My 20-something daughter has recently had a couple of seizures. We are aware of past drug and alcohol use, but not on the days when she had the "seizures". The last one was in the middle of the night and was unobserved but she bit her tongue badly and woke herself up. The first one was observed and described as a seizure. She denies drug/alcohol use on the days when she has seized. She is very depressed, however, Can depression cause seizures? I am trying to make an appointment with a neurologist for a consult. I am posting on depression forum as well. She is seeing a therapist for the depression.
I also wonder this, but moreso with STRESS. I find I have more seizure when I'm stressed out.
How would you define "stress". I guess she has these more when she is upset about something.
Hey concerned dad. I am a 29 year old who has been having partial seizures since I was probably 13 and I've been having the grand mal seizures for almost 2 years now. As I have come to find out, depression and seizure disorders of whatever type usually coincide. I thought I was just feeling sorry for myself, but the psychiatrist, the counselor and the neuro have all agreed that the depression sort of comes along with the disorder.
Everyone here is so right, this is a great place to come and find information as well as a friend to listen. Get your daughter in here. This site has really helped me to get through some of this mess. If she wants someone to talk to on a more private basis my email is: amandajane11@hotmail.com
I know she needs a lot of support through the coming months. I've gone through some of the alcohol/drug questions myself and I would love to "talk" to her. We can go through these stages together!!! 
Peace, Love and Happiness
AmandaJane
The neurologist yesterday said stress cannot cause the seizures. Is tongue biting a pretty strong indicator of seizure disorder? If it is drug/alcohol related, will the seizures go away if she stops abusing or is there "permanent" damage?
Hey concerned dad - I don't know the rules on here about talking about illegal activities, even though it is very relevant to the situation, but I'm curious about the types of activities she partook in. Again, I am by no means a doctor, nor do I have the answers for you. I am a young lady who may very well be in a similar situation as your daughter. Again, have her email me. I know she needs a friend to help her through this, one who may have had similar experiences.
Peace, Love and Happiness
AmandaJane
concerneddad said...
The neurologist yesterday said stress cannot cause the seizures. Is tongue biting a pretty strong indicator of seizure disorder? If it is drug/alcohol related, will the seizures go away if she stops abusing or is there "permanent" damage?
The neurologist yesterday said stress cannot cause the seizures. Is tongue biting a pretty strong indicator of seizure disorder? If it is drug/alcohol related, will the seizures go away if she stops abusing or is there "permanent" damage?
I guess every doctor is different, my doctor and the lady that took my EEG told me this week that definetly stress makes it worse.
Of course I haven't seen a neurolgist yet.
Good luck with your daughter.
I know this is from over four years ago so it is a very long shot, but I think I am in a similar situation to concereddad's daughter. I am only fifteen, and last year on a band trip to florida I had a very severe attack. After two hours the EMT's gave me oxygen which stopped the hyperventalation. I had attacks after that, thinking they were just 'panic attacks' and I moved on. Gradually over the summer they decreased in length and severity, but now that school is starting they seem to get worse. I black out during my seizures or episodes. There was one seizure that I did not even hyperventalate, I just didn't breathe. I need help. The doctors think it could be lymes disease, but I'm being told it could be just stress. My neurologist says I'm not epileptic, and my EEG and MRI came back normal, but I don't want to take the chance of something being looked over. I don't know how this works, but if Concerneddad could tell me what he found out about his daughter that would be great. Thank you
Have any of U every heard of psuedoseizures? That's
what I was diagnosed with in 2004. They act out like real seizures but they told me they were brung on by servere stress. Your body tightens, arms legs, eyes roll back the whole nine yard. When they did an EEG and told me this I had never heard of this type of seizure, so they sent me to a pyschirtist( didnt spell that right) they said it was away my body was releasing stress Humm. At times I'm not stressed at all having a good time and I will just hit the floor. It's now 2009 and I'm still having them and the meds arent working, Iv'e been denied disability twice and going for a 3rd try. I can't do the thinks I used to enjoy doing because of these attacks that's what our family calls them, and the doctors don't have and ideal about this most of them have never heard of psuedoseizures which makes it worse.
Every test they did came back normal for me to, so thats when Cleveland Clinic told me what was going on. It's a never ending struggle. U WILL BE VERY SURPRISED WHAT STRESS WILL MAKE YOUR BODY DO!!
