Seizure or Migrane??

[johnnymutt]

Last night I had a bad "Seizure" while using the restroom. I was sitting there, and was feeling wierd, suddenly I couldn't tell what I was seeing. I didn't even know where the door was. Nothing made sense visually. I had no headache pain, or anything at the time. I did develope a mild headache later on in the evening however. I actually beleive that I had several seizures through the weekend, as a couple of times I had strange visual distubances, with a sense of weird feeling, like I was blanking out.

I did get my blood cortisol level back as normal. I'm still waiting on the free cortisol test results. I got a copy of my most recent blood test which was in Feb. and pretty much everything was normal. My sodium level was maxed out at 145. I am starting to wonder if my sodium level has anything to do with some of my symptoms. I started peeing my brains out in early March, and am still urinating way to much, (you all know the middle of the night trips). I wonder if another blood test will pull up some usable results, should I lean on my doctor to test me again. Any thoughts?

[horselip]

Hey-
I feel for you! Your regular doctor could order the lab test. I know of a few DI folks who don't have a very good thirst mechanism, which made it tricky for diagnosis.

I have Diabetes Insipidus and it is an unquenchable thirst and pee cycle that never goes away. I was diagnosed from my symptoms and the result from an ADH lab test. I am also a pituitary patient and this came on after pit surgery.

I only need to take a very small dose of DDAVP at night so that I am not getting up every hour to pee/drink. But now I can sleep! By day I just chug lots of fluids (2+ gallons) The hubby lovingly calls me a frat boy :)

If you get diagnosed and if you go onto DDAVP, you will need really close supervision by a doctor as folks will have a tendency to overdo it on the DDAVP and overhydrate themselves.
Until then drink lots!
Horse

[johnnymutt]

I cannot believe that no one has caught on to the diabetes insipidus, or at least suggested it. I have, for as long as I can remember, had an unquenchable thirst. I have been checked so many times for diabetes, that I cannot even count them. My doc knows about the peeing and drinking, it is why he sent me for a CT scan, thinking I had a blockage, or some sort of prostate problem. I am still having a hard time imagining why my doc hasn't referred me to an endo. I tried to get an appointment myself, but they said that a doctor must refer the patient, before they accept.

[rumpled]

ADH = vasopressin, the pituitary hormone that controls the kidneys regulation of sodium. Have you told the docs about the peeing, and the drinking and have they though about diabetes insipidus? So if you stop drinking, you can get into huge problems. But that means you are thirsty and pee all the time. It can be treated with DDAVP.

There is also SIADH. That is when sodium and potassium levels get wacked.

[johnnymutt]

Thanks for the input  horselip, I'll definitely think harder about going to the hospital next time.
Rumpled, my K was normal, I'm not sure what an ADH test is, and I drink and pee, most of the time, but here lately I have just been peeing. My thirst is gone, but I am still peeing like mad.

I am going in for another brain MRI tomorrow night as well. I had my aldosterone renin level checked today, but results will be out for a few days.

Thanks.
John

[rumpled]

What was your K (potassium)?
Have they tested your ADH ever? Do you drink and pee, or just pee?

Have they thought about psuedotumor cerebri?

[horselip]

Hey-
When your sodium is maxed out you are dehydrated. And yes could be that if you got dehydrated enough you could pass out. If it happens again you might want to get yourself to the hospital and they can check your electrolyte levels as this might be a game of dare that you would want to mess with. That could a symptom of low aldosterone/adrenal issues. OR even Diabetes Insipidus. Are you a pituitary or Adrenal patient?

I get a metallic taste in my mouth sometimes but I am currently being worked up for a Cerebral spinal fluid leak. I've already had one surgery for a CSF leak and am going back to California in May for another round of testing to see if it has come back and they can pinpoint it- I dunno if you have this though just throwing it out at you since you are in the process of being diagnosed.

Hope you feel better.
Horse

[johnnymutt]

Just got my free cortisol test results back...... Everything is normal. On to the next step.

[johnnymutt]

I forgot to mention that I have this really salty taste in my mouth that I cannot shake. Sometimes it taste's like metal to, but mostly salty.