Possible Simple Partial Seizures?

[BarnOwl]

I don't know if this could possibly be caused by simple partial seizures, because a few of the pieces don't fit, but so much does that I thought I should investigate.

The week before my finals freshman year of college I was in bed falling asleep when I started uncontrollable shaking all over my body, but I was completely conscious. I was able to sit up and started hyperventilating, but my roommate came back and was able to calm me down and I fell asleep. The next day I visited the school NP, who ran blood tests and prescribed Ativan so I could sleep. Those tests came back normal.

I visited my PCP and he said I had restless leg syndrome and suggested listening to music when I went to bed. After a little persuading he gave me a referral to a neurologist. I visited a neurologist and had an EEG done, which was negative, so he said I had an anxiety disorder and needed to see a psychiatrist, despite me being able to produce the symptoms in his office.

The psychiatrist prescribed Lexapro which did not decrease my spasms. At this point I called them muscle spasms and left it at that, I didn't even consider seizures until recently, because of the fact that I was conscious when it happened.

My symptoms are a bit odd, so I don't know if they fit the bill or not.
-I can "feel" it coming on, and I'm completely conscious. It's as if I can see the future and it's in my nerves. I can see in my head what my body parts will do next, and it happens.
-If I relax and rest back, they will usually start, but the gross muscle ones don't happen when I'm sitting up.
-They tend to move around; for a while it was my leg, then my hand, then my eyelids (they would blink super fast for 30sec at a time)

They get worse with stress, particularly after I've been really stressed.

Here's the part that doesn't fit with what I've read. I can let the spasms be triggered, for instance I can focus on my hand and then my hand does its own thing. Or I can focus super hard and try to make them stop. This is what makes me think they are psychosomatic, in other words all in my mind, not a physical problem.

They also tend to be worse when I'm alone in a room, perhaps because I'm more anxious about them happening so it's a downward spiral? Once when I was at home alone my legs gave out and I was twitching on the ground for an hour. Not continuous, it would be like a minute and then I'd lie there, and then a couple minutes start again. I also kind of zone out, feel a little bit out of body, etc.

Any suggestions or words of encouragement would be much appreciated. I've had them for a year now and every professional says it's just an anxiety disorder, there's nothing really wrong with me.

[Mark in Idaho]

BarnOwl,

Welcome to NeuroTalk.

It sounds to me like stress related body tremors. They are somewhat common to the mTBI (mild Traumatic Brain Injury) community. I get them in my hands when I am under stress and need to use my hands.

I also tend to get them in a jerking format when I try to go to sleep. I take Neurontin (gabapentin), an adjunct anti-seizure med and it helps. I also started taking Turmeric supplements (circumin) a few months ago and even the break through tremors have stopped.

There are some foods to avoid. Caffeine, MSG, artificial sweeteners (aspartame, Equal, Nutrasweet, Splenda, sucralose) are excitotoxins that cause nerve cells to misfire. B-12 and folic acid help protect nerve cells.

What is your diet like? If you keep a journal of your food intake, you will likely find a link to foods that help and foods that make it worse.

My best to you.

[Porkette]

Hi Barn Owl,

I'm wondering if you are starting to have simple partial sz. also known as aura sz. I will get a wierd feeling in my stomach and see colors in my eyes then I start to have muscle spasms around my mouth and it leads into a complex partial or absence sz. Mark gave you some great info. on things to stay away from that can trigger sz. for people. I found diet soda the worst thing can trigger sz. for me.
If I may ask are you using a cell phone at all during the day or texting? The reason why I'm asking is they have found that some people are "cell phone sensitive" The frequency of the cell phone and the electro magnetic field can start sz. for someone, even if your roomates are using a cell phone and you're cell phone sensitive this could be the problem.
My best advice to you is to see an Epileptologist (Dr. specializing in epilepsy) you can find these Drs. at an Epilepsy Center which are at University or Big hospitals. Often an e.e.g. will be negative not showing any problems and that's because the problem is to deep in the brain for the e.e.g. to show anything. You should look into having an MRI, CT scan, PET scan, and SPECT scan. Also if you find that you are having these problems when you go to bed or when you wake up it could be a myoclonic sz. this type of sz. happens only when a person goes to bed or wakes up in the morning. I had this type of sz. for awhile and had to have a sleep study done to see if I had sleep apnea or any other sleep disorder because lack of sleep and stress are the 2 main things that can trigger sz.
Start keeping track of all these feeling you get write down what time they happen on a calendar along with a dsicription this will help the Dr. and they may see a pattern in the sz. I found that I have sz. only certain times of the day and on certain days of each month.
Also if you go to an Epilepsy Center you can see a neuro phycologist who can do a study on you and tell you what's going on in your brain and what areas of your brain are being affected by what you are feeling.
I wish you the best of luck and May God Bless You!

Sue

[Darlene]

BarnOwl,

It is great to have you come and be with us. You will fine a great number of dear friends to listen when you are in need of ears. Please, just let us know how we can help you out. You will find out we are supportive and relaxing place.

