Temporal lobe seizures(??)
 

I'm having "fast moods" where time goes...fast. I've had these since I was a kid. Age 18 had EEG showing bilateral temporal spikes. No follow through.

I've had depression and drs are always 100% focused on that, but since I've had some more of these "fast moods" and notice they seem to coincide with severe anxiety depression even paranoia I'm wondering if there could be a link?

I can't really function in a "fast mood". I don't lose consciousness but HAVE had blank outs in my medical history (walked into traffic once).

In these...fast moods, time just feels warped. I hear a buzzing separate from my normal tinnitus. When the pitch changes, time begins to return to normal. Oh and I can't tolerate certain sounds, like paper, and I have to touch my finger to my nose and walk real slowly. I feel like I'm in a tunnel, and almost....like I'm not even quite in my own body. Obviously, trying to explain these things--happens about for 12-25 minutes sometimes nit for a year,,then sometimes 10 times a week--when you have a history if depression...doctors just blow me off. But I've been reading about temporal lobe spikes. They can lead to mental problems?? Trouble learning, chNges in personality? I'm not myself...admit yes I have issues but does any of what I describe here ring a bell for anyone who's also had temporal lobe EEG spikes? I was put on phenobarbital but never had a follow up and it's been a few decades... And I want an EEG done, just to make sure? Should I?? I'd appreciate some advice from somebody who's been there.

I just feel in my gut something's going on that's contributing to my current mental state. Thanks, this is my first post.

Hi Qwerky,

Welcome to the forum! I've had temporal lobe epilepsy for 42 yrs. and I have bi lateral lesions on both temporal lobes. Depression is a part of having epilepsy some of it is from the meds a person takes to control there sz. (seizures) while sometimes it's just hard for a person to have to deal with epilepsy. What you are describing sounds like you are having complex partial sz. and audio sz. a complex partial sz. is when a person will blank out and sometimes hear a odd sound or words repeated over and over again but really nobody is saying anything and it's a hallucination after that happens a person will often smack their lips or pull at their clothes then they will wander around not realizing what's going on and when the sz. is over they find themselves in a different room than where they were before. I have had this type of sz. along with absence (petit mal) sz. for many yr. An audio sz. is triggered by a certain sound so when you hear paper or other sounds this may be triggering the sz. If I may ask after this is all over do you feel tired, confused, have a headache, and short term memory loss, if you do then you are having sz.
My advice to you is to start seeing an Epileptologist at an Epilepsy center you can find these Drs. at large hospitals or university hospitals these Drs. specialize in epilepsy and can run some tests on you like another e.e.g., MRI, CT scan PET or SPECT scan to find out what's going on. Start keeping track of each time a possible sz. happens write down what time it happens on a calendar along with a description of the sz. this will help the Dr. see if you have a pattern in your sz. if they happen at certain times of the day or night and what days of the month. As far as being moody that can happen from either the med or the area of the brain that is triggering the sz. I have right temporal lobe epilepsy and on the right temporal lobe a person shows their emotions much more so when I was in my teens I was very moody but that stopped after I had brain surgery. Try taking vitamin B12 1000 mcg. once a day for adults 500 mcg. for kids. Cut back on the carbs and starch foods and stay away from anything with nutra sweet because the nutra sweet causing more electrical activity in a persons brain and can trigger sz. sometimes. I wish you the best of luck and May God Bless You!

Sue

Sue, thank you for your kind words of welcome.

Never heard of audio seizures. But once in a while--and it happened every night about 20 years ago during a period of tremendous grief--I'll get "noisemakers", which I'd hear a noise, like a car or truck or motorcycle? And it would repeat over and over and over. It woukd happen in my sleep, and once in a whole id have yrouble waking up? And would sit on the bed disoriented, with what sounded like a motorcycle next to my bed.,used to terrify me but now I just accept the noise, knowing it will eventually dissipate.

