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Deja vu? Am i having seizures?

Thu, 06/09/2011 - 12:41
Hi! :) i'm new to the site! I have been having what I call "episodes" since I was little. I never told anybody about them until I got in high school, and then finally went to the doctor later on when I was almost in college. I am 21. First I am going to give you background info about me- I am a super creative person, I love music (but not loud noise). I have had an eeg, but I have did not have an episode during the testing. I feel like no one gets me when I describe what goes on during my episodes. They are so hard to explain, and they range in how bad they are. My neurologist thought that they were due to my menstrual cycle.. I keep insisting they aren't because I had them before even puberty thought about starting. On to these episodes: I have found many triggers for them, I have them while in the shower, while picking up my cat, while looking up at a ceiling fan, and one time while I was turning on a light (that flickers). Each episode is different, and not necessarily triggered by what's listed. It starts out with a weird feeling inside, a rush of deja vu that's intense (its like controlled thoughts I can't control- even if I put my hands over my eyes). the deja vu sometimes can be about dreams I've had, old memories, and just regular deja vu. I compare it to putting a bunch of random( but somehow connected) pictures in a book, and flipping the pages fast. Also, if people are talking it's like I can almost know what they are going to say. I am not quite sure how long they last but afterwards, sometimes (I have been told) that I twitch softly. I normally will go to sleep after with a headache, and very seldom I have to either vomit or... well you know use the restroom. Last year I was sitting in class (I'm in college) and I had one. I went back later that day to review over what we did in class and my handwriting was unreadable where I had my episode. I can't remember things from it, the reason I know exactly what happens is because I've had so many I tell myself to remember, or I will write it down when I wake up (if I go to sleep). My doctor insisted that it was just migraines, but I have a hard time believing that a person can have 4-6 migraines in one day. I have been episode free for a good bit because I am keeping regular on my meds. I am taking Keppra XR 1000 mg/day. few months ago, I had an episode while driving late afternoon. I don't remember a lot about it, but I know I called my boyfriend, and he called my parents. He has told me I couldn't tell him my name where I was, or anything. I had just left my house and that's how I was found. My dad was asking me questions and I couldn't answer them or talk. I was talking jibberish. The rest of the night I do remember feeling ditsy and exhausted. I was perfectly fine the next morning. I think that's all the details, I hope so I have written like a novel. - I don't think any doctors I have talked to this about get what I am trying to say. My mom has a hard time understanding it. I still can have regular deja vu, what I call the" omg i've been here before" type. The deja vu I have with these episodes are intense. So if anyone could give feedback, advice, recommendations that would be appreciated:) Thanks and God Bless.

Comments

Re: Deja vu? Am i having seizures?

Submitted by deep c on Sun, 2011-06-12 - 20:12

I half way thought I was crazy all my life because I never had a seizure on EEG until I was 31; when I asked my doctor before this was confirmed by eeg, he said well, epilepsy drugs have been controlling it this long...

Best of luck finding a better doctor or convincing the one you have they aren't migraines; coincidentally some drugs such as depakote are prescribed for both seizures and migraines

-Carl 

I half way thought I was crazy all my life because I never had a seizure on EEG until I was 31; when I asked my doctor before this was confirmed by eeg, he said well, epilepsy drugs have been controlling it this long...

Best of luck finding a better doctor or convincing the one you have they aren't migraines; coincidentally some drugs such as depakote are prescribed for both seizures and migraines

-Carl 

Re: Deja vu? Am i having seizures?

Submitted by tcameron on Sun, 2011-06-12 - 21:11

Hi B208,

It is highly likely that you are having seizures.  Deja vu is a feeling of feeling like of remembering something that  hasn't occured.  It is often a form of petit mal or simple partial seizures.  I used to experience deja vu a lot during my childhood.  I was afraid to tell anyone because I thought they'd think I was crazy.

After I had my first convulsive seizure at 16, I realized that the deja vu feeling still occured, but within a split second or two, a seizure occurred.  This is very likely what your deja vu feelings are: simple partial seizures.  Talk to a neurologist and ask her what she thinks.  Also, look up deja vu on this website and www.epilepsyfoundation.org.  They will give you the information you are looking for.

Best wishes!

Hi B208,

It is highly likely that you are having seizures.  Deja vu is a feeling of feeling like of remembering something that  hasn't occured.  It is often a form of petit mal or simple partial seizures.  I used to experience deja vu a lot during my childhood.  I was afraid to tell anyone because I thought they'd think I was crazy.

After I had my first convulsive seizure at 16, I realized that the deja vu feeling still occured, but within a split second or two, a seizure occurred.  This is very likely what your deja vu feelings are: simple partial seizures.  Talk to a neurologist and ask her what she thinks.  Also, look up deja vu on this website and www.epilepsyfoundation.org.  They will give you the information you are looking for.

Best wishes!

Re: Deja vu? Am i having seizures?

Submitted by WAMD on Tue, 2011-06-14 - 11:35

Dear B208,

Please read this.  I am 45 years old.  Recently 6 years ago i had a grand mal seizure while i was pregnant.  They thought it was due to pregnancy.  i went on medicine, delivered a helalthy baby, went off meds and had another one.  I then saw a Neurologist.  EEG everything was pretty normal.  He did a complete health check and the only thing i told him was what i called since i was a little girl, probably i can remember being for and telling my mom...I had the "funnies"  Up until 39, i still called them the funnies.  I could never describe them and no one could understand them.  All i could tell the doctor is that it felt like Deja Vu.  No rhyme or reason when it would happen.  Once a day, once a month, 20 times a month, but i knew when they were coming and after they were gone, it felt sad and tired.  ALl my life doctors said it was anxiety.  IT wasnt until the Neuroligist called them mini seizures.  Seizures dont have to be big grand mal.  They can be a minor stare or a twitch.  im glad to say once i started the meds, i never had a "funny" again in 6 years.  Its as my body got older and hormones changed is when the funnies lead to something more serious.  Good luck.

Dear B208,

Please read this.  I am 45 years old.  Recently 6 years ago i had a grand mal seizure while i was pregnant.  They thought it was due to pregnancy.  i went on medicine, delivered a helalthy baby, went off meds and had another one.  I then saw a Neurologist.  EEG everything was pretty normal.  He did a complete health check and the only thing i told him was what i called since i was a little girl, probably i can remember being for and telling my mom...I had the "funnies"  Up until 39, i still called them the funnies.  I could never describe them and no one could understand them.  All i could tell the doctor is that it felt like Deja Vu.  No rhyme or reason when it would happen.  Once a day, once a month, 20 times a month, but i knew when they were coming and after they were gone, it felt sad and tired.  ALl my life doctors said it was anxiety.  IT wasnt until the Neuroligist called them mini seizures.  Seizures dont have to be big grand mal.  They can be a minor stare or a twitch.  im glad to say once i started the meds, i never had a "funny" again in 6 years.  Its as my body got older and hormones changed is when the funnies lead to something more serious.  Good luck.

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