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Posted 3/19/2007 4:42 AM (GMT 0)
Hi I have epilepsy & this is the 2nd time that I have been epileptic. I 1st got epilepsy when I was a baby but I outgrew it by the time I was about 2 then about 23 years later the epilepsy came back. I have had epilepsy for the 2nd time for almost 5 years. I don't class myself as a bad epileptic because I very rarely have bad seizures & only take very small seizures which I prefer to call my funny turns. It's probably hard to explain the turns I take but I usualy have a weird dream that I've had come into my head & I usualy feel funny in the head. I am usualy still alert while having the turns & know that I'm haveing the turn. I can continue typing or walking but if I speak or type when I am having a turn I usualy don't make sense & if I am walking I usualy stop until I think the turn is over which is usualy when the dream has gone out of my head. The funny turns usualy only last a couple of minutes.

I think the neurologist described the turns as auras which is a warning or pedimals.

It will be nice to chat to other people who have experienced simular things to me. Chat soon  :-)   

 

Post Edited (CQ:)) : 3/19/2007 12:51:49 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 3/19/2007 6:17 PM (GMT 0)

Hi CQ:)

I have a similar prob. Every once in a while (usually after a stressful situation) I go into a petit mal seizure where everything seems garbled, I can't speak, yet I'm totally aware of what's going on around me but I can't respond.

My neurologist says that if I wasn't on meds that this would be a full grand-mal seizure.

I get this thing where I find it very difficult to form my words when I speak, it seems to get more frequent as I get older. Other people don't even have to think about foming their words b/c it comes naturally, but for me, I have to concentrate on the formation of every word, even the simple ones. If I don't, I slurr my speach and everybody thinks I'm drunk or totally spaced out.

My Neorologist calls this a "speech arrest"

You really take your speach for granted.

This is a side affect from the meds but if I don't take my meds, I risk a seizure. Usually by the time I figure out what word to use and form it, everybody else in the room is on the next subject.

It can be very frustrating and/or embarassing. (especially in my case because I was an Administrative supervisor and had to deal with my staff)

Randy (Ontario)

Posted 3/19/2007 8:41 PM (GMT 0)
Hi RanMan

Since getting epilepsy the 2nd time I have only had 4 granmals, I took 3 granmals when my epilepsy was 1st rediagnosed - 2 at home & 1 in hospital. I don't remember alot about the day I got my epilpesy back. The only other time I took a grandmal was 3 years ago when I took a granmal at work - the neurologist was trying me on new meds at the time & was taking me of one med and putting me on another med.

I don't think I slur my speech when I take a turn, I think I usualy forget what I'm going to say or say a totaly different thing.

A couple of months after being rediagnosed with the epilepsy I was on the phone to a friend when I started taking a funny turn, I went to open my mouth but it was like nothing would come out. That was pretty scary, that was probably the only time I had real problems with my actual speech.

If I take a turn in fornt of someone who knows about my epilepsy I usualy ask the person how I was or what I did because I keep a diary of all my turns & what I can remember about them so when I go see my neurologist I can give him the details.

Post Edited (CQ:)) : 3/20/2007 1:07:08 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 3/21/2007 12:14 AM (GMT 0)
Hi CQ:) and RanMan: first of all, Hey another Canadian! Sounds like all three of us have something in common! I too am a "2nD time" epileptic. I was forced to go back on meds because I started having partial of focal or petit mal siezures or whatever you want to call them 3-4 times a day.Or as CQ:) calls them 'turns' which actually descibes it perfectly. Finally after 3 Grand mal siezures I had to admit that it was a serious and potentially dangerous issue, especially since I have two older children and a baby.That speech thing happens to me a lot if I don't take my meds. Because I look like a typical dumb blond (ha ha) people for the last 4 years have pretty much treated me like I'm a complete idiot (which by the way I am not) Just to let you both know, apparantly anxiety can trigger attacks, and epileptics are a lot more prone to depression and anxiety attacks. I hope that your meds are working as well for both of you as they are for me.AAHH, the wonders or Tegratol. Let me know how you are both doing. Take care tongue   Shawna
Posted 3/21/2007 10:49 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Shauni

I am currently on Tegretol & Topamax. I have been on Tegretol since I got my epilepsy back & I have been on Topamax for 12 months. I was also on Lamictal from 2003 - last year but the neurologist changed me over from the Lamictal - Topamax last year which seems to be working well.

I very rarely take turns at the moment, I've had 9 turns over the last 12 months but most of them were small turns and I worked out what caused them so I haven't been back to my neurologist since I went on the topamax.

The neurologist thinks some of the things that cause my turns are stress (I have a problem with getting stressed easily), if I'm tired or if I overdo things.

Post Edited (CQ:)) : 3/21/2007 3:27:08 PM (GMT-6)

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