Yes, with the "fast moods" I end up exhausted. Seems to me I must be a lot worse off than it feels at the time, because I had one in school once taking one of those federal tests, and I zipped thru it( lol, it felt that way) and I failed do badly I had to take remedial math. I was a freshman taking calculus at the time, btw.
I don't know if I have amnesia afterward, onlz a few people have ever been around me when they happen. I've been told I smack my lips a lot, but it could be habit.

I've woken up and not tecognized where I was a few times. The problem is, it's happened so long I don't know what's normal or not.

How can I get my primary to get me to an epilepsy specialist? Everything is my "depression" now...like they think I'm in denial, when really I'm looking for answers.
I'm truly scared that if it is epilepsy, that it's damaged my brain beyond hope or treatment.

Also, and I'm not sure if this related at ALL, but around the same time I began having my "fast moods" (I was about 10), I would repeatedly have this issue where I'd wake up throwing up, and most of the time it was preceded by dreams of my swinging. I'd feel my chest go up n down, and dream I was on a circus ride, and I'd wake up smelling the most horrible smell, ever--and barf my guts up. We really did have a nearby chemical company that smelled but if I asked my siblings, none of them remembered smelling anything.

These episodes largely went away, though I'd still get the weird up feeling, and not always in bed. The family doctor thought it was vertigo from my ear (I was born with hearing loss and vision impairment esp on my right side). At age 33, I began getting another kind of sleep problem. It began quite suddenly during a stressful time. I choke in my sleep, but I don't snore that family has noticed. I dream there...pencils, tables, chairs in my breathing tube. It's so weird and a little funny. And I've no idea if it's plain old apnea or anything worse. I don't remember jerking around, I just wake up with the distinct impression I have forgotten how to breathe.

@kwerky
 

Hi, those hearing noises while asleep could be attributed to "exploding head syndrome" certainly what you describe feeling after it, the anxiety, the almost terrifying feeling and fear of falling back asleep in case it happens again sounds familiar.

Physicians tend to focus on one thing and the need to "make that better" before looking into other problematic conditions, particularly if your primary is so focused on your depression you can find it hard to get them to consider other things. Have you actually been told you are in denial, or is it the way in which you are treated that infers you are in denial? It can be particularly hard to have quality conversations with your doctor when they treat you as if you are being "difficult" and not listening to them the "professional". Regrettably, primary doctors are presented with a whole spectrum of patient disorders & often one disorder becomes their expertise because they deal with it so often. They can become closed to other possibilities because it's easier to fall back on what they know and the main symptoms you present with.

I suggest you talk to your primary and before you engage in any conversation thank them for their kindness and patience in seeing you, be genuine, tell them you are accepting of your depression diagnosis and more than willing to participate in whatever treatment they recommend. But, in addition you would like he or she to know, you have had these frequent frightening episodes, explain the episodes in very short terms, (don't make it a long dragged out story, be brief and factual) it helps if you write down your symptoms so you can read to the Primary this is what happens and how often it happens. Then ask the question, you wonder if in their opinion a referral to a specialist (neurologist) will assist you in your recovery by either ruling out epilepsy, or confirming it. I wouldn't talk about 20 years ago, just talk about what's going on now.

You have absolutely nothing to lose by having this conversation with your doctor. Doctors are renowned for their dislike of being told what to do, they dislike patients presenting with a forgone diagnosis, but they do respond well to acknowledgement and acceptance of their opinions, subtle flattery goes extremely well. By asking them if in their opinion a referral is necessary you are putting them in charge of the decision making.

