Hi, I am hoping that people can hear my story and help me which I am really struggling to describe so please bear with me. Basically ever since I have know I have been suffering with this fear which has plagued me for most of my life. I am 37 and for the last five years things have gone progressively worse for me. In 2012 I started getting these fairly frequent episodes of deja vu which could be related to dreams/flashbacks of my life which at times could happen on a daily basis and numerous times. Accompanied by this I had on numerous occasions these unexpected feelings of fear and unreality like dreamlike situations where i started to experience the rising stomach feeling and pressure up into my head. I googled this which sent me into panic and all my symptoms identically match temporal lobe seizures which can spread from partial to generalised. At this time my anxiety levels are through the roof with googling constantly and me thinking their is no way anxiety can create these real physical symptoms.
This could happen anywhere at anytime.
Moving forward It got to the point in 2014 I went to be referred by my GP to see a neurologist who sent me for an EEG and MRI scans which came back completely normal and they were happy to rule out seizures/epilepsy which in one way I was relieved to hear it all came back normal but it didnt relax my mind as I have read so many things online and so many websites/forums stating that scans and tests are usually normal and you can still have seizures/epilepsy. Anyhow things slightly improved and moving forwards to 2017 and over the last 6 weeks things have returned and much worse and the symptoms have intensified which has sent me into right panic that this is it the seizures are going to start for definite now. I have been the doctor who has put me on an anxiety medication but I have convinced myself I have temporal lobe epilepsy and I am scared so much as its my biggest fear. All the epilepsy websites are identical to my symptoms.
I am going to ask to see if I can go for tests again as their is no way anxiety can create these really weird seizure symptoms.
I dont no what to do I cant live like this living in fear of epilepsy.
P.S. If anyone can help me or explain what they think this is or can advise me.
Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Jonny
Hi Jonathan, what exactly are your symptoms as anxiety symptoms can manifest themselves in hundreds of different ways mimicking more serious symptoms even down to imagining them. The tightness around or in any part of the head is due to the small capillaries restricting so the blood flow is diverted to the muscles when anxiety strikes, if your in a permanent state of anxiety that symptom will remain.
Perhaps give us your main symptom.
Neil
Hi Neil, My main symptoms are sudden panic and hazy vision and all of a sudden feels like everything around is dreamlike which sends me into panic and makes my heart race and I feel sick in put of my stomach. Then I will also get random dream or memory flashbacks pop into my mind from nothing which again creates the panic and sick stomach with a rising feeling to my head.
I am scared this could be my biggest fear of epilepsy/seizures event though a few years the tests comes back normal.
I mean, I am NOT a doctor by any nature of the word- HOWEVER, I can tell you that even though those symptoms may match what you fear, they also match those of anxiety and panic attacks. Instead of obsessvly googling what you fear, I encourage you to google and do deep research on panic attacks and their effect on the body. And to also stop using google as a doctor. Google will ALWAYS tell you the worst possible case of even a sneeze. Definitely talk to your doctor to rule that Temporal lobe ep. out... Tell them that exact diagnoses and allow them to explain to you how it truly works and what it is, not trusting google for the best knowledge. See what they say.....
Hi Jonny sounds like panic attacks.Go to your doctor and get referred to a therapist that deals with anxiety disorders and when you get your anxiety under control the symptoms will definitely lessen.As you have said epilepsy is your biggest fear and anxiety latches on to whatever frightens you the most.
Hi Jonny.
i understand your fears and I've had crippling anxiety for as long as I can remember. However, a gigantic panic attack in April 2016 left me with many physical symptoms and more that came & went. I had so many things wrong, that I convinced myself that there was something physical. So, like you, I would be frantically searching various ailments that I had, trying to look for an answer, because it felt like nobody else wanted to. This then lead to morse anxiety, that lead to more ailments. Every test I had, it came back negative. Like you, I was happy nothing was wrong, but angry that I didn't have an answer. Fast forward to August 2016, I had my first seizure, which was a tonic clonic (also known as generalised) seizure. This sent me into even more panic and at one point, I was convinced there was a tumour in my brain that caused it. I then had another few seizures and was diagnosed with epilepsy (to my relief (that I finally had an answer for something) but that also made me quite depressed (forcing my drs to increase my anti-depressant med)). Like you, I have flashbacks etc. to when I first got my issues, or one of the times I was rushed to hospital, or something like that. I explained this to my psych dr, and he told me that it is to do with my brain bringing awareness of the incidents back to my body, so that I never end up in that situation again. Admittedly, they do sometimes scare me, but a lot of the time, I have to just let them take their course, as I know they're happening for a reason. I see a therapist and they've helped me sooooooooo much. Maybe go to your gp and ask them to refer
you to a psychiatrist. In the mean time, talk to people you trust, such as a significant other or family member.
