Who Else Has Seizures As A Ptsd Symptom?

[Me Myself and I]

How many of us has seizures (non epileptic fits) as a result of PTSD?

 

[FaerieJayne]

I have seizures, and they haven't been able to distinguish between whether I am having actual epileptic ones, or is it a symptom of ptsd. They have not done enough to make that decision. I have had only two tests done, A CT scan, and an EEG (I think - well it's the one where they stick heaps on electrodes on your head and do tests like flashing lights etc). They found nothing unusual there, however, I am still on medication to prevent them. The medication seems to work because I have them less frequently now.

I do know when I am going to have a seizure and mine are quite scary for people. I scream a lot during my time unconscious, and I also convulse violently, foam at the mouth. It is a full on looking seizure. From my point of view it is extremely scary. Nothing scares me more than what I experience during these. The dark gets me and it is so opaque that it feels as though its crushing me. Every particle of blackness. At that time I'm trying to remember what I am, who I am, and what I'm fighting against. I lose all memory. Am I a bug, an animal? Who am I? When the screaming stops I am still in this state of crushing darkness. During that time I forget to breathe. Because I don't know what I am or if I have to breathe to be alive.

When I come to, I often have an oxygen mask held to my face. Then I can't sleep for days because I am afraid of that feeling. That darkness is like the heaviest thing somehow getting into your body particles and weighing you down. Not remembering who and what you are.... freaky. So is forgetting to breathe.

Sometimes I think this is a PTSD thing, sometimes I just don't know.

 

[Anna]

I had four seizures many years back when I was under extreme emotional stress. It was completly psychological in origin and stemmed from someone shouting at me constantly even when I begged them to stop it.

I would curl up into a ball, rock back and forwards, then continually tell the person to "stop it". From their point of view they had won anyhow, I was a gibbering wreck.

When they didn't stop. I started to pull at my hair, bang my head against the wall, then I would suddenly start to tremble. At this point I lost complete control and would lie on the floor having a fit shaking.

Someone who witnessed it referred to it as almost being like a temper tantrum as I continually would say "stop it" over and over again.

I presume it was an emotional overload and completly psychological in origin. My brain was just flooded with too many emotions and that is what caused the fit to happen.

I have not had any for over 10 years because I have managed to stop myself from getting so worked up, also from the person in question backing down when they realise I am upset.

I found some info on wikipedia, it is quite interesting to read:-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychogenic_non-epileptic_seizures

 

[joy2every1]

I have been having "episodes" for years now.

I used to think I was passing out, but after having a 7 day cardiac monitor, an MRI, a 1-hour EEG, and a 24-hour EEG, I was recently diagnosed with non-epileptic seizures (I believe the diagnosis from the neurologist was non-specific seizure disorder, but I can't remember for sure if that was the exact wording, I see him again in a couple of weeks), even though no seizures happened during the 1-hour or 24-hour EEG that was done. No abnormalities were seen on the MRI. I'm currently on 500 mg of Keppra 3 times per day, the seizures haven't stopped, but seem to have reduced, but not a significant amount of time has passed to really be able to determine if the medication is helping the "episodes".

I am now wondering if I'm experiencing seizures as a result of PTSD and my increased anxiety over the years as the doctor has no physiological reason why I'm experiencing any sort of seizures. Just food for thought.

 

[piratelady]

I don't know if I have seizures or not. Sometimes I will wake up in the middle of the night. I feel tingling down my right arm and it periodically moves/shakes. I can't make it stop and it worries me, but eventually the feeling goes away. I haven't asked my doctor about it, mostly because I worry he will tell me it's all in my head or something.

 

[akosthegoose]

I had a seizure about 5 months ago for the first time in my life.

What happened was someone was shooting of a shot gun over and over again. My dog is very afraid of gun he watched his brother get killed by his old owner and I myself have been shot at once and threatened two other times with guns. I have extreme fear and flashback added by my dogs fears and him freaking out I ended up having a seizure for the first time in my life it was horrible.

Thankfully it has not happened since. I have little doubt that the anxiety ad fears caused it. I also had several panic attacks that day.

 

[Raj]

I believe and have been told by a Nuero-Psychiatrist in the past that I have both Epileptic and Psychosomatic Seizures. They are scary and yes they are both "in in your head". I have partial seizures, which affect my upper body and I also have trimmers in my arms. In addition if stressed out I can have Psychological i.e, anxiety induce "fast trimmers";(think Parkinson's). I actually flung a milk jug in a store once, big mess.

As someone with a previous head injury and a history of abuse I from suffer both types. Topamax and huge amounts of Keprra lesson the Epileptic seizures and migraines, which terrify me since returning a few years ago after a concussion. As a young child a seizure caused heart and lung failure for me, can you say anxiety!

Scans show slight spikes with light and certain musical notes. I have to be careful about what I hear or see and I can't play any video games with the kids. PTSD is just another thing to go along with the Epilepsy. My neurologist thinks that these two types of seizures sometimes trigger each other.