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I'm not diagnosed with epilepsy, but I've had seizures.
Sat, 12/10/2011 - 15:05Topic: Teen Zone
Hey, I'm 14 and had my first seizure when i 11. I've had 4 total, fall of 2009, early 2010, summer of 2011, and a grand mal on the same day as the one this summer. But i havent actually been diagnosed with epilepsy. When i was about 6, i had these moments when my right thumb (and sometimes hand) would start clenching and twitching like tremors. I had a couple of mri's, eeg's, cat scans, etc., but they couldn't find anything wrong so the doctors assumed it would be something i would grow out of. They never thought about it as seizures until i had my first one in 2009. They now think they could be "mini seizures". i still have them if i forget a dose of medication. I'm on oxocarbzepine, which makes me very tired and sometimes i get a sort of "double/blurred" vision. I also have these sort of panic attacks where everything seems sped up and tense. I don't know if these are related to the seizures. All of these things make it hard for me to focus in school and public.
So i just want to know if anyone can relate to any of this. I really wish that since the doctors don't think i actually have epilepsy, i could know what is "wrong with me". Also, has anyone had this and grown out of it? I don't know anyone at my school with seizures, and although my family is really supportive, they cant relate. I have a twin sister, but she doesn't have seizures.
Description of seizure (does anyone know what type this is?): My right hand starts clenching, i start getting blurred vision and i feel like i'm saying something but i'm not sure. I fall to the ground but everything feels numb. My vision sometimes has color around the edges, and it feels like i'm looking at a tv screen rather than through my eyes. I go unconscious, shake, my eyes roll and i sometimes spit. This usually lasts about 30 seconds, then im not fully conscious but i can see flashes of things and people. Can't always remember things. WHen i come too i'm exhausted and usually very emotional (crying and sometimes angry).
Thanks, Cas
Re: I'm not diagnosed with epilepsy, but I've had seizures.
Submitted by Spike. on Sun, 2011-12-11 - 18:41
Hello Cas. Welcome to the forum. Just so you know, whenever someone posts anything in this community forum, it usually takes several minutes for this website's computer system to make it available to be seen by anyone who visits a website community forum.
With your moments starting with your right hand clenching and or twitching like tremors, following with your blurred vision and feelings like you're saying something but are not sure, then you falling to the ground with everything feeling numb, and having more difficulties with your vision; all of those could be symptoms of you having what's called a "Simple Partial Seizure".
Then, you go on conscious, shake, your eyes roll and you sometimes spit, lasting 30 seconds, followed with you seeing flashes of things and people, until you become fully conscious, but are aware of feeling exhausted and feeling very emotional; all of those are some symptoms of you having what's called a "Tonic Clonic Seizure". The old name of a Tonic Clonic Seizure was a "Grand Mal Seizure".
When, and only when, a tonic clonic seizure takes place right after a partial seizure has taken place, it is medically known as being a "Partial Seizure Secondarily Generalized". And, when, and only when, a partial seizure advances into a generalized seizure, that partial seizure will be labeled as being an "Aura". An aura is a simple partial seizure, itself. If a partial seizure DOES NOT advance into a generalized seizure, then the partial seizure will not be labeled as being an aura.
Yes, it sounds like you do have epilepsy, but we want you to know, that you are not alone. I have epilepsy myself, and there are millions of other people who also have epilepsy. And what can be helpful at decreasing the amount of fear about having epilepsy, is learning more about it. Even after a person has graduated from school, they're still going to have a lot of homework to do.
If none of the doctors you've already seen was a neurologist or specializes in the field of neurology, then you should make an appointment to be seen by a neurologist. Just make sure that the neurologist has experience with seizures and epilepsy.
Bruce (I'm not a doctor, but instead, an epilepsy support group leader, epilepsy advocate, who has epilepsy.)
Hello Cas. Welcome to the forum. Just so you know, whenever someone posts anything in this community forum, it usually takes several minutes for this website's computer system to make it available to be seen by anyone who visits a website community forum.
With your moments starting with your right hand clenching and or twitching like tremors, following with your blurred vision and feelings like you're saying something but are not sure, then you falling to the ground with everything feeling numb, and having more difficulties with your vision; all of those could be symptoms of you having what's called a "Simple Partial Seizure".
Then, you go on conscious, shake, your eyes roll and you sometimes spit, lasting 30 seconds, followed with you seeing flashes of things and people, until you become fully conscious, but are aware of feeling exhausted and feeling very emotional; all of those are some symptoms of you having what's called a "Tonic Clonic Seizure". The old name of a Tonic Clonic Seizure was a "Grand Mal Seizure".
When, and only when, a tonic clonic seizure takes place right after a partial seizure has taken place, it is medically known as being a "Partial Seizure Secondarily Generalized". And, when, and only when, a partial seizure advances into a generalized seizure, that partial seizure will be labeled as being an "Aura". An aura is a simple partial seizure, itself. If a partial seizure DOES NOT advance into a generalized seizure, then the partial seizure will not be labeled as being an aura.
Yes, it sounds like you do have epilepsy, but we want you to know, that you are not alone. I have epilepsy myself, and there are millions of other people who also have epilepsy. And what can be helpful at decreasing the amount of fear about having epilepsy, is learning more about it. Even after a person has graduated from school, they're still going to have a lot of homework to do.
If none of the doctors you've already seen was a neurologist or specializes in the field of neurology, then you should make an appointment to be seen by a neurologist. Just make sure that the neurologist has experience with seizures and epilepsy.
Bruce (I'm not a doctor, but instead, an epilepsy support group leader, epilepsy advocate, who has epilepsy.)