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Search people with Temporal lobe epilepsy ....

Sun, 07/24/2005 - 10:48

Topic: Diagnostic Dilemmas and Testing

Hi,

I am 30, and suffer from depersonalization and derealization since mt cesarean, 2 years ago. I have memory and orientation problems, as well as depression. I see a psychiatrist and a psychologist, and one doctor I saw suspect it can be TLE. I will see a neurologist tuesday. I am scared.

I search people who have TLE.... what are your symptoms? Do you take meds? Are you working? Which test can really determine TLE?

Sorry if I ask again, it's because I suffer greatly and wonder how to cure.

Thanks,

Allure

p.s. Please feel free to email : [email protected]

Comments

RE: Search people with Temporal lobe epilepsy ....

Submitted by getnbetr on Mon, 2005-07-25 - 09:18

Hi VanillaBean! A yr and a half ago my14 y/o daughter started having similar symptoms as you, everthing seemed unreal, also, she would walk around confused as to where she was, (even out in front of traffic at the mall, that was scary) hear things & see things that weren't there and then got so bad to have been diagnosed by psychiatrist with a non-specific psychotic disorder. The psychiatrist also had her attend counseling for bouts of depression. Well, last March she had her first 2 grand mall seizures in 24 hrs, and after all was said and done the neurologist diagnosed her with TLE. Please don't be scared, the medication my daughter takes has made her feel better than before she ever got sick! Her mri and eeg(sleep deprived) came back normal (she's had both tests 2 times). Many peoples tests come back normal, which doesn't mean they don't have epilepsy, the test just don't always catch the brain in irregularity mode. If you go to the epilepsy.com home page and look up types of seizures and click on complex partial seizures, which are the type people with TLE mostly have, it explains a lot of the symptoms. This link helped me a lot to under stand my daughter's.Blessings- Wendy

RE: RE: Search people with Temporal lobe epilepsy ....

Submitted by Vanillabean on Mon, 2005-07-25 - 10:20

Thanks a lot,

I am so depressed, it's been 2 years since I am so depressed about that. I stopped working, and it all began with my son's birth. Sorry for the whining it's very hard to live like that. Can I ask which meds your daughter takes?

Thanks,

Vanillabean.

Thanks a lot,

Thanks,

Vanillabean.

RE: RE: RE: Search people with Temporal lobe epilepsy ....

Submitted by getnbetr on Mon, 2005-07-25 - 11:26

Hi Vanillabean, Yes, sorry I forget to mention that: Keppra 2000mg a dayand she is on an antipsychotic from when she first got sick with hallucinations: risperdal 2mg a day. She's been on risperdal a year, but only been on keppra since end of May. She says Keppra helps with ALL her symptoms, and feels great. She is a high school student, and she apprenctices at a hair salon a few hours for a couple of days a week, because she wants to be a cosmetologist. She has days where she feels boundless energy, but some days needs extra sleep. She goes to a private school and some days (maybe one or two a month) she is allowed to do her work at home if she is just not up to it. Memory is sometimes very 'short term' when it comes to school work, things like reading comprehension become difficult or remembering algebra formulas etc. But it usually comes back to her on good days. The neuro tried two other meds for her before the Keppra, but she had allergic reaction to them: lamictal, then zonegran. I have a friend who's daughter has been on lamictal for a couple of years and has had no problem with it, but my daughter is very sensitive to meds. Keppra's only dangerous side effect is mood changes like depression, or irritability, but for my daughter that has not been a problem. She actually had issues of depression before the keppra which seem to have really lifted since taking it. She is more outgoing and upbeat. I also give her vitamin b6, biotin, alpha lipoic acid, and a multivitamin. I have heard these help with keeping side effects of depression at bay. All in all everything is going pretty well.I hope this helps, and please realize that the depression may be more physical than situational with TLE. My thoughts are with you VanillaBean...everything will be all right :)...Wendy

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