No physiological reason for seizures?

[Nena351]

I am writing on behalf of my mother who was recently diagnosed as having complex partial seizures. We have had 2 EEG (nothing - during the second she had a numb er of seizures but the EEG still showed up normal), 2 CT Scans -normal, and an MRI -also normal.

She had a grand mal and was told initially that it was caused by a stroke. Then it wasn't a stroke but a sodium deficiency and all symptoms appeared to subside with an initial 300 MG dose of Dilantin. 9 days later, smaller seizures began and ultimately the disgnosis was complex partial seizures. Subsequently we have been on a number of drug combinations:

1. Dilantin 300mg
2. Dilantin 360mg + Lamital 300mg
3. Dilantin 360mg + Lamital 300mg+Clobazam 30mg
4. Dilantin 400g + Clobazam 40mg

- and though what the seizures look like has changed/evolved the number of seizures per day is approx. 30+ (Yes, per day). We have recently weaned her off the Lamictal as we believe that this contributed to sleeplessness but now she is having "falling" episodes, some hallucination, even more impaired memory and has even more of her "typical" complex partial seizures.

Has anyone seen/heard anything like this? Any ideas that could be considered?

The poor thing is getting more and more depressed...I would realy appreciate your help

[dollyn]

I am very sorry your mom is going threw all this .

my ten year old son has seizures and they do change.

being depressed  can cause you to have more seizures,I would see about getting her to someone to talk .

I know it is hard not being depressed with all she has gone threw.

and since she is now fallen ,you need to make sure the home is safe like  you would for a baby. Use the back burns on the stove, so if she was to fall into the stove she would be less likely to her burnt.

and with having that many seizures every day is she sleeping a lot?
Because the seem to make you sleepy after you have them.

hope and pray that your mom and your family are doing better.

[bjphlieger]

My father just went through a similar experience, but was having seizure like activity every 3-4 hrs the first two days and then every hour and a half the next day.  It eventually went back to fewer.  All tests came back normal.  They also diagnosed him with depression saying his brain is reacting to the depression by having what looks like seizures, but is really not.  Somehow I don't truly believe it either.  A little bit different scenario for us because my father has either a brain tumor, cyst, or encephalomalacia.  Doctors give different diagnosis so it's hard to say what was actually put in his file.  I know how hard it must be for you to go through this.  We thought we were losing my father, and it sounds like your mother is having a worse time.  You'll be in my thoughts.  Please keep us posted as to what you find out, if anything!!!

[kallily]

I have found that drs really don't know that much about the brain. I have had epilepsy since I was 2 yrs. old. I have gran mal seizures if not treated. I had many as a child and seemed to be related to emotions. If I got hurt, excited, overwhelmed...I would have a seizure and it was always gran mal. This was many years ago and back then they would not diagnose me as having epilepsy because that would mean that I couldn't attend a regular public school. This was back in the 50's. I wasn't actually diagnosed until the 80's. Like your mother they put me on Dilantin. I had a lot of trouble on this drug. My balance was off. I was depressed and spacey. I felt weird and just didn't like the way I was feeling. I went to the Drs and he was simply studying me while on this medication. I told him of my symptoms. He then left the room, entered a room next door and began recording my symptoms on the medication. He didn't help me but expressed that I should just give it time. After that I got another Dr. he put me on Tegretol, that was in 1988. I haven't had any problems since. I'm sharing this with you because I want to encourage you to be your own advocate. You know how you feel. You know the rapour you have with your Dr. This drug may or may not be the right one for you. There are many out there now that treat Epilepsy. You are not bound to one drug. Your quality of life is what your interested in and if this drug isn't making your life 'better' than I would try another Dr. or another medication. Take care and don't give up or get depressed about it. There are other choices.

[kallily]

I forgot to mention. No Dr. has ever been able to specifically tell me why I have seizures either. They just keep telling me that it is genetic and that someone else must have seizures in my family. But no one does. So I've had to let the why's go. Each day is a new day, with new choices and possibilities.