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Seizures or Panic Attacks?

Thu, 11/11/2004 - 11:21

I've been experiencing what I thought were panic attacks since my teen years. But after reading about Simple Partial Seizures, I'm not so sure. Some of the seizures I've read about sounds exactly like what I've experienced.

I can feel an attack coming on. To me, it's an evil feeling. I feel it engulf my whole body. Then a burning pain starts in my stomach and moves up into my chest. I become nauseated and have major dejavu experiences. I feel detached from reality. I feel like if I don't hang onto reality I'm going to lose my mind. At the time, I am almost convinced that my dream-like state is, in fact, reality. Sometimes a smell triggers an attack. Sometimes the way something looks or just feeling like I've "been there, done that". I've had attacks triggered by the way someone said something. Stress seems to trigger them also. My husband tries to talk me through it sometimes but that only seems to make it worse. When it is over, I feel worn out, sick, and have a major headache.

I have been taking 100 mg of Zoloft daily for over a year but they have not stopped.

stormiegale

Comments

RE: Seizures or Panic Attacks?

Submitted by Karolwf on Thu, 2004-11-11 - 03:14
It sounds like you are having seizures that are giving you these feeling of panic. I experience these but without the pain in the stomach. I am a Christian and it is hard for me to go through these episodes. I take Klonopin which has relieved the panic almost completely. I find that antidepressants do not help much at all. When I have these episodes I feel like I am going crazy or I am going to die and sometimes I just hold onto something because I feel like I am just going to fall into the abyss and not come out. I am able to be talked down somewhat but the only thing that really helps is the medication--riding through the attack and then sleeping it off. When I wake up from these it takes me a few days to get over them-- I would seek a neurologist who can diagnose the symptoms and stay away from the mental health area unless you feel you need the counseling. It is true that the drugs will cause depression and depression is a SECONDARY disease to Simple Partial Seizures but you really need an anti-epileptic drug to really get any real relief. God Bless YOU

RE: RE: Seizures or Panic Attacks?

Submitted by Clunk1234567 on Thu, 2004-11-11 - 06:22

The trouble with epilepsy, like some of the other illnesses, is that it can mimmic other illness. I have been arrested for being drunk, but don't touch the stuff. A member of a group i'm in was confined to a mental institution for a day because of his epilepsy. There are tests that you can have, non intrusive tests that will help identify if it's epilepsy. Tell your doctor you want to eliminate epilepsy as a cause, tell him you want the tests.

The worst part of epilepsy is the worry, and that can be eliminated by just knowing if it is or isn't epilepsy.

The trouble with epilepsy, like some of the other illnesses, is that it can mimmic other illness. I have been arrested for being drunk, but don't touch the stuff. A member of a group i'm in was confined to a mental institution for a day because of his epilepsy. There are tests that you can have, non intrusive tests that will help identify if it's epilepsy. Tell your doctor you want to eliminate epilepsy as a cause, tell him you want the tests.

The worst part of epilepsy is the worry, and that can be eliminated by just knowing if it is or isn't epilepsy.

RE: RE: RE: Seizures or Panic Attacks?

Submitted by Karolwf on Thu, 2004-11-11 - 11:21
I know what you mean. I ended up in a mental institution for 10 days one time and even after they realized that I had a seizure after the first day they kept me the full 10 days. It was a nightmare and I still feel traumatized by it even today. Then I ended up in the ER about 4 years later and back into the same place but I got out within 24 hours. This is because doctors do not know how to tell epilepsy from being psychotic. I have been diagnosed with SPS and CPS for the last 15 years but had my first known seizure when I was about 8 years old and then again after I fractured my skull at age 14 and then they cropped up again during my pregnancies. Now that I am older they have become a constant part of my life which I have to deal with. I usually have good days but then a few days come along and BAM there I am. Right now I am in need of support of people who understand what it is like since I have never had a support group or anyone outside my doctor to talk with. Since I have moved a lot and travel a lot that makes it even harder for me.  I do not worry about the seizures-- I worry about what people do to me when I am having one-- they are dangerous to me! And I do not know what to do about it.

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