've read is frwaking me right out. I thought the suspected seizures (typical man I haven't been to a doctor yet) were the result of car accident where for several weeks afterwards I was slurring my speech but was unaware of it, but after reading up I'm not sure if it doesn't stretch further back. For instance I never knew deja vu maybe epilepsy related and that's something that happens very regularly and always has. When going to sleep at night I almost always have one or two weird experiences like I've tripped or missed a step, my stomach doubled over and il be sat bolt upright in bed? Also often feel like I'm floating above my body by a few inches, sometimes it's like I'm being pushed out? The worst one was a few months ago after a long drive, my head just kept twitching as if I was tossing a long fringe out of my eyes, I felt so weird I had to pull over. When I got out of the car I had the weirdest sensation of feeling about 50ft tall looking down on myself yet seeing through my own eyes simultaneously, really hard to describe, as I walked it was like the street was at an angle and I was going to fall. These all predate the car accident but recently as I'm sat relaxing in a chair or whatever I'll suddenly jump what feels like a foot, almost cartoon like electrocution? This happens a real lot as well. More recently while sat or walking my arms will suddenly fly out or twitch like crazy, it's happened while holding cups of coffee drenching the person next to me and far worse while on a train i accidentally smacked the person next to me, not easy to explain, it's just as if im a puppet and someone's yanked my strings etc. The full thrashing about are pretty rare but scare the living hell out of me, the last time I was in the bathroom and damaged myself real bad banging my head several times, bruises everywhere, i was in tears but I remembered all that and I thought you didnt remember epileptic fits? Like I said those are rare but the others are a daily occurrence, I've even had to stop driving. Is it possible I've got epilepsy, btw I'm 44 now so far as i remember the blackout ones where I cant remember anything, am convinced someone smacked me over the head with an heavy object, leave me very confused and unable to think of anything for a while, not just my name but to point of what am i? Only seem to have started about 37 or so, but all the others for a long time. Oh, i also suffer from migraines, central sleep apnea and occasional sleep paralysis. Any help or advice would be greatful because my Doctor is pretty useless, took me 6 years to get help with the central sleep apnea. Thanks in advance.

Comments

Yeah dealing with and finding

Submitted by Roald on Fri, 2017-05-12 - 09:37

Yeah dealing with and finding the right Drs is a battle and makes all the difference. I never had any medical issues at all. Then got in what seemed like a very minor hit and run (by some miracle I remembered the license plate). Started having grand Mal tonic clonic seizures within 2 weeks. Which have continued to worsen and get more frequent since the MVA in 2013. My advice. Get a lawyer. Even if you think you had some suspicious seizure type sensations before the accident, it seems it has made things worse and more frequent. What may only scratch a 3,000lb car can cause serious problems to a human body. Have a video EEG done. This usually takes several days but will give you the best info regarding any seizure or other abnormal activity in your brain and give Drs an idea of what they are treating and what part of the brain, otherwise it's a try random Rx's and see what works (4 years and 5+ Rx's later I'm finally on one that seems to do something other than cause side effects). Have a sleep study done. It isn't as sensitive as the EEG regarding seizures but they look at different things effecting your sleep that may cause or contribute to seizures (they are hoping you snore or have trouble breathing so they can sell you a CPAP machine but they look at many other things). Tell the sleep Dr about your seizure concerns and see if they have a more sensitive monitor thing. All of my seizures have been in my sleep and then continue to cluster after waking up throughout the day. It sounds like many of your symptoms occur around sleep. In my case: MVA caused 5-7 compression fractured vertebrae. Pain disrupts sleep, disrupted/lack of sleep causes/triggers seizures. Can I get a Dr to link my seizures to the MVA - NO! My neurologist basically won't comment on my sleep other than "disrupted sleep can cause seizures" and he won't comment on my fractured vertebrae since "it isn't part of or connected to the brain." I thought the spinal cord is connected Ted to the brain and technically part of it?Sleep Dr is the same. Only wants to talk about sleep and won't say my sleep problems and seizures are caused by car accident or fractured vertebrae, only that "joint and back pain can disrupt sleep." It takes a lawyer to organize all of these medical records and connect to the dots from what each Dr is willing to write in your file. Lawyers can help with getting insurance to cover medical costs and get any damages you may deserve. They will usually meet with you for a free consultation to go over your case and what your legal options might be. Even though no Dr will directly link my medical problems to the MVA, my lack of medical history before the MVA and lawyers "connecting the dots" from my current medical records give me a strong case against the other driver's insurance. It is a long process but I don't know what I'd do otherwise. Can't work + medical bills? Already getting divorced and whole life is changed/changing... at least I feel like someone is on my side when Drs don't always "believe" you or the significant people in your life give up on you.

