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PNES diagnosis- is it a joke?

Wed, 08/21/2019 - 06:43
I did an overnight VEEG test at Yale in June, and didn't have any seizures. After I was there one night, the neurologist walks in with his entourage and in front of this crowd, tells me I've got a conversion disorder, and he can send in a psychiatrist. The guy was awful. So now I'm looking at research about PNES. The one thing they've worked on for the last two decades is how to disqualify PNES people from neurological care. Nothing about what it is or how to resolve it. I'm starting to think this is a joke diagnosis. When they send you to Psychiatry, modern medicine is putting you in the patient trashcan. Anybody else out there with PNES and thinks it's BS?

Comments

Hi - my son is the one with

Submitted by 1994-JDS-Now on Wed, 2019-08-28 - 14:33
Hi - my son is the one with epilepsy, and I have done a lot of research on PNES -- because I believe he has both and I have read a lot about patients with epilepsy and PNES.  They really can coexist!  Keep on digging into the research.  My son also had several traumatic events, one of which required a month-long hospital stay.  Remember, you can always get another doctor's opinion.  Best of everything to you!

While I do believe that PNES

Submitted by Patriotrehab on Fri, 2019-08-30 - 23:29
While I do believe that PNES exists, this article is compelling for those who have epilepsy and are misdiagnosed as having PNES or told that they also have PNES. http://www.scienceinquest.com/open-access/fulltext/jnpd/a-proposed-etiology-of-psychogenic-nonepileptic-seizures.php

Tracy, research shows that

Submitted by Patriotrehab on Thu, 2019-09-19 - 20:54
Tracy, research shows that psychotherapy especially when there is an emphasis on resolving unconscious anger through forgiveness can help a person improve psychologically and medically. As a LCSW I have worked with clients who are told that their seizures are psychological, but they believe that they are medical. I never judge because I’m not a medical doctor and I don’t have access to their EEGs. I’m just another person who has epilepsy and a licensed therapist who knows how to help people resolve unconscious anger. I simply try to help with that and many times the seizures go away too. Other medical issues that have improved include high blood pressure and even cancer being in remission because the person was able to be more responsive to their treatment. Chronic pain such as migraines and back pain also decrease among others. Nobody likes hearing that their seizures are psychological, but the truth is that many people who have epilepsy admit that stress is a trigger for their seizures. Guess what...that means there is a psychological component to even epilepsy and that’s why psychotherapy can help you even if you have epilepsy and not PNES. Most of my clients are by phone, but you may be interested in speaking to someone face to face. You may also be interested in this website for referral information what they have to say on the diagnosis that you received https://nonepilepticseizures.com/ It’s run by a team of psychologists that that treat PNES. While my experience has taught me some things that they don’t publish, I think they try their best to help people and are successful. I certainly wish you the best. 

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