Calling all seasoned SEIZURE gurus...

[gcvmom]

I've put in a call to husband's neuro, but until they call back, I wanted to poll this group of experts.

Saturday husband had a seizure that is atypical for him and I'm not really sure what to make of it.

Usually, his seizures consist of sensory-related symptoms (they are called "autonomic" seizures and fall in the simple-partial category, originating in his right temporal lobe). HE feels whacked out, but the casual observer would have no idea what's going on. Until Saturday, the sensations are pretty consistently the same: feels like he's going to simultaneously vomit and lose his bowels (we do hear increased abdominal noise during and after the event), breaks out in a cold sweat, feels dizzy like he's going to pass out, and generally feels very unsteady. He typically just sits down, closes his eyes, breathes deeply, drops his head down to his chest and tries his best to ride out the wave of symptoms until they pass, which lasts for a minute or two. If the feelings are very strong, he will find a place to lay down until it's over.

On Saturday, he had all of these symptoms PLUS his arms and legs felt VERY shaky to him (I could only observe a very slight hand tremor) AND afterward he had a headache in his forehead. It was overwhelming enough for him that he laid down on the movie theater floor for about 5 minutes until the episode passed.

I'm concerned because he's never complained of the shakiness or headache before.

So, whatcha think?

Like I said, I've called his neuro to check in -- I think he's due for an appointment as well as his annual MRI.

 

[DammitJanet]

That almost sounds like my migraines. Or my IBS. Such fickle things to tease out arent they? I get the faintness and dizziness with the nausea and I go all hot and cold and clammy and life fades in and out. Course with the IBS there is explosive nausea or the other end and I wish life was fading...lol.

 

[gcvmom]

It's VERY fickle Janet!

He's now got an appointment with his neuro in about two weeks, so I guess we'll discuss it all then.

 

[susiestar]

The neuro definitely needs to know about it. If he hasn't left a message for the neuro about this, one of you needs to. The neuro may think it needs to be seen sooner than the appointment. Make sure you put this down in a calendar or journal. A migraine with those symptoms is thought to be quite serious according to my docs. Anything bad enough that an adult needs to lay down on a movie theater floor should probably be seen asap by a doctor or the ER. If you don't think husband will have given the entire situation to the doctor when he called then you should also call. It sounds like a serious change to me, but I am NOT an expert.

(((hugs))) I know you are quite worried.

 

[slsh]

gcv - I think any change in his "normal" seizure pattern merits a call to neuro asap. The tremor could be a change in the type of seizure. Boo has complex seizures. I don't know if he gets headaches after (nonverbal) but there's usually vomiting involved and he also gets Todd's palsy which is temporary paralysis on one side of the body caused by the seizure.

 

[gcvmom]

Thanks ladies. I did tell the neuro's office that he had new symptoms with this last seizure, and they said that if any sooner openings came up, they'd call us immediately -- but for now, August 11th is our date. Part of the problem with this neuro is that he's only in clinic one day a week -- one of several reasons why I wish husband would find a different provider. If this set of symptoms happens again, I will call the office immediately.

Oh, and he clarified for me that the pain happened WHILE the event was going on, not just after. So yeah, I'm even more concerned now.