My daughter, 28 years old, has been having some strange symptoms. Whenever she sees flashing lights, like on-coming cars at night, police lights flashing, watching TV in the dark, or even certain video games, she gets extremely nauseated, sometimes dizzy, hot, head hurts, and sick. Does anyone know, do these sound like symptoms of epilepsy? She is going to schedule an appt with a neurologist, but in the mean time I thought I would ask about it here. Any replies would be appreciated!
Seizures can be visual things as you described. Not all seizures involve muscle movement or other "typical" seizures, that most people think of as seizures. People with abdominal epilepsy go years with a weird sensation in their gut before being diagnosed as being epileptic- and there's no other symptoms, or someone who has a spasm in their right foot, and nowhere else...or hears a train, and nothing else. It all depends on what area of the brain is being fired up.
Well, that is really interesting! The day after she had this happen, she developed a kind of black-gray spot in one of her eyes. She got really frightened and tried to get in to see the neurologist right away, but they couldn't see her. She ended up going to see her primary care dr. who couldn't find anything wrong, so he sent her to see eye dr. The eye dr.said that her eyes were OK, but would do a field of vision test in a day or so. As of today, the spot is still there, no better, no worse. She is going to see the neurologist on thursday. I'll be glad when she finally gets to see the specialist, as I am really worried! Do you know if this is a symptom of epilepsy? Thanks for any replies!
Could be- Almost anything can stir up symptoms if that area of the brain is fired up abnormally, especially if the eye doc and reg doc didn't find anything. See what the neuro says- anticipate tests out the whazoo, and even if they don't find any conclusive EEG findings (which is quite common), it still can be seizures if the EEG is done while she's not having symptoms.
I am the daughter referred to. I am really hoping that the doctor can tell me what id going on because I am really tired of this. I read on an epilepsy website that you can have simple autonomic seizures that involve the symptoms I have been experiencing. I hope I don't have epilepsy, but whatever this is, I want help. I also read on a migraine site that they can get pretty bad sometimes too. I have migraines but this has been different lately, and twice I have smelled things that were not there, once bubble gum, and the next time soup. So strange. That has never happened to me before, and I thought maybe I was nuts. I know most of the time people smell a burning smell, or a sulfer smell. Well, maybe Thursday I will find something out. I am just really eager to get this under control because I am in college getting ready to apply for nursing clinicals and I don't want anything to mess up my goals. Thanks for the info.
You're not nuts....the real crazy folks don't worry about being nuts
Migraines can change and cause similar symptoms, and if this is epilepsy, there are so many medications that can help. Having E sounds horrible, but even though all of us here have hard times, we also live relatively normal lives a lot of the time- there are exceptions, but E is not a death sentence to your regular activities- just have to make some adjustments and precautions until you know how meds work,and how you're doing. I wouldn't recommend hang-gliding or BASE jumping, but there's a lot more you can do than can't !!
Give the neuro time to work you up- and remember, if it is E, you have a lot of support here
Thank you. I saw my doctor today and she said that if the neuro does not find anything she thinks topamax would be helpful. She also wants me to stop some of my other meds for now until I can figure everything out. Well, 2 days left. I'll post the details after my appointment. Thanks!!!
Well, I saw the Nuero today, and he says he believes it is all from my migraines and that he can't put me on Topamax, or Depakote because of some of the other health issues I have, so, he gave me Zonegran, and is sending me for an MRI, with and without contrast. I don't like that because I am claustrophobic, so he is sending me to an open MRI place. So we'll see. Hopefully this helps. I am afraid too because I have so many allergies and sensitivities to medicines, I hope I don't end up sick again. I recently ended up in the hospital from the Ultram. Well guess I'll post more after the MRI.