Yeah dealing with and finding the right Drs is a battle and makes all the difference. I never had any medical issues at all. Then got in what seemed like a very minor hit and run (by some miracle I remembered the license plate). Started having grand Mal tonic clonic seizures within 2 weeks. Which have continued to worsen and get more frequent since the MVA in 2013. My advice. Get a lawyer. Even if you think you had some suspicious seizure type sensations before the accident, it seems it has made things worse and more frequent. What may only scratch a 3,000lb car can cause serious problems to a human body.  Have a video EEG done. This usually takes several days but will give you the best info regarding any seizure or other abnormal activity in your brain and give Drs an idea of what they are treating and what part of the brain, otherwise it's a try random Rx's and see what works (4 years and 5+ Rx's later I'm finally on one that seems to do something other than cause side effects). Have a sleep study done. It isn't as sensitive as the EEG regarding seizures but they look at different things effecting your sleep that may cause or contribute to seizures (they are hoping you snore or have trouble breathing so they can sell you a CPAP machine but they look at many other things). Tell the sleep Dr about your seizure concerns and see if they have a more sensitive monitor thing. All of my seizures have been in my sleep and then continue to cluster after waking up throughout the day. It sounds like many of your symptoms occur around sleep. In my case: MVA caused 5-7 compression fractured vertebrae. Pain disrupts sleep, disrupted/lack of sleep causes/triggers seizures. Can I get a Dr to link my seizures to the MVA - NO! My neurologist basically won't comment on my sleep other than "disrupted sleep can cause seizures" and he won't comment on my fractured vertebrae since "it isn't part of or connected to the brain." I thought the spinal cord is connected  Ted to the brain and technically part of it?Sleep Dr is the same. Only wants to talk about sleep and won't say my sleep problems and seizures are caused by car accident or fractured vertebrae, only that "joint and back pain can disrupt sleep." It takes a lawyer to organize all of these medical records and connect to the dots from what each Dr is willing to write in your file. Lawyers can help with getting insurance to cover medical costs and get any damages you may deserve. They will usually meet with you for a free consultation to go over your case and what your legal options might be. Even though no Dr will directly link my medical problems to the MVA, my lack of medical history before the MVA and lawyers "connecting the dots" from my current medical records give me a strong case against the other driver's insurance. It is a long process but I don't know what I'd do otherwise. Can't work + medical bills? Already getting divorced and whole life is changed/changing... at least I feel like someone is on my side when Drs don't always "believe" you or the significant people in your life give up on you. 

Yeah dealing with and finding the right Drs is a battle and makes all the difference. I never had any medical issues at all. Then got in what seemed like a very minor hit and run (by some miracle I remembered the license plate). Started having grand Mal tonic clonic seizures within 2 weeks. Which have continued to worsen and get more frequent since the MVA in 2013. My advice. Get a lawyer. Even if you think you had some suspicious seizure type sensations before the accident, it seems it has made things worse and more frequent. What may only scratch a 3,000lb car can cause serious problems to a human body. Have a video EEG done. This usually takes several days but will give you the best info regarding any seizure or other abnormal activity in your brain and give Drs an idea of what they are treating and what part of the brain, otherwise it's a try random Rx's and see what works (4 years and 5+ Rx's later I'm finally on one that seems to do something other than cause side effects). Have a sleep study done. It isn't as sensitive as the EEG regarding seizures but they look at different things effecting your sleep that may cause or contribute to seizures (they are hoping you snore or have trouble breathing so they can sell you a CPAP machine but they look at many other things). Tell the sleep Dr about your seizure concerns and see if they have a more sensitive monitor thing. All of my seizures have been in my sleep and then continue to cluster after waking up throughout the day. It sounds like many of your symptoms occur around sleep. In my case: MVA caused 5-7 compression fractured vertebrae. Pain disrupts sleep, disrupted/lack of sleep causes/triggers seizures. Can I get a Dr to link my seizures to the MVA - NO! My neurologist basically won't comment on my sleep other than "disrupted sleep can cause seizures" and he won't comment on my fractured vertebrae since "it isn't part of or connected to the brain." I thought the spinal cord is connected Ted to the brain and technically part of it?Sleep Dr is the same. Only wants to talk about sleep and won't say my sleep problems and seizures are caused by car accident or fractured vertebrae, only that "joint and back pain can disrupt sleep." It takes a lawyer to organize all of these medical records and connect to the dots from what each Dr is willing to write in your file. Lawyers can help with getting insurance to cover medical costs and get any damages you may deserve. They will usually meet with you for a free consultation to go over your case and what your legal options might be. Even though no Dr will directly link my medical problems to the MVA, my lack of medical history before the MVA and lawyers "connecting the dots" from my current medical records give me a strong case against the other driver's insurance. It is a long process but I don't know what I'd do otherwise. Can't work + medical bills? Already getting divorced and whole life is changed/changing... at least I feel like someone is on my side when Drs don't always "believe" you or the significant people in your life give up on you.

Get a second opinion if you

Submitted by Roald on Fri, 2017-05-12 - 09:48

Get a second opinion if you aren't happy with your dr- I'm on my 5th neurologist which is good now but it was a process to find a Dr that could work well together with me. Also timing is an issue. I went to Sante Fe to see a kidney Dr within 4 weeks... Kidney Drs in ABQ were scheduling out 10 months or more so it was worth the trip to get seen faster and I can still schedule to have a kidney Dr here but was able to see one while having to wait almost a year otherwise.