I hope this helps and hope you get sorted soon (I know it doesn't seem it, but they will be sorted)
Jemma
Hi AnxietyGirl, thank you very much for your reply I completely understand what your saying and I get that you can have panic attacks but surely panic attacks last longer. My symptoms are constant but when the what I call auras they only last a few seconds which panic me and make me think this is going to be a seizure given what I have googled. I really am praying its anxiety and nothing serious but I thought anxiety or panic attacks are usually things like chest pain, hot and cold sweats and short of breath etc... Not the visual auras and deja vu but worried I am going to be diagnosed with temporal lobe epilepsy even though a few years ago the doctor said it wasn't.
I also must add I occasionally get these zig zag flashes and partial vision loss before a migraine so wonder whether this is related
Hi Marleen, thank you very much for your message and reply I am very thankful. I am waiting on a doctors appointment. Do you believe that anxiety can create these unusual symptoms that are identical to temporal lobe seizures? I also get visual auras with migraines so I am scared it's all connected and I have epilepsy too even though in 2014 the neurologist ruled epilepsy out. But surely things can change?
Hi Jemma, thank you very much for your message but now I am panicking even more so do you think I have epilepsy now coz my symptoms are like yours? Oh gosh i am so scared now
Jonathan do not panic please sometimes l wonder if this forum helps.Listen everyone is different it sounds like you have non epileptic seizures.Now before you take a panic attack there is nothing wrong with your brain it is caused by anxiety and is treated by a psychiatrist and therapy.Now please try to calm down and talk to your doctor.
Oh gosh non epileptic attack that sounds really scary like does this mean I am going to have a full seizure? This is really panicking me. Another post called Jemma on this discussion has sent my panic into overdrive as she has said her symptoms are just like mine and eventually she started having the gran mal seizures I am scared mine turn into this. I will speak with doctor but non epileptic seizures sounds like I am gonna go into fit
Jonathan no you are not going to take a seizure you are not epileptic.Grand mals are only caused by the brain misfiring.Your brain is functioning perfectly.Your episodes are caused by anxiety nothing more.
Hi Marleen thank you for being understanding. But please read Jemma83362 post because this sounds just like mine and she started experiencing grandmals months after her symptoms so this is what really scares me
No, I'm sure you'll be ok. I didn't mean to scare you. I'm not a doctor, but I don't personally think that you have epilepsy, because the majority of people have 'flashbacks' or whatever and it never turns into anything. Maybe go to your gp and discuss your findings???
Again, I apologise for scaring you, I didn't mean to :-(
Regards,
Jemma
The drs claim they aren't linked in my case.
Hi Jemma it's ok I just panicking as you have just developed seizures for no apparent reason but your symptoms match mine so I'm thinking I will start experiencing them. I wish I could be told from doctor that anxiety can cause these weird symptoms.
I know Jonathan but a lot of people get the very same symptoms and never have seizures so that's what l have said we are all different.Try to stay calm and talk to your doctor.You need to see a therapist as well so talk about that as well.Let us know how it goes.
Ive been told that the name for anxiety causing strange symptoms w/o an obvious medical cause is conversion disorder. I have been told multiple times that the conversion disorder has no chance in being connected to my epilepsy. Apparently it's a coincidence that I was lucky enough to be the chosen one to have both problems. I've been told by my epilepsy drs that there is not any known cause as to why people develop epilepsy. Is there a chance you can see a gp and tell them your idea/worry and tell them that you won't allow them to act like they're doing something, but then they don't do anything. (That probably doesn't make sense. Sorry) I think (and hope) you'll be ok. Please keep me informed
Hi Jemma, Terrible day so far just had another few bad experiences this morning with this. Had the deja vu, random flashbacks but the weird intense fear just come over me which makes my vision go funny and hazy/cloudy. It can last for about 5/10 seconds before it starts to fade and I can rememvber the whole experience but they seem to becoming more frequent which scares me that I am heading for a massive seizure. It also leaves me feeling so panicky and my head always feel tight and heavy after.
I spoke with the doctor and they are going to refer me to see a neurologist to see if they can investigate further but their is a 3 month waiting list and I am scared that I am heading for epilepsy. I dont know if this is TLE or Anxiety or something else. I am so scared its Epilepsy.
Hi Marleen Terrible day so far just had another few bad experiences this morning with this. Had the deja vu, random flashbacks but the weird intense fear just come over me which makes my vision go funny and hazy/cloudy. It can last for about 5/10 seconds before it starts to fade and I can rememvber the whole experience but they seem to becoming more frequent which scares me that I am heading for a massive seizure. It also leaves me feeling so panicky and my head always feel tight and heavy after.
I spoke with the doctor and they are going to refer me to see a neurologist to see if they can investigate further but their is a 3 month waiting list and I am scared that I am heading for epilepsy. I dont know if this is TLE or Anxiety or something else. I am so scared its Epilepsy.