[NowIsAll]

Hello everyone,
At the age of 9 going on 10 years I was involved in a car accident and had injury to the head.

After this I developed epilepsy.

Around my teenager stage my aunt (a nurse) visited my family and she said to me, you are taking too much medication. Stop them and you will get over your epilepsy.

This I did and I have not had a seizure since.

Fast forward. I am now 45 years old and having some strange experiences. For example, today I took my son (who has a number of illnesses) to have an ultrasound to check his nodes in order to find out if he was no longer in remission.

Incidents that occurred today: (To cut to the chase)

1. Entered pharmacy knew what I wanted, walk about in pharmacy and could not remember what I came to purchase in a matter of minutes. Bought a few items then on reaching home remember all the items I really needed.

2. Met an old friend and in talking to her forgot things that should have been easy to remember and ended up staring at her not speaking (this has been happening a lot lately). This is quite embarrassing and the person I am speaking to usually gets a weird look in their eyes and on their faces .

Night time

Sometimes at night my whole body jumps during sleep.

Lol I cannot remember the other things I wanted to write.

Anyhow, can epilepsy return or is it plain stress?

[Ellie]

It can return, yes. But keep in mind that stress can trigger seizures. I'll write more hopefully this evening, but I have to run to an appointment!

Check on some of the posts here, you'll find that your symptoms are pretty common amongst all of us here (forgetting everything).

*Hugs*

[Porkette]

Hi,
Take my word epilepsy can return. I started having seizures when I was 10 yrs. old I'm now 44 yrs. old and I have both absence (petit mal) and complex partial seizures. I had 2 brain surgeries to help reduce my seizures in 1994 but since I started going through my change my seizures have gotten worse and now I sometimes have tonic clonic seizures (grand mal). Stress and lack of sleep are the 2 main things that can trigger seizures. Another major thing that can cause seizures is hormonal changes. The type of seizure you're describing sounds a lot like my absence seizures. I just stare and have a look on my face like someone daydreaming but sometimes I won't say a word when other times I will talk and if I'm cooking a meal I just do it not remembering anything.
My advice to you is to see a epileptologist (Dr. specializing in epilepsy) at an Epilepsy Center. Also get a calendar and write down each time you have a seizure. Be sure to write down what time the seizure happened, with a discription of the seizure. By doing this your Dr. may be able to see a pattern in your seizures as to what days of the month or what time of the day or night you will have any seizures. I always have seizures 7-10 days before my period and then during ovulation. Check out these websites for more info.
www.epilepsy.com

www.http://neuropat.dote.hu/neurology.htm
When the main page come up click on epilepy.

Also stay away from nutra sweet (aspartame) ex.diet soda it's been proven that nutra sweet causes more electrical activity in the brain which can cause seizures. I found that out the hard way drinking diet soda.
I wish you the best of luck and May God Bless You!

Sue

[Julie]

I've heard this before where people have had no seizures for years and then it just comes back. Have you made an appointment yet? Do as Sue says and keep a diary. Write down everything, no matter how minor it seems.

Good Luck and keep us posted.

[NowIsAll]

Thanks for your responses.

I have not made an appointment with a doctor in relation to this problem as yet, as I am scared.

[jingle]

Awhhhh, NowIsAll, of course you're scared.
Not knowing what's going on can be very frightening.
And being worried about what the doctor might say is understandable too. I think all of us have been through that and are facing it again.

However, the best way, IMHO, to face this is to get it over with... to hear what a qualified dr has to say. Maybe, just maybe, it will be news that you can easily handle.
So go ahead like Sue and Julie said and keep a diary, a log, about what's happening to you to show to a doctor. It will make an appointment so much easier and more complete.
Good luck .... keep talking to us, please. Here's a big hug from the group

[NowIsAll]

Went to doctor. Was told I have been under a lot of stress for awhile. Does not think it is return of epilepsy . . . From my view I will continue to monitor myself.

Anyhow blood was taken to get a complete blood count.

With results we will work from there. So I await results.

Since I have been resting I feel better, not 100% yet but acceptance of what I can change is really helping.

[Salsa]

My husband had seizures when a teenager. They went away and then an accident at work happened as an adult and started the seizures again.

[Dmom3005]

I'm so glad you went to the doctor. And are getting some answers.

It oculd be as simple as you are under stress and need something for
the stress.

Donna

[Aeolusblue]

Based upon my own experience, I know that head and neck injury can cause seizures and I believe they can return. My own seizures were caused by a neck injury from a fall from a ladder. After the ruptured disk was repaired, the seizures disappeared.

I also believe seizures can be caused by sinus problems and know someone who's seizures went away after they had a tumor removed from their sinus.

I suggest you have an ENT do CT scans of your sinuses. I would insist that your doctor do MRI's of your head and neck. I will bet you will find the cause.

Besides my seizures, the neck injury was also causing me migraine activity. This causes light headedness, and weird sensations in the head due to muscle spasms. This can also cause spots, flashes, and streaks of colored lights.

Most neurologists believe that seizures only originate in the brain and don't believe stories like mine. However, I know other people who have gotten rid of their seizures by fixing neck and sinus problems.

The "stress" diagnonses is used all too often by doctors who are guessing what is bothering us. When I first sought help for my seizures, I was given the "stress" diagnoses for about three years. Then we found the ruptured disk in my neck. And unless a doctor has eliminated all possible causes and performed EEG testing, he is just guessing, which is normal for modern doctors. I would recommend that anyone with these symptoms to see a neuroligst who will hopefully do proper testing. Just remember though that they will probably not look for causes unless you insist.

Good Luck...