Seizures disguised as heart problems?

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This all started before they confirmed I was having seizures - It started right before I turned 27: Over the summer, I started training for a marathon. Once day we ran 17 miles and it was extremely humid. I made it home ok but that was when I started to notice something was wrong. Even with rest, eating well and drinking water for days after I would get extremely dizzy, couldn't catch my breath and sometimes get tunnel vision and fall. I went to my primary doc who sent me to a cardiologist. I had to wear a heart monitor for a month and my results came back as having a healthy heart and the cardiologist said my body is just sensitive from training on long runs and I will be fine. After the marathon, I took time off but was still getting "sick". On New years eve I was watching TV (sober) and my boyfriend said I started convulsing and it looked like I was having a seizure. He said I was really scared and every time I came out of it I kept refusing to go to the hospital. When I started to calm down thinking this had been going on for only 30-40 min he said it looked like I had 7 episodes of this happening in a 2hour period. I know it sounds stupid but I still refused to go to the hospital. I called my doctor the next day and they told me that I was probably under stress and a lot of people have panic attacks that look like that and maybe I should see a psychiatrist. I did and it still didn't help. So I went to another doc/ neurologist who was able to confirm I had partial seizures (during the EEG). I am on 2000mg of Keppra and doing so much better. Every once in a while though if I experience any extreme emotion: very happy, sad, angry ect. I start to get those "heart issues " again and I'll get an aura. Has any one else experienced this? Has anyone been told to see a cardiologist before you found out what was really going on?

Thank you

Comments

Mo seozires are not disguised

Submitted by just_joe on Wed, 2015-04-15 - 17:30

Mo seozires are not disguised as a heart problem. Seizures do raise your heart beat and blood pressure but if you had teh cardiologist moniter your heart and it is fine then it was the seizure which caused the dizzy feeling and everything else. my boyfriend said I started convulsing and it looked like I was having a seizure. He said I was really scared and every time I came out of it I kept refusing to go to the hospital. When I started to calm down thinking this had been going on for only 30-40 min he said it looked like I had 7 episodes of this happening in a 2hour period. I went to another doc/ neurologist who was able to confirm I had partial seizures (during the EEG). the EEG is a test the captures the electrical output comming from the brain. By knowing where the abnormality is comming from they can diagnose epilepsy better. But he could have diagnosed yo uwith epilepsy before the EEG since all it takes is 2 seizures. The heart thingy yo utalk about is your heart racing and beating faster then it would normally beat. Which happenes in all seizures. Partial seizures can be researched and read about on this site in the learn section As for Keppra it is now becomming the go to medication to stop and control seizures. It not only reduces the number of my seizures but it also shortened the time in those seizures. Now I can have a partial or focal seizure while talking to you and you would not know I had one. If you are taking keppra 2 times a day then take the dosages 12 hours apart. I take mine at 8 am and pm. If I take them at 8 am and 11 pm that 3 hour delay can cause a breakthru seizure. Now understand that if you have just started medications then give it some time because Keppra is not like aspirin where one size fits all. It takes time for the medication to buils the theraputic levels needed in your body. Generally 3-6 months after being diagnosed and put on meds the neurologists will want another appt. That is when he will be asking questions. "have you have anymore seizures? are you having any side effects? and others. If you are having some seizures then the dosage may be increased or decreased at that time. You will need to see him/her at least once a year so adjustments can be made if any need arises. I might also suggest you get the My Epilepsy Diary. It can be found on any page in this site. Watch the video which tells you how to us it and what it can do for you. If you give your neurologist permission to bring it up he could look at the graphs and other things which can help him with dosages medications and other procedures. I hope this helps and you get seizure free Joe