Psuedoseizures, depression, anxiety~
Hey Concerned Dad
Here is something to consider. She may have a Bi-Polar disorder.
about four years ago Psychiatrists started started using anti-seizure drugs to stabilize mood swings in bi-polar patients. For many with bi-polar disorders anti-depressives can increase thoughts of suicide. They did with me. I'm Bi-Polar II (mild mania and severe depression cycles). They think bi-polar and seizures are somehow interrelated. They don't know how or why yet.
Anti-seizure drugs (known as mood stabilizers to psychiatrists and their patients) have worked wonders for me.
Drugs and alcohol (isn't that redundant?) abuse is understood as "self medication" for people with bi-polar disorder. It is considered a symptom.
See if you can get her into a psychiatrist. If he or she diagnoses bi-polar disorder the psychiatrist and neurologist might be able to find a drug that works for both conditions. I'm not a doctor, but it might be worth a shot.
OBB
55 yo
Dx:9/29/09
DRE: Susp
PSA: 3.5
Gleason: 3+4/7
6/12 Cores Positive
1%, 3%, 8%, 15%, 12%
RALP: 10/0/09
PATH: Not back yet
Here is something to consider. She may have a Bi-Polar disorder.
about four years ago Psychiatrists started started using anti-seizure drugs to stabilize mood swings in bi-polar patients. For many with bi-polar disorders anti-depressives can increase thoughts of suicide. They did with me. I'm Bi-Polar II (mild mania and severe depression cycles). They think bi-polar and seizures are somehow interrelated. They don't know how or why yet.
Anti-seizure drugs (known as mood stabilizers to psychiatrists and their patients) have worked wonders for me.
Drugs and alcohol (isn't that redundant?) abuse is understood as "self medication" for people with bi-polar disorder. It is considered a symptom.
See if you can get her into a psychiatrist. If he or she diagnoses bi-polar disorder the psychiatrist and neurologist might be able to find a drug that works for both conditions. I'm not a doctor, but it might be worth a shot.
OBB
55 yo
Dx:9/29/09
DRE: Susp
PSA: 3.5
Gleason: 3+4/7
6/12 Cores Positive
1%, 3%, 8%, 15%, 12%
RALP: 10/0/09
PATH: Not back yet
You probably already know that serotonin is a brain chemical that is important for well-being and associated behaviors (eating, relaxation, sleep). Imbalances in serotonin are also associated with depression. A 2005 study indicated that depression may be a risk factor for epilepsy and that the two conditions may share common chemical pathways in the brain.
phylisfeinerjohnson
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phylisfeinerjohnson
Links to helpful web sites (commercial or otherwise) are allowed when they are posted by someone without any "vested interest" AND whose purpose is NOT to solicit, advertise, promote, fundraise, etc.
Post Edited By Moderator (Pink Grandma) : 11/28/2009 2:24:25 PM (GMT-7)
realife-
thank you very much for the post. when I went to my neurologist last, he told me that it was most likely stress, but that he very well could be wrong. He also told me that he had a patient who would randomly pass out, and he thought itwas stress, but come to find out she had a heart condition.
A couple of weeks ago, i felt a really bad, sharp pain in my chest, and then it felt like it spread through my heart and over to my ribs. My arm started shaking, this lasted about fifteen minutes.
Also, my seizures have changed too, now, they just happen, I cannot tell when they will come on. I'm in pain constantly, everywhere, but mainly the lower part of my stomach, and arms, and legs.
In the past week, a rather strange lump has appeared on my chest. It is about 1.5 in diameter. However, underneath the bump there is more of the hardness, about three inches around. The bump does not move, not above the skin,k or below, it just doesn't move at all. I've tried squeezing it to see if it was an ingrown hair, but it just doesn't move at all.
I've been monitoring it very closely, and it is getting slowly bigger. However, there is a little redness ot the bump, like maybe it was a bite, but I don't think so. It hurts to move my arms, because of this thing on my chest.
Thank you so much for replying, I honestly thought it was a dead post.
Thank you so much for replying, I honestly thought it was a dead post.
Your welcome Bloodhound 12,Hope everything goes well, and U should have that bump check out.
realife said...
[img]/community/emoticons/confused.gif[/img] Have any of U every heard of psuedoseizures? That's
what I was diagnosed with in 2004. They act out like real seizures but they told me they were brung on by servere stress. Your body tightens, arms legs, eyes roll back the whole nine yard. When they did an EEG and told me this I had never heard of this type of seizure, so they sent me to a pyschirtist( didnt spell that right) they said it was away my body was releasing stress Humm. At times I'm not stressed at all having a good time and I will just hit the floor. It's now 2009 and I'm still having them and the meds arent working, Iv'e been denied disability twice and going for a 3rd try. I can't do the thinks I used to enjoy doing because of these attacks that's what our family calls them, and the doctors don't have and ideal about this most of them have never heard of psuedoseizures which makes it worse.
