Epileptic fit???

[JinLondon]

I am a 23 year old female. Since the beginning of February this year I have been suffering from "episodes" which are yet to be diagnosed. It is now at the point that I suffer from about 6-8 a week and is very much affecting my life style so I am of course eager to figure out what may be wrong with me.

Generally I get a bit of a warning before, about 5-20min where I feel absolutely lousy, weak, and generally confused and "out of it", others have said that if they speak to me I sometimes don't react or seem like I don't understand. I feel like I can't speak properly and that I am generally "slow" during this time. Then it usually progresses to me passing out, immediately before I can't see or hear properly and then I lose consciousness for a few seconds/minutes. People who have observed me during this said that I always shake. I was told that I get very tense and have something of a "twitch".

Afterwards it takes me a while to get back to normal, between 5-20 min. I am still very confused, incredibly tired and have a hard time speaking. I also get pins & needles in my mouth and arms and sometimes get very upset.

This has happened in all types of situations, outside, at home, at work, alone and surrounded by poeple. The only constant I have been able to figure out is that it gets worse when I am tired and therefore I many times have two in a row.

Any idea???

[JinLondon]

I know, but it's very frustrating. It's been going on since the beginning of February and, especially at work, is really causing problems.

[NcokeO]

it takes time it took me 3 months to get it all done with.

[JinLondon]

That sounds... uhm... interesting. Don't think strobe lighting (at least the normal kind) has much of an effect on me as I work in a theatre where strobe lighting is used during the show (in moderation) and I haven't collapsed when they used it.
I wish they just did do all the tests they need to do together and quickly, but with the NHS I am lucky if it doesn't take another 5yrs... I waited 4 weeks to see a cardiologist and that's after being placed on the "urgent" list, now I am waiting to do other tests before seeing him again after 6 weeks and at some point neurologist as well. Can't afford to get the tests done privately.

[NcokeO]

Yes you can have a EEG done instead of 2 to 5 electrodes placed on ur body to see how ur heart is running, they can do a EEG ECG combo at once if u can it saves time.
with the EEG they put many many electrodes on your head do monitor your brain activity. if the brain activity is normal it might be heart related as in not getting enough oxygen circulating. durring my EEG both of them they used this stobe light that sent me off into oblivion, first though they make u fall asleep then they flash u with the episodes of various light frequencys. it only started affecting me when they felt really fast and strong pulses of the strobe light.

[JinLondon]

Thank you for your reply. I live in London so I don't drive, but was asked by cardiologist not to ride bike or swim till have seen neurologist as well.
How can that sort of thing be diagnosed? They still think it might be cardiac related, so am doing that week long ECG thing, is there something similar for neurology?
I am so incredibly sick of all of this, it is really messing up my life at the moment.

[NcokeO]

mine epilepsy is different that what u described I have fallen down stiff as a board then was out for a while, no convulsions, but lack of where u are, loss of consciousness, and feeling tired. EVEry thing u have said sound like seizures. their are many people that have thouse kind and their very dangerous with driving.... if u feel weird while driving i hope u pull over. till u feel normal.

[NcokeO]

Sounds like to me your haveing a complex seizure.

[JinLondon]

They are doing a week-long ECG as I didn't have any symptoms during the 24h one and a tilt-table test, I am to see the cardiologist again and he is also referring me to a neurologist.

I just wanted to ask if this sounds like epilepsy. I have only seen epilepsy once in my life when a girl I knew had convulsions and that was quite different. She started making sounds and thrashing about. But I have heard there are different types.