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I think I might have epilepsy?
Tue, 05/22/2018 - 23:33Apologies if I am not posting this in the right place(?) I only found this website a moment ago.
I believe I may have epilepsy, but figured I’d ask others opinions that are likely far more knowledgable on the subject than me.
It may be relevant to know I have cerebral palsy spastic diplegia which I acquired due to my mother having what she described as a “mini stroke” during labour. I only mention this as I am aware that it appears more common for people with this to also suffer from epilepsy, or so I was told when I was younger (now 18).
Throughout my life I would experience lapses in memory where I would completely “zone out” as I often refer to it from my surroundings. Anything could go on around me and I wouldn’t know; people talking or walking directly in front of me etc. According to my Mum when I was young, when I appeared to do this I simply stopped moving and would stare blankly forward.
My Mum has also noted other occasions in my life, typically when we were in the car together, presumably because she was paying attention at these moments, that I would “zone out” and randomly move my head and legs and sometimes my arms. When she would point this out to me I would just be confused as I had no recollection of doing so. I always presumed it was probably just me getting lost within a daydream of some form.
My “zoning out” is something that still occurs to me now on a very frequent basis, but is only made apparent to me when I realise lapses in my memory, for example if I’m watching YouTube I can “zone out” and not have a clue about anything at all that happened on the video or around me in that period. When I come back I’m unaware I’ve done so, and awareness is only given to me as I can see the difference in the video time.
My partner also frequently points out that I “zone out” during our conversations. I have noticed during these interactions, I also do not remember doing so nor remember what he has said to me, and often forget what I was even talking about. Sometimes apparently this can happen even when I am mid way through a sentence.
I sometimes seem to get sharp feeling headaches that last a short period overall, not sure if that would be related.
Any thoughts based on this?
Comments
Hello,Disclaimer like Aaron
Submitted by pazyamor819 on Wed, 2018-05-23 - 12:46
Hello,Disclaimer like Aaron below: i am not a doctor, but I have been living with epilepsy since 2006. I have a friend who has these absence seizures like you have. I think I also had them before I developed grand mal seizures. You zone out, you don't remember what happened, and that is it. I simply zoned out, my friend does weird things (kind of like you) where she smacks her lips etc.I would recommend getting an EEG. Sometimes it's annoying, because it might not show anything. If they have a way for you to wear an EEG at home and not do an inpatient, that would be ideal. You can't ever predict when these will happen.
All of the things you listed
Submitted by just_joe on Wed, 2018-05-23 - 16:27
All of the things you listed could be absence or partial seizures. The person in them kind of lose consciousness meaning their time stops when the seizures start once the seizure is over they resume doing what they were doing and kind of questions what happened in the time period. Those head aches could be part of the post ictal state. You posted Mum so I am thinking you are from England. You need to discuss these issues with your Doctor and get them to refer you to a neurologist.
That sounds exactly like the
Submitted by Aaron_ on Wed, 2018-05-23 - 07:20
That sounds exactly like the seizures I would get during the first few years that it manifested, but I am certainly not a doctor much less neurologist. I would get the same sensation and only knew it happened because my friends or girlfriend would tell me I was awake but unresponsive. I wish those absence seizures were all I have these days, the last few years has been much worse.I would definitely bring this up to your doctor and see if they order an MRI & EEG.