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TLE - Is this what I have???

Mon, 07/10/2006 - 16:18
I beg everyone's pardon if this gets long, or is posted in the wrong place, but.., Periodically, over the last few years I've been experiencing some very peculiar 'feelings' and after the last episode, spent a great deal of time searching the world wide web for answers... These feelings start out as what is described in my reading as an 'aura,' a very strong feeling of 'deja vu' often accompanied by a very odd sense of smell and a deep rising feeling in the pit of my stomach (not unlike an overly anxious feeling). These are very subtle to begin with, but become quite a bit stronger before subsiding. During these episodes, I can hear conversation going on around me, but not comfortable enough to contribute as I'm not quite sure I understand the context of the conversation. These 'feelings' will last for only a couple minutes, but as they subside, I must stop and collect myself to recall what I was doing prior to their onset. These 'episode' only occur every two or three months (sometimes longer in between), but when they do, I can experience several throughout a 24-hour period (perhaps every few hours). Even when sleeping, I am acutely aware that they are happening. After they subside, I'm left with a very strange feeling of being disconnected (I'm sorry - this is quite hard to describe).., as if I'm remotely controlling my physical actions, including speech. This feeling will last for about another day. Please.., if anyone can offer some opinion as to what I'm experiencing, I would greatly appreciate your input.., your help. Thank you; SteveR

Comments

Re: TLE - Is this what I have???

Submitted by solis on Mon, 2006-07-10 - 16:34
'Deja vu' is a type of simple partial. http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/seizure_simplepartial.html So is a feeing of being disconected.. ~sol

Thank you very much

Submitted by SteveR on Mon, 2006-07-10 - 17:05
Thank you very much Sol... What's curious to me is the amount time that can pass while completely symptom free - two to three months (sometimes longer). Is this typical? Also the fact that it would start manifesting itself rather late in life with no apparent cause (no head trauma, etc.). b/r; SteveR

Hi Steve, At least 1/2 of

Submitted by solis on Mon, 2006-07-10 - 17:30
Hi Steve, At least 1/2 of cases are 'idioplathic' = there is no known cause. "The reasons why epilepsy begins are different for people of different ages. But what's true for every age is that the cause is unknown for about half of everyone with epilepsy." http://www.epilepsy.com/101/ep101_cause.html Also, The fact that it would start later in life is not unknown. Quite the contrary. in fact the greatest risk times for them to begin are adolesence and old age. (I also got that info is from epilepsy.com also..among other E sites.) There are people who only seize once a year. So every couple of months isn't uncommon. I never has seizures every day in my life either... to my knowledge it was also only every few months. That changed to every month as my slow growing, benign brain tumour grew as I aged. But that tumour was never discovered until I had surgery. ~sol

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