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14yrs old ?? Psychogenic epilepsy

Mon, 04/23/2007 - 03:56
My 14 yr old daughter recently had what appeared to be an unresolving seizure for 1 hour. She was taken by ambulance to the hospital (4th time in one month) where she was seen while seizing by the pediatric neurologist. She was then admitted to the neurology unit for overnight EEG monitoring. The neurologist feels that she is experiencing psychogenic epilepsy (these always start out with unconscious dropping to the floor then right hand twitching which may or may not proceed into bilateral arm and leg jerking.) She normally is a well adjusted happy teenage. But after the first two seizures she was placed on Lamictal, then after what appeared a T/C, Dilantin then after another seizure Klonopin. By the time this last seizure occurred at school, she was taking three meds and even when the ambulance arrived was given large doses of versed with no effect. She was seen by a pediatric psychiatrist who said he does not suspect there is any "smoking" gun but that it would benefit her to have therapy. We are struggling to understand this since she seems so happy and no abuse that we are aware of. The only contributing factor seems to be a head trauma one year ago while playing sports then her grandmother who she was very close to died 4 months ago. Two EEGs have shown some abnormalities and two have been normal. Her prolactin levels right after the seizures have been normal. Her neurologist states to leave her if we find her having a seizure and just check back occassionally. He states that by bringing her into the hospital frequently and by hovering around that we are unconsciously enabling this. Help??

Comments

Re: 14yrs old ?? Psychogenic epilepsy

Submitted by renuza on Mon, 2007-04-23 - 06:21
Did you ever consider a 2nd opinion? We got one & I'm glad we did. My teenage daughter had a neurologist that was complacent with his diagnosis of her condition, but then she began having "breakthough" seizures - he kept trying to blame it on her lifestyle (sleep, etc) - we began keeping a log of EVERYTHING - and he didn't want to make any changes to her medication or really listen to our feedback. After her 4th concussion from her head nailing the ground as a result of more frequent grand mals, we decided to seek other opinions. Turns out the new epileptologist provided a more refined diagnosis and changed her medication, now she seems to be MUCH better. It almost sounds absurd that your daugher's doctor would suggest you're enabling her, like an alcoholic or something!!!! Keep your options open & READ READ READ on the topics - there's a wealth of information out there & you need to be educated! Good luck!

I have a bit of a similar

Submitted by Michtom on Mon, 2007-04-23 - 07:45
I have a bit of a similar story. My daughter have her first complex partial 18 months ago when she was 11. At first they seemed to be coming from her right temporal lobe, and at her last eeg it shoed activity now in the TL and now her frontal lobe. We have tried a few medications, and at the end of last eyar it seemed ok - but we decided that as she was still having the odd seizure we would look to improve things further by changing one of her two meds. Then at the beginning of this year, her seizures changed and, via a diagnosis of a video we made, her nuero now thinks she seems to having psychogenic seizures as well. I think in her case she has three kinds of seizures, - TLE and/or FL seizures that are normally complex partial but then go to secondary generalised, then complex partial seizures which should end, but now go to psychogenic because she almost doesn't know now how to react as they start to end, and I think she does have full psychogenic seizures too, maybeout of the sheer stress/fear of having real seizures - it makes it all very hard though. anyhow she is off to see an adolescent psychologist so we see how that goes in addition to her normal neuro. This article is something I found really interesting, so it might help (http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/110/4/e46). Also this one - http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/110/4/e46 One of the things this, and other articles I have read indicates is that the thing to remmeber is that even if she does have psychpogenic seizures, she may also have epileptic seizures as well. Good luck

Re: 14yrs old ?? Psychogenic epilepsy

Submitted by dksimo on Tue, 2007-05-01 - 03:13
Wow, sounds like your daughter has had a tough time. My 14 yr old son has absence seizures. It seems as though no medicine thus far has worked for him. What is your daughter currently taking? I am taking my son for a second opinion at Cleveland Clinic. He is also seen at Childrens hospital. Truthfully I don't know any parent that could just walk away from a seizing child. Maybe you need another opinion. Well prayers to you all. :) Kim

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