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Ecstatic Seizures
Thu, 08/27/2009 - 07:32Hi
Has anyone experienced "ecstatic" seizures? I've had a series of them recently, and they are amazing: totally outside the range of normal experience and by far the best experiences of my life! I'm not religious or "spiritual" but recognise that they could be construed by others as deep and meaningful life changing events...evidence of the "divine" as opposed to neurological events.
I've been told by my neurologist they are very rare and I've not been able to find out much about them/share experiences.
Victoria
Hello all, I'm adding this comment just over a month after the original post having realised that the thread is now incredibly confusing and there are some misunderstandings following what seem to be random postings. You may want to follow the date order of the posts before making comments or coming to conclusions.
Regards,
Victoria
Re: Ecstatic Seizures
Submitted by victoria.w on Wed, 2009-09-23 - 18:39
Hi Johnny - I can so identify with your "emotional breakdown". Something similar happened to me about 3 months ago when I met with my neurologist and his two colleagues. I normally keep my emotions under tight control but I was more honest than usual and I revealed stuff I hadn't talked about before. Then I started crying and I was so embarrassed, mortified, and angry with myself for losing it! I'm waiting for an appointment with a neuropsychiatrist who specialises in the psychiatric side-effects of anti-convulsants (following the suicidal thoughts) and I am really nervous about this: I've never seen one before. Perhaps they'll think I'm crazy! I went to my GP last week and told him I thought I was crazy, but he assured me I wasn't, and we ended up laughing - I cracked the jokes! I felt a whole lot better.
Anti-convulsants, anti-depressants, drugs for anxiety, drugs for panic, drugs for pain, drugs that stop you feeling anything at all....you name it they can treat it, but I get the impression the more medication you take, the worse life gets (particularly the drugs that act on the brain)! I've been lucky and managed to have a one drug rule (if you don't count painkillers) but my seizures are not that bad so I can get away with it. Not everyone is so lucky. Take what you think helps, but renegotiate if they're not working for you. You do need quality of life as well as seizure control.
Your family....why don't you have a word with your psychiatrist before the meeting and share your concerns/set some guidelines? He or she should be able to manage the situation on your behalf and if it gets too much, use the "exit" strategy. Why hang around if they're pissing you off - take a walk for 5-10 mins to compose yourself and then make a decison whether to return? You have enough to contend with, without taking on their emotional baggage. Sometimes family and epilepsy don't make for a healthy mix and it's not your fault. Your neighbours sound like good people. I recommend comedy DVDs or similar for Friday evening. Thinking of you.
Victoria.
Hi Johnny - I can so identify with your "emotional breakdown". Something similar happened to me about 3 months ago when I met with my neurologist and his two colleagues. I normally keep my emotions under tight control but I was more honest than usual and I revealed stuff I hadn't talked about before. Then I started crying and I was so embarrassed, mortified, and angry with myself for losing it! I'm waiting for an appointment with a neuropsychiatrist who specialises in the psychiatric side-effects of anti-convulsants (following the suicidal thoughts) and I am really nervous about this: I've never seen one before. Perhaps they'll think I'm crazy! I went to my GP last week and told him I thought I was crazy, but he assured me I wasn't, and we ended up laughing - I cracked the jokes! I felt a whole lot better.
Anti-convulsants, anti-depressants, drugs for anxiety, drugs for panic, drugs for pain, drugs that stop you feeling anything at all....you name it they can treat it, but I get the impression the more medication you take, the worse life gets (particularly the drugs that act on the brain)! I've been lucky and managed to have a one drug rule (if you don't count painkillers) but my seizures are not that bad so I can get away with it. Not everyone is so lucky. Take what you think helps, but renegotiate if they're not working for you. You do need quality of life as well as seizure control.
Your family....why don't you have a word with your psychiatrist before the meeting and share your concerns/set some guidelines? He or she should be able to manage the situation on your behalf and if it gets too much, use the "exit" strategy. Why hang around if they're pissing you off - take a walk for 5-10 mins to compose yourself and then make a decison whether to return? You have enough to contend with, without taking on their emotional baggage. Sometimes family and epilepsy don't make for a healthy mix and it's not your fault. Your neighbours sound like good people. I recommend comedy DVDs or similar for Friday evening. Thinking of you.
Victoria.