Hi-

2 years ago I was in a car accident in which I suffered a traumatic brain injury. I've had a ton of trouble since then, including field deficits in my left eye and the need for glasses.

Throughout the past 2 years, I have had about six experiences where I had lightning bolt like flashes across my field of vision. They are annoying, but are unrelated to my headaches and migraines. My rehab Dr. sent me back to the neuro-opthamologist when I brought this up at my last appointment.

The neuro-opthamologist called it "visual seizures" and has ordered an EEG.

Is this actually a seizure? (Nothing is shaking). Will it show up on the EEG since they are so infrequent? Would I be considered impaired in terms of my driver's license?

If someone could guide me to more information, I would greatly appreciate it. I"m having a hard time finding information on the internet.

Thanks in advance

Mindy

Hi Mindy,

What you are describing sounds like the possible sz. is starting from the back of your head in the oppitcal lobe where all of a persons eye sight is. If I may ask after you see these flashes of light have you every felt confused, tired, or gotten a headache right after it has happened? If you have then you may have had an aura (simple partial) sz. or a seizure triggered from the tramatic brain injury you received. A person doesn't have to shake to have a sz. I have absence and complex partial sz. and with both of these sz. I will start to daydream but with the complex partial I will sometimes have muscle spasms and see different colors flash back and forth in my eyes also.
Many times a e.e.g will show if there's an area of the brain triggering sz. unless damage is to deep in the brain. Another test you might want to have is an MRI or a CAT scan these 2 tests will show a lot of detail especially the MRI. In regards to your license each state is different I know in NY state a person has to go 1 yrs. without a sz. and have a Drs. written statement saying it's okay for the person to drive.
Another place to get more info. is to go to Epilepsy Foundation.org and go to the ecommunites and post a question or you can call the Epilepsy Foundation of America at 1-800-332-1000 to get more info. I will tell you I got the most help from seeing an Epileptologist at an Epilepsy Center which are usually at big hospitals or university hospitals. Try taking vitamin B12 1000 mcg. once a day for adult dosage this will help calm the nerves down and reduce your possible sz. and also get a calendar and start keeping track of each time you may be having a sz. by writing down what time it happened along with a description of the sz. this will help the Dr. and if you are having sz. they may see a pattern in your sz. as to what day's to the month and what time of the day or night you are having sz. I wish you the best of luck and May God Bless You!

Sue

Sue,

I can't thank you enough!!! I understand so much better now.

Yes, I feel pretty tired after and brain foggy. (But i just thought this was another manifestation of the TBI). No changes in headache relative to my typical TBI stuff. The neuro-opth ruled out migraine aura due to that, and that's why she thinks its seizures.

Ugh... so if you can't drive, how do you go about working or things that require you to drive? I just started getting my life back together since the accident, I'm in grad school part time to finish my masters and also have internships for my degree that require me to work in school systems... Public transportation isn't an option becuase I live too far in the suburbs. It would take me 3 hours and 3 transfers to get to class. I would have no way to reach my internship placement.


When these occur, are they creating more damage to my brain? Or is there some other negative effect from having them?

Mindy

Hi Mindy,

If you feel tired after seeing these colors it wouldn't surprise me if you are having either absence (petit mal) or complex partial sz. like I have. Before I started having sz. I was having migraine headaches and that in turn triggered the epilepsy. It's up to you but you might want to get a 2nd opinion about what's going on by seeing an Epileptologist as I mentioned before.
I have always had to depend on my husband to take me to work and pick me up and before I meant him I would have a family or friend pick me up and take me home and I would pay them. Now my husband and I live near a local bus stop so if he can't take me to work I can take the bus.
You mentioned that you are finishing up school to teach if I'm correct. I've been working in public school for almost 28 yrs. now. I work as a Teacher Aide in Special Education so I can relate to many students who have learning, physical or emotional disabilities, especially since I've had epilepsy since the age of 10 (50 now).
Yes, more brain damage can happen if a persons sz. are not under control and they have a lot of sz. over the yrs. This is what happened to me. I started out only having problems on the right temporal lobe but as time went by and my Drs. couldn't control my sz. with any meds the damage spread to the left temporal lobe and yrs. later to the frontal lobe. I finally had 2 brain surgeries done to help reduce the sz. and I may be having a 3rd surgery done once the FDA passes Electrode Arrays for epilepsy but that won't be for awhile.
My best advice to you is to cut back on the caffeine, starch foods and carbs. stay away from nutra sweet (aspartame) because it has been proven that NutraSweet can cause more electrical activity in a persons brain and it can trigger sz. for some people who have epilepsy. I found that out the hard way after drinking diet soda and having many sz. Also some people can be cell phone sensitive and this means when you or others around you are using their cell phones in any way the electromagnetic field can sometimes trigger a sz. I just recently found out I'm cell phone sensitive which means do to the frequency a cell phone uses it will trigger sz. for me. It's sometimes a little hard for me when I go shopping I have to do it when I don't think that many people will be at the store because if I go into the stores and people are even texting I will have a sz. Here's wishing you well and May God Bless You!

Sue

Sue,

Unfortunately, I'm not sure what I'd do about the driving thing. My boyfriend could support me some of the time in terms of rides, but not in others. I don't know what I'm going to do abou that.

I have already cut out aspartme, as it's bad for the brain in general. I'm working on clean eating now. I dont' seem to be effected by cell phones, as I used one frequently and have not seen a relation between the two.

Is there a way to get assistance somehow with not being able to drive that you know of?

I too am in Special Ed. My degree will be a master's in early intervention with a specialization in autism. I am also going to sit for my board certified behavior analyst exam when I finish school. My experience with TBI has resulted in me having a variety of sensory symptoms, which has defintely changed the way I practice with my kiddos!

Hi Mindy,

If there is a Gadabout which is a local van that picks people up with disabilities or elderly people you might be able to get a ride back and forth with them. They will come to your home and pick you up. The other things that I have done in the past is put an ad in the local paper or asked friends if they wand to make some extra money and I pay them for taking me back and forth to work. The only other thing you might want to check out is to see if you have a local epilepsy support group in your area and they may be able to give you some info and tell you what to do.

Take my word working in Special Ed. can keep you busy. If you do work with kids who are autistic you may see them having sz. also. Recently in a study that was done they have found that some people who are autistic will later have sz. in their life. I wish you the best of luck and May God Bless You!

Sue

Hi Mindy,
The active ingredient in aspartame is aspartate (aspartic acid). To nerves aspartate is an excitotoxin. To all cells aspartate is a metabolic nightmare. Glutamate (glutamic acid) is the bad boy behind MSG (monosodium glutamate). Glutamate is in the same functional class as aspartate, both nervous and metabolic. Someone with a brain injury should avoid all aspartates AND glutamates. For starters, grassy grains (wheat, barley, rye and oats) contain roughly 1/4 glutamate. Stop ingesting them. Read food labels. Stay away from "modified starches". They are glutamates. Better yet, stop ingesting processed foods all together.

Nerves are protected by, and operate behind, the blood brain barrier (BBB). Most cells do most of their chemical chores by manipulating water soluble chemicals. Nerves do not. Nerves do most of their chemical chores by manipulating fat soluble chemicals. So one of the main characteristics supporting the blood brain barrier is the proper feeding and maintenance of fats. You need to concentrate on providing your brain with *abundant* animal fat and fish oil in the form of fresh seafood.

Cold compresses help on the back of the neck. Also, stay away from high concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin. They concentrate in the retina and elicit autoimmune attacks against the visual cortex. Lutein and Zeaxanthin are extremely concentrated in yellow corn and egg yolks.

Good luck.
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