Are auras the same thing as focal seizures?
Yes.
Ah. Well, I wish they were orgasmic. In fact, if there’s an opposite-orgasm, these are definitely it.
I had a friend in high school who had a seizure disorder (not sure if it was epilepsy or not). I found out about it because we were walking along and suddenly he went completely rigid, then fell over onto the ground, completely stiff. I sat down and put his head in my lap and he was just stiff as a board and shaking for 2 or 3 minutes, with his eyes rolling back in his head. It was very scary.
I had a seizure once, but it was the result of drug interaction. I don’t remember it, just remember waking up in the hospital.
My neurologist said that epilepsy pretty much covers most seizure disorders.
It’s also easier to tell someone you have epilepsy than to say, “I have a seizure disorder.” Invariably, whenever I say I have a seizure disorder, I get, “You mean you have epilepsy?”
And in my case, epilepsy runs in the family. No matter what Pappap says.
I don’t have epilepsy myself, but I have a friend who does. One thing I know about her case, which doesn’t seem to have cropped up in anyone’s stories yet, is that some of the drugs to control it seem to be (potentially) extremely psychoactive. Twice she’s ended up in hospital hallucinating up one side and down the other, and had to change drugs as a result.
Fortunately the drug companies have kept one step ahead of her so far, and by the time she’s needed to change drugs there’s a new one out to change to
Is this at all common, or is it just my friend’s wierd body chemistry?
Interestingly, there is some connection between epilepsy and bipolar disorder. A lot of epilepsy medication is also prescribed as a mood stabilizer.
I like to think that it’s related to my razor-sharp intelligence. You know, my brain is acquiring new connections so fast, it just can’t keep up with itself and short circuits every once in a while. Oh, well. I can dream, can’t I?
My dog had petit mal seizures following an adverse reaction to anesthetic. She was on a low dose of Valium for the rest of her life, and would have 4-5 seizures a year despite the medication. If she wasn’t medicated, 2-3 a week.
While it wasn’t strictly epilepsy, my Mom had some significant seizures from a brain tumor. She got IV Valium for those.
A little bit off topic, but not entirely; my husband was in the hospital this weekend for his migraines, and the neurologist said that the newest research on them classifies them as a chronic brain disorder, and treats them with anti-seizure meds (depakote). Does this mean that they are the same style of problem as epilepsy is? The part where they respond to depakote really makes me think so, but I’m not as educated on it as I should be.
Off topic: Your use of the name “Pappap” for your grandfather. I also referred to my grandfather as “Pappap”.
I see you are in Pittsburgh, and I grew up in Murrysville. Must be a regional thing.
On topic: I know that certain types of epilepsy can be triggered by flashing lights. I tend to fixate on such things, and feel very relaxed, but don’t lose time or anything, and have no trouble breaking away.
Wonder what that’s all about.