Looks like you have been getting some great assistance from Sue & Mark. Sue has given you some great advice. As Mark said Traumatic Brain Injury, here is the forum to check into:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum92.html

Please keep us up to date on your condition. Again welcome, looking forward to seeing you around. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

[BarnOwl]

I wanted to thank everyone for the thoughtful replies and suggestions. I will bring all this to my next doctor's appointment and see what she things.

Mark,
-this is what my psychologist originally thought, that it was a physical manifestation of anxiety/stress, which is pretty spot on.
-I get the jerking motion when I go to sleep as well. Some months I can joke that I'm getting a 6-pack due to the recurrent abdominal contractions. They are much worse at night or when I am trying to rest, take a nap in the afternoon, etc. Sometimes they occur when I exercise, particularly go for a run.
-My psychiatrist and neurologist never suggested any anti-seizure meds, I will be talking to someone about this.
-I drink things with caffeine daily, this has been normal to me for the past 7 years but the spasms only started a year ago.

Porkette,
-I do get a feeling when they are about to come on, like I can feel/see it in my head, a very familiar feeling. That's part of what bothers me so much about them, the fact that they feel familiar and "comforting" when they are happening, and how it messes with my emotions before/after.
-It's a good thing I don't care for diet sodas! I generally do not use sweeteners, this will be something I'll keep in mind.
-I do think they get worse around my period, I'm not sure I will need to write down times and details to see for sure.

Once again thanks for the warm welcome and concern, it feels wonderful to have people listening!

[Mark in Idaho]

Owl,

Past caffeine tolerance does not mean you still have a tolerance for caffeine. The slow accumulation of the toxins from caffeine metabolism can reach critical mass. Add anxiety and other stresses and the brain can get quite polluted.

Are you taking any meds for anxiety or any other condition. I am on a med that causes the abdominal spasms in waves.

I have also experienced strange abdominal and gastric symptoms after injuring my back splitting firewood. It healed up but is occasionally a recurring injury. A good physical therapist or chiropractor has been useful.



Sue, I am surprised your doctor has not warned you about artificial sweeteners. Aspartame can be a very toxic substance for sensitive brains. Any kind of toxic or semi-toxic foods can strain the body resulting in nutritional deficiencies for the brain. I was warned to avoid alcohol and excito-toxins by my neuro back in 1971.

[BarnOwl]

I am currently on Lexapro 10mg which has a few minor side effects but really helps with controlling my anxiety.

As I mentioned before my Dr. thought it was restless leg and asked nothing neuro/psych related, I had to pressure him to get a referral to a neurologist. I've since switched doctor's and I still need to schedule an appointment with the new doctor, which is hard because I'm away at school.
My neurologist thought it was just anxiety and was very dismissive about all my concerns, I will be looking for a new neuro doc through my new GCP.

[Porkette]

Hi Barn Owl,

You mentioned that you are having this problem right around your
period and this could mean that you are having cateminal sz. and that is
sz. that are caused do to hormones changing every month in a woman right before and after a womans period. What's happening is the estrogen level goes up causing more excitment which can trigger a possible sz. while at the same time the progesterone level goes down and progesterone calms the nerves. I had this problem for many yrs. until I went through my change. You should ask your Dr. to put you on Diamox this drug will help get rid of the extra fluids in your body and it reduces sz. You will only have to take the drug once a day 5 days before your period and then you stop the drug. It worked so good on me reducing my sz. that my Dr. put me on the drug everyday. You will probably need to take 500 mg. once a day for 5 days only and this will help you out. Also try eating almonds because they have progestone in them and it helps calm the nerves. I wish you the best of luck and May God Bless You!

Sue

[Porkette]

Hi Barn Owl,

You mentioned that you are having this problem right around yourperiod and this could mean that you are having cateminal sz. and that is sz. that are caused do to hormones changing every month in a woman right before and after a womans period. What's happening is the estrogen level goes up causing more excitment which can trigger a possible sz. while at the same time the progesterone level goes down and progesterone calms the nerves. I had this problem for many yrs. until I went through my change. You should ask your Dr. to put you on Diamox this drug will help get rid of the extra fluids in your body and it reduces sz. You will only have to take the drug once a day 5 days before your period and then you stop the drug. It worked so good on me reducing my sz. that my Dr. put me on the drug everyday. You will probably need to take 500 mg. once a day for 5 days only and this will help you out. Also try eating almonds because they have progestone in them and it helps calm the nerves. I wish you the best of luck and May God Bless You!

Sue

[Mark in Idaho]

Actually, almonds are not a source of progesterone. Almonds may support the body's ability to make progesterone. My wife has been on progesterone therapy for 10 years. If she could get it from almonds or wild yams, or sweet potatoes, it would save a bunch of money.

Progesterone needs to be properly balanced with estradiol and the other hormones. There is a good referral system to find a hormone specialist at
https://www.womensinternational.com/..._referral.html
plus they have the best prices on hormone supplements.

I know quite a few women who have benefited greatly from good hormone help. Some need help as young as their 20's. Our diets tend to cause a mess with hormones. Head injuries can also mess up hormone regulation.