Mo seozires are not disguised as a heart problem. Seizures do raise your heart beat and blood pressure but if you had teh cardiologist moniter your heart and it is fine then it was the seizure which caused the dizzy feeling and everything else. my boyfriend said I started convulsing and it looked like I was having a seizure. He said I was really scared and every time I came out of it I kept refusing to go to the hospital. When I started to calm down thinking this had been going on for only 30-40 min he said it looked like I had 7 episodes of this happening in a 2hour period.   I went to another doc/ neurologist who was able to confirm I had partial seizures (during the EEG).  the EEG is a test the captures the electrical output comming from the brain. By knowing where the abnormality is comming from they can diagnose epilepsy better. But he could have diagnosed yo uwith epilepsy before the EEG since all it takes is 2 seizures.  The heart thingy yo utalk about is your heart racing and beating faster then it would normally beat. Which happenes in all seizures. Partial seizures can be researched and read about on this site in the learn section As for Keppra it is now becomming the go to medication to stop and control seizures. It not only reduces the number of my seizures but it also shortened the time in those seizures. Now I can have a partial or focal seizure while talking to you and you would not know I had one. If you are taking keppra 2 times a day then take the dosages 12 hours apart. I take mine at 8 am and pm. If I take them at 8 am and 11 pm that 3 hour delay can cause a breakthru seizure. Now understand that if you have just started medications then give it some time because Keppra is not like aspirin where one size fits all. It takes time for the medication to buils the theraputic levels needed in your body. Generally 3-6 months after being diagnosed and put on meds the neurologists will want another appt. That is when he will be asking questions.  "have you have anymore seizures? are you having any side effects? and others. If you are having some seizures then the dosage may be increased or decreased at that time. You will need to see him/her at least once a year so adjustments can be made if any need arises. I might also suggest you get the My Epilepsy Diary. It can be found on any page in this site. Watch the video which tells you how to us it and what it can do for you. If you give your neurologist permission to bring it up he could look at the graphs and other things which can help him with dosages medications and other procedures. I hope this helps and you get seizure free Joe

Mo seozires are not disguised as a heart problem. Seizures do raise your heart beat and blood pressure but if you had teh cardiologist moniter your heart and it is fine then it was the seizure which caused the dizzy feeling and everything else. my boyfriend said I started convulsing and it looked like I was having a seizure. He said I was really scared and every time I came out of it I kept refusing to go to the hospital. When I started to calm down thinking this had been going on for only 30-40 min he said it looked like I had 7 episodes of this happening in a 2hour period. I went to another doc/ neurologist who was able to confirm I had partial seizures (during the EEG). the EEG is a test the captures the electrical output comming from the brain. By knowing where the abnormality is comming from they can diagnose epilepsy better. But he could have diagnosed yo uwith epilepsy before the EEG since all it takes is 2 seizures. The heart thingy yo utalk about is your heart racing and beating faster then it would normally beat. Which happenes in all seizures. Partial seizures can be researched and read about on this site in the learn section As for Keppra it is now becomming the go to medication to stop and control seizures. It not only reduces the number of my seizures but it also shortened the time in those seizures. Now I can have a partial or focal seizure while talking to you and you would not know I had one. If you are taking keppra 2 times a day then take the dosages 12 hours apart. I take mine at 8 am and pm. If I take them at 8 am and 11 pm that 3 hour delay can cause a breakthru seizure. Now understand that if you have just started medications then give it some time because Keppra is not like aspirin where one size fits all. It takes time for the medication to buils the theraputic levels needed in your body. Generally 3-6 months after being diagnosed and put on meds the neurologists will want another appt. That is when he will be asking questions. "have you have anymore seizures? are you having any side effects? and others. If you are having some seizures then the dosage may be increased or decreased at that time. You will need to see him/her at least once a year so adjustments can be made if any need arises. I might also suggest you get the My Epilepsy Diary. It can be found on any page in this site. Watch the video which tells you how to us it and what it can do for you. If you give your neurologist permission to bring it up he could look at the graphs and other things which can help him with dosages medications and other procedures. I hope this helps and you get seizure free Joe

When I had a really big

Submitted by Laremm on Sun, 2015-04-19 - 11:40

When I had a really big seizure in 2012 I woke up in a hospital with a temp defibrillator and pacemaker in my chest. This is when they finally figured out what was wrong with me. I am now on 4,500mg of Keppra and vimpat.