Every test they did came back normal for me to, so thats when Cleveland Clinic told me what was going on. It's a never ending struggle. U WILL BE VERY SURPRISED WHAT STRESS WILL MAKE YOUR BODY DO!!
Psuedoseizures, depression, anxiety~
[img]/community/emoticons/confused.gif[/img] Have any of U every heard of psuedoseizures? That's
what I was diagnosed with in 2004. They act out like real seizures but they told me they were brung on by servere stress. Your body tightens, arms legs, eyes roll back the whole nine yard. When they did an EEG and told me this I had never heard of this type of seizure, so they sent me to a pyschirtist( didnt spell that right) they said it was away my body was releasing stress Humm. At times I'm not stressed at all having a good time and I will just hit the floor. It's now 2009 and I'm still having them and the meds arent working, Iv'e been denied disability twice and going for a 3rd try. I can't do the thinks I used to enjoy doing because of these attacks that's what our family calls them, and the doctors don't have and ideal about this most of them have never heard of psuedoseizures which makes it worse.
Every test they did came back normal for me to, so thats when Cleveland Clinic told me what was going on. It's a never ending struggle. U WILL BE VERY SURPRISED WHAT STRESS WILL MAKE YOUR BODY DO!!
Psuedoseizures, depression, anxiety~
I know you wrote eons ago but it took 14 yrs and a doctor to practically kill me for them to find epilwpsy. He practically took me out with his concoction of anti anxiety meds that never worked which btw he also had me on regular szr meds as i had tonic clonics in front of him....i am not with him he is probably not of this plane but he always told me that stress made my szrs worse ....
I have a wonderful doctor now...more specialized than a neuro...I have an Epileptologist. He had to fight to get my records back from the bad doc....saw there were a couple of bad Eegs in there...but EEGS are a toss up...you need more specialized ones...a sleep deprived one at the very least because in those 14 yrs...99% of my EEGS. And every MRI came back normal. I have TLE and Partial Frontal Lobe Epilepsy that is not well controlled by meds...for the grace of God I am alive and have most all my szrs at night.
It is easy for them to tell you that it is a psuedo szr and yes I have heard of them...btw I am not on a single anxiety med...they almost killed me and I dont have anxiety...but I am surprised they did not tell you that once you open up with one seizure....that therefore opens the floodgates and makes it easier.....has never taken drugs that were not prescribed and never abused those that were....I came here looking for depression because i have been depressed most of my life (szrs started at 21) but it has gotten worse in the past two yrs since my fathers passing....i wish i could find info for me ....I know selfish right...but i am constantly helping others....
Again I am not a doctor dont claim to be one or know everything but have been to the Light and back due to my Epilepsy that was told was an idiopathoc szr disorder and that I would grow out of.....here I am going on 20 yrs with szrs and trust me......they effect more than your head :P
Post Edited (Ravenstorm09) : 6/12/2012 3:46:51 AM (GMT-6)
concerneddad said...
The neurologist yesterday said stress cannot cause the seizures. Is tongue biting a pretty strong indicator of seizure disorder? If it is drug/alcohol related, will the seizures go away if she stops abusing or is there "permanent" damage?
The neurologist yesterday said stress cannot cause the seizures. Is tongue biting a pretty strong indicator of seizure disorder? If it is drug/alcohol related, will the seizures go away if she stops abusing or is there "permanent" damage?
Deleted post. I wasn't aware of how old this thread was until after I posted it. LOL
Post Edited (Fox7) : 6/13/2012 10:15:35 AM (GMT-6)
Hi wanted you to know that depression absolutely can cause one to become epileptic. In 2010 I had my 1st seizure (Observed) (Dr.'s believe I was having them for some time and didn't know). In 2003 I had a severe slip & fall causing all kinds of damage physically and then depression set in big time. Knife to wrists and so forth. But in 2010 I was in a store when everything started to happen, I seized & woke in an ambulance going to hospital (it was that bad) Underwent all testing for all types of medications and then for heart issues. Once those were ruled out it was diagnosed that my seizures were due to devere depression for which was confirmed by a very reputable Physiatrist the only to know however is to have them do the medication and heart testing. Hope this helps.