QUESTION:
Dear Dr. Heller,
I am a 35 year old female who has been suffering from "seizure like" activity since September 1999, when a ceiling fan light fixture fell on my head at home, knocking me to the floor and causing me to knock myself out on a washing machine. When I came to I was unable to lift my head without being nauseated. Soon afterwards I had my first 'grand mal seizure.' And a second, third, forth, fifth and so-on. The EMT's that responded to the call decided the hour trip to the hospital was not a good way to go, so they put me on Lifeguard-10 helicopter for the trip. All in all I was told that I had approximately 8 'grand mal' seizures.
At the hospital, I was x-rayed, CT-scanned and sent home with a concussion. I was very confused as to what was going on at all as I didn't remember much of anything from the time I fell to the time my fiancé' picked me up at the hospital. The ER doctor didn't mention the seizures, only that I had a concussion. It wasn't until my children and my fiancé' told me that I knew anything of the seizures. I didn't' believe them at first because the doctors had not said anything about it. I continued to have 'seizures' daily. Some small and very quick to some very violent grand mals.
I was taken to another hospital emergency room where the neurologist on call had an MRI and EEG ordered. He then put me on Carbitrol 500mg a day. My EEG and MRI both came back normal. A week later after having upwards of 20 seizures a day I went back to the emergency room and consulted with the same neurologist who upped my Carbitrol to 750mg a day and ordered a 24hr EEG. My seizures continued. The 24hr EEG proved to be normal as well. I was sent to the University of VA Epilepsy Clinic for a video monitored stay. In the clinic I was hooked up to the EEG and had 24 hour video monitoring as well as another MRI. My MRI came back with a small spot. The doctors taking every precaution did a lumbar puncture and repeat of the MRI. The lumbar puncture came back normal and the repeated test with contrast was unremarkable. I was sent home after staying in the clinic for 5 days. The doctors there had taken me off the Carbitrol and had not put me on anything else. I had several episodes of the "seizure like" activity while there. I also displayed some emotional distress when one of the interns had come in to tell me that there was a possibility that I might have MS and needed to have a lumbar puncture done.
I was alone, 3 hours away from anyone I knew, and very scared. The doctors diagnosed me with pseudo-seizures and told that stress was the cause of my seizures. I was directed to find a therapist and get some stress management. I was not given any kind of medication. My seizures lessened to only 4-8 seizures a day and only small ones where my eyes would roll back in my head and my right hand had slight movements. A lot of the time I grit my teeth and drool as well. If I am standing or walking I fall. I slump over if sitting. I lose complete consciousness when I have these "pseudo-seizures." I went through an eight-week one-on-one stress management course with a psychologist who stated that she felt that I dealt with my stress extremely well and did not think it to be the sole cause of my seizures.
After a serious fall my fiancé' again took me back to the emergency room. The ER doctor there put me on Depakote 1000mg a day after witnessing my seizures. The seizures then lessened to only 4-8 every other day on average but not in order like that. I can go 2 or 3 days without having any and then all the sudden have 3 days having several a day. After another seizure and bad fall requiring 8 stitches to the back of my head I was put on 1250 mg a day of Depakote. I then was sent by my family doctor to yet another neurologist. I was sent for another EEG which again came back normal. The neurologist increased my Depakote to 1500mg a day and again stated it was stress.
In September I was under an extreme amount of stress, my grandmother had died, I had been put on suspension at work for something that was out of my control, ( I was the manager of a group home for mentally handicapped adults and had been there for 10 years) and I was in the process of moving into a new home. I lost my job soon afterwards but was paid up through the end of the year. The stress that I am currently under is that of not being able to get a job due to my uncontrolled seizures. Without a job I am getting seriously behind on my bills. However I am also being told that I can not collect disability for this condition.
I live in a small town without a lot of family or friend structure for myself other than my 2 teenage sons and my fiancé'. I can not drive as long as I am having these seizures, which is another reason why I can't work. This causes stress in my life as well. But these stresses are normal stresses and I have had much worse to deal with in my lifetime, why would they be the cause of something so radical? Even though I do go through mood swings and have feelings of severe anger, emotional pain and rejection sensitivity, I don't suffer from the dissociative symptoms, am not suicidal and none of my symptoms seem absolutely chronic. Is there any thing else that the doctors may be missing? Is there something else I should be doing to help myself? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
ANSWER:
You need to find out what's going on. Sometimes it's ADHD, bipolar, allergies, post nasal drip, gastroesophageal reflux disease, chronic sinus or adenoid infections, diets low in fruits and vegetables, iron deficiency or other causes. Get him checked out ASAP!