Aa
Auras
I am 36 now, and at 33 I experienced what I thought was deja vu. I got very cold, my stomach got butterflies, and I began to smell a cold amonia type odor. I was in the parking garage at work and I felt like I was seeing everything through tunnel vision. I felt like I had a memory of 'something familiar' but when I snapped out of it, I can not remember what I was thinking during the episode. I ignored it. This had happened about 20 more times since then. At times I have been around other people, and they tell me when it is over "were you listening to me??? you spaced out". I never mentioned this to anyone before last week when it happened in front of my husband. He said I became very pale and just stared 'through' him. I never feel like I am not aware of what is going on around me, just that I am 'futher away from the situation' than I am. They do not last long (under 2 minutes) and I never lose consciousness. I am becomeing worried though that something is seriously wrong. Any suggestions? Oh, to make things more complicated, I live in Mexico now with my husband and health care is not like the US.....
what you have sounds like simple partial seizures. you should see a neurologist and he will probably put you on anti-seizure medication.
by the way, these feelings you have during these episodes sounds like depersonalization/derealiztion. something like an out of body experience.
your symptoms sound a lot like seizures from temporal lobe. the memory of "something familiar" fits under the "deja vu" category. when others say "were you listening to me" and it appears you spaced out, that may be classified as an "absence seizure". the aura sensations of "stomach butterflies" are known as "epigastric rising" and the olfactory hallucination of noxious odors (your ammonia odor) are both associated strongly with seizures starting in the temporal lobe.
I would also say, consult with a neurologist.
here are some more questions to consider: how is your sleep? are you able to fall asleep and stay asleep?
I recommend keeping a detailed journal of the sensations you experience, what you feel and when you feel it, and if possible what you were doing when it happened. This will be very valuable when you go to the doctor and try to explain/describe what you have been experiencing. Also, keep a record of when you have your menstrual cycle, hormones can have a great affect on seizures.
much good luck to you,
aurora
I would also say, consult with a neurologist.
here are some more questions to consider: how is your sleep? are you able to fall asleep and stay asleep?
I recommend keeping a detailed journal of the sensations you experience, what you feel and when you feel it, and if possible what you were doing when it happened. This will be very valuable when you go to the doctor and try to explain/describe what you have been experiencing. Also, keep a record of when you have your menstrual cycle, hormones can have a great affect on seizures.
much good luck to you,
aurora
Thank you for the advice. I have not slept without the help of medication for 15 years. No ambien or benadryl, no sleep. I the rare case I am so exhausted I do fall asleep, I wake up about every 30 to 45 minutes until I give up and just get up. I will definately keep a log. Again, Thanks
Irishbeth, I would like to ask you a few more questions to satisfy my own curiosity, but since they are personal you may or may not answer dependent upon how comfortable you feel.
Do you keep a journal or do personal writing? if so, how much do you feel you need to write in it each day? (or if you are a visual artist, how much do you draw or paint?)
Are you religious, or are you a person of faith? Have you ever had an ecstatic experience, or a sense of Divine Union, or seen a vision?
Do you perceive spirits or the spirit realm or have spirit guides? Do you have any experiences of Extra-Sensory Perception?
These questions have some relation to temporal lobe seizures, but not as much to physical symptoms as to perceptual and behavioral symptoms. As I said, the questions are personal and bring up personal issues, it's your choice whether or not you'd like to discuss this in a public (although anonymous) forum.
aurora
Do you keep a journal or do personal writing? if so, how much do you feel you need to write in it each day? (or if you are a visual artist, how much do you draw or paint?)
Are you religious, or are you a person of faith? Have you ever had an ecstatic experience, or a sense of Divine Union, or seen a vision?
Do you perceive spirits or the spirit realm or have spirit guides? Do you have any experiences of Extra-Sensory Perception?
These questions have some relation to temporal lobe seizures, but not as much to physical symptoms as to perceptual and behavioral symptoms. As I said, the questions are personal and bring up personal issues, it's your choice whether or not you'd like to discuss this in a public (although anonymous) forum.
aurora
Have you read the book "temporal lobe epilepsy, a medical, historical and artistic phenomenon". It is about the effect of TLE on the personality and how it can lead to hypergraphia (compulsive writing) and compulsive painting. I think it also talks about religious experiences. Sorry I cant remember the details as it's 10 years since I read it. Just thought you might be interested.
I haven't read the book, do you have an author? is it eve la plante? I am very interested in the subject, and would like to hear people's personal accounts.
Also, very interested in any possible connection between TLE and headaches/head pain.
I recently read a fiction book called "Lying Awake" by Mark Salzman, about a nun who has TLE and it gives her headaches and religious visions. The symptoms seems well-researched but the book is fiction, so it is difficult to know exactly how accurate it is.
Also, very interested in any possible connection between TLE and headaches/head pain.
I recently read a fiction book called "Lying Awake" by Mark Salzman, about a nun who has TLE and it gives her headaches and religious visions. The symptoms seems well-researched but the book is fiction, so it is difficult to know exactly how accurate it is.
Yes, the book is by Eve La Plante and it is very informative. You describe classic temporal lobe symptoms, you will need an EEG, preferably one where you have been sleep deprived. This is imperative, as you will need to fall asleep during the 45-60 minute recording. The sleep deprivation elicits seizure activity. The smells, deja vu feelings and other symptoms you described are considered classic. Good luck, be sure your Neurologist understands that you have done your research, he should insist on an EEG.
Hi, EEg,tech, I have read that TLE seizures often do not show up on EEg's because they originate from deep within the brain and regular scalp electrodes often dont pick them up (same with frontal lobe seizures.)
Can you tell me more about this?
I have had three EEg's, two in hospital and one at home, none of them sleep deprived. Most recent one was negative while I exhibited symptoms, one at home showed rare sharp waves in parietal area while I had symptoms, the one two years ago was totally clear and I had no symptoms during the test.
many thanks, aurora
Can you tell me more about this?
I have had three EEg's, two in hospital and one at home, none of them sleep deprived. Most recent one was negative while I exhibited symptoms, one at home showed rare sharp waves in parietal area while I had symptoms, the one two years ago was totally clear and I had no symptoms during the test.
many thanks, aurora
There is a nun called Karen Armstrong who has TLE and has had religious visions as a result. She has written several books but I'm not sure how much these focus on her epilepsy.
My gosh....you just almost completely described my daughter's symptoms! The exact things happen to her...auras, dejavu, sometimes headaches afterwards, sometimes tingling-- blank stare for maybe 30 secs, etc. Went to neurologist---lots of EEGs, Brain mri, etc. tried depakote, etc....does not have them regularly, may go months with nothing then 2-5 in one day/nite! No answer....keep log of periods, foods, supplements, etc....nothing and NO help in site....just a mystery?
Have you had a long term EEG? If you are in a major metropolitan area there is a type of long term monitoring where you wear the device over a 24 hours period,such testing
will give samples of any abnormal activity and randomly samples once an hour. There are so many causes of activity, literally seizures brought on my music, typing, things you would never suspect. Sometimes it just takes repeating the activity to elicit the accompanying seizure. Hope you figure this out, sometimes they are hard to catch. Good luck
will give samples of any abnormal activity and randomly samples once an hour. There are so many causes of activity, literally seizures brought on my music, typing, things you would never suspect. Sometimes it just takes repeating the activity to elicit the accompanying seizure. Hope you figure this out, sometimes they are hard to catch. Good luck
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