Hello all! I'm Ann and I just turned 27 a few days ago. Thank you for taking time to read my post and trying to help me understand what is going on.....

I am a mom of 2. My daughter was born in October 2009. Since her birth I have been experiencing 'episodes'. During these 'episodes', I go into a blank stare and my head turns to the left and I am unable to turn it back for what seems to be about 30 seconds to a minute. I tell myself to turn it back around but I can't! Before and after the 'episodes' my head or eyes, or both shake lightly. 
On 02/04/2010 it happened while I was driving and I managed to put on my breaks and stop my car until I could turn my head back around. I have refused to get behind the wheel since then & because of that, I had to quit my job!

It's like my brain freezes, I tell my head to turn back, but it won't. Afterwards, I feel normal again. I have been monitoring the frequency and any symptoms that seem to trigger the 'episodes'. I've noticed it seems to happen when I'm focused on something, almost staring at something or someone... or when I am busy doing things during the day.
It started out occuring about 1X/2 weeks, then 1X/week, now everyday... 4-7X a day!

My husband has witnessed 2 'big ones' while I have been sleeping....

He described the 1st time as shaking & irratic breathing, laying on my side... lasting approx 2 minutes. I have no memory of it. I just know that I woke up the next morning feeling like I had been hit by a truck and I had apparently 'chewed' on my tongue (I took a photo).

He described the 2nd time (this past Saturday night) as shaking, stopped breathing, blue lips, chewing motion... lasting approx 2 minutes.

Because of medical insurance reasons I just started seeing a doctor on this issue in Feb 2010. General doc ordered blood tests, MRI & EEG. Blood test was normal, just showed slightly anemic and iron deficient.

MRI & EEG was ran at the local hospital on 02-03-2010 and both came back normal. I had an appt for a neurogolist on 04-05-2010 but after the 1st night 'episode' and increased frequency, my doc thought I should see someone sooner.

I drove 2 hours last Friday to see a neuro in Lexington, Ky. He asked alot of questions and decided that he wanted to do his own in-house EEG.... sleep deprived on Monday morning. So I went back on Monday with 2 hours of sleep... his EEG showed normal and he thinks that I have PNES!

My regular MD originally suggested Keppra 500mg/2Xday and the neuro said I should take them so I started them last night-1Xnightly until Friday when I will increase it to the 2Xday.

I am SO confused right now....

Wondering why these happen and if they have something to do with my daughter's birth?

Wondering why the neuro suggested that I start the Keppra if in fact I do have PNES?

Wondering why the night ones are SO severe that they are causing me to stop breathing?

Wondering if this will EVER end?

Wondering if I will EVER get a correct diagnoses?

Wondering if I should drive and endanger myself and/or my children?

Wondering what my diagnoses would have been from my neuro if I didn't tell him about my troubled childhood?

Is my PNES diagnoses based on a last-resort effort?

I am supposed to go back to that neuro in 6 weeks for a follow-up but I am thinking about seeing a different one.

Right now I'm just waiting to see if the Keppra is going to work. If Keppra doesn't work, the neuro stated I could get a 3-5 day video montoring EEG at University of Kentucky... If Keppra does work, I will ask for an apology and accurate diagnoses!

Did I mention that I had to quit my job and now my family is struggling with medical bills. Since starting seeing the docs in Feb, we already paid over $1600 out-of-pocket......

Anyone understand this??? I have a 4yr old and and a 5month old to take care of! I really need to figure what is going on so I can take care of them!!!