I had 2 grand mal seizures in 2012, 4 months apart. Both times I was suffering with extreme anxiety and severe headache pain. During the first seizure in August, I fractured my thoracic spine in 3 places, fractured 2 ribs and sustained a stress fracture to S1. It took 6 weeks for them to diagnose the fractures because the GP was focused on my usual lower back pain. I went to my GP 3 times following the August seizure, I thanked her for seeing me again and in tears I explained I was struggling to breath and felt as though my internal organs no longer fit inside anymore. I asked her if she thought an X-Ray would be worthwhile as the pain was so bad. I clearly recall putting the decision in her hands and she nonchalantly said, "oh I suppose so" and filled out the X-ray form. While she was doing that I also asked if she thought seeing a neurologist would be worthwhile and she agreed it wouldn't hurt and filled out a referral. I went straight from the surgery to the radiologist, had the X-ray and came home. Within 2 hours of being home I got a phone call from my GP. She was super kind and friendly and said "uhm Pam, you have all these fractures and that's why you have been in so much pain, you need to see this specialist and I've had the girls make an appointment for you" ... I made my appt to see the neurologist and was fortunate to see him before I saw the back specialist. He did a number of tests and put me on lyrica, epilepsy was ruled out and the seizures attributed to being in such acute pain.

Sometimes we have to take control of our health care, but do so in such a way that the care providers still believe they are in charge. It is hard I know to be at the mercy of these people taking us seriously, I feel for you and what you are going through. Be strong, we are all here to support you in your journey and quest for better health. Use the search button on here look up Dr Smith who has a link on how to talk to your doctor. It may help you. :o

Hi Qwerky,
I have heard of sz. where people vomit during the sz. but what you are describing to me sounds like an aura (simple partial) sz. where you see and hear all of these things that is leading into a complex partial sz. or possibly a myoclonic sz. this type of sz. happens when a person goes to bed or when they first wake up. I had this kind of sz. for a short time. You should speak to your family Dr. and have them refer you to see an Epileptologist or have a sleep study done to see if you have sleep apnea which can sometimes lead to sz. for a person. I'm no Dr. but from what you have described I can't help but wonder if you are having some type of sz. Try taking vitamin B12 once a day that has reduced my sz. greatly and it won't hurt you at all. I wish you the best of luck and May God Bless You!

Sue

Nice to meet you!!
 

It is great to have you come and be with us. You will fine a great number of dear friends to listen when you are in need of ears. Please, just let us know how we can help you out. You will find out we are supportive and relaxing place.

Sue has given you some great advice on your conditition.

Please keep us up to date on your situation. Again welcome, looking forward to seeing you around. My thoughts and prayers are with you. :Wave-Hello:

Darlene :hug:

Thank you everybody!

Pretty sure not exploding head syndrome, it's not a sudden noise, just it repeats something I've heard. :) but the name made me smile, in a funny way lol.

I'm just now looking up specialists and aren't any in my area, so I may have to settle for a neurologist again. I'll keep everyone posted. This site is great.

Impressions, anyone?
 

Had kind of a benign but odd incident tonite. Right eye twitched badly about 15-20 seconds, at same time I smelled a strong odor. Oddly enough, I can't remember what the smell was. Then, I had an odd feeling in my tummy that went so high into my neck, like lifting and numb at the same time.

At the time I was stressed, not handling it well sorry to say. I mean, stressed immediately prior to the odd sensations.

Entire thing couldn't have lasted longer than a minute or so. But I'm hVing a lot more of these odd little incidents. Will reducing stress make them go away? Ive been taking b12, buty sleep has been off ( slept better last night).

So I'm both concerned and not really concerned, here. I'm very curious, however.

Hi Qwerky,

What you are describing sounds like a aura sz. also known as a simple partial sz. this happens to me a lot. I will get a nervous feeling in my stomach and sometimes see colors flashing back and forth in my eyes then I will smell weird odors like deviled eggs, or natural gas. Once in awhile I won't be able to talk for a few seconds or I will hear one word repeated over and over again but nobody is really saying anything. My Epileptologist told me this was a simple partial sz. that starts out in the head then shoots down into the stomach. I have been told to tighten up the muscles in my body and make tight fists the moment I start to feel this and it will stop the sz. it has worked for me many times. If you were under stress and if you were tired those are 2 of the main things that can trigger sz. for a person. I hope you are doing fine now. Here's wishing you only the best of luck and May God Bless You!

Sue