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Diagnosed with very mild epilepsy but I don't find that to be the case
Thu, 09/03/2015 - 02:14Hi, I'm new! I just wanted to get some opinions. I had an "episode" at work one day back in February. It was a brand new job, in fact it was my second day. I was dealing with some anxiety at that time but was using herbal remedies like I've done in the past. On this day I woke up for work (which was a typical 9-5 job) and skipped breakfast because I wasn't hungry. I did drink some coffee and some grape juice with this herbal powder that I can't remember the name of (it was for anxiety).
Skipping to me arriving at work, I clocked in and was having a refresher of the previous day with my coworker who was training me. Out of nowhere I suddenly felt really tired and was having a hard time paying attention to what she was telling me. Of course, I faked my way through it by nodding like any other person would do. I just thought I was tired from waking up early and it happened to just hit me. Afterwards a customer came to the register with a rose and I helped with his transaction, still feeling quite tired, and then went to wrap it in tissue paper. In that moment I started to feel uneasy and I started to rapidly blink my eyes. I tried to finish wrapping the flower but I kept stopping in my place because I was blinking so fast that I couldn't see very well. While this was happening I was consciously voicing this to my coworkers and then in the next moment I looked at the lights next to me and my vision faded completely. I blacked out.
When I slowly came to, I could hear my coworkers telling me to sit in the chair. Apparently they were trying to have me sit before but I wouldn't. It was like that feeling when you are slowly waking up from a dream. I understood what was happening as I came more out of it. My coworker was on the phone with medics and I mumbled to her "why would you call them?" Not that i didn't know why. It's just always been a bit of a fear of mine to have an ambulance show up for me out of embarrassment. At the point I could feel I was sweaty and my other coworker was rubbing my back and asking if I was okay.
Soon after the medics showed up. They took my vitals, tested my blood sugar, and asked me if I'd come with them. I refused saying I'd call my mom to pick me up and signed the release form which said there was a risk I could have another seizure. I wasn't too confident that's what happened. But my coworkers told them I was shaky (not full on shaking).
Anyway, fast forward to the next couple weeks I saw a neurologist and discussed my history. I've apparently had an episode like this before when I was 12 (I was 18 during this time) according to what my step mom and brother described. To be short and sweet, I didn't eat yet that day and my step mom was curling my hair. I suddenly didn't feel good and I voiced that then out of nowhere I blacked out. It happened really fast because I came to before my dad even made it downstairs to answer my step moms yells. She said my eyes rolled back and I was shaking. I also mentioned that I used to blackout randomly for a short period of time. I've dropped to the ground only a couple times. That could all just be related to lack of oxygen when standing up though. And my doctor agreed.
After I went through testing and everything came back crystal clear he still put me on medication and I'm up to 200mg of lamotrigine daily.
I just find it hard to believe that I have "possible epilepsy without cause". I find it more believable if it was random episodes of vasovagal syncope. What do you think?
I think it depends why you're
Submitted by kalbino on Thu, 2015-09-03 - 10:02
I think it depends why you're asking. If you have not had a seizure while taking the Lamictal, keep going with it. If you do have a seizure, then consider another option. Until then, are you concerned about the diagnosis for other reasons? I think that as long as they're controlled, it's great!