How can these neuroligical symptoms fit together?

[terensie]

I have been experiencing some new symptoms for about a month to 6 weeks now that my doc believes are possibly a type of seizure. He is scheduling me with a neurologist who specializes in seizures and epilepsy. It will be a while before I can get in, though.  

I am having "episodes" that begin with profound weakness, a heaviness and pressure feeling on the top and back of my head as if someone is pushing me. I zone out, not aware of my environment, but 'being' in a different place - rather like dreaming. I usually have arrythmias. I do have difficulty breathing - like I have been suffocated and cannot catch my breath. My vision is blurry. I feel as though I will faint or pass out. (I have twice.) This entire event lasts from 15 - 30 minutes and happens several times a day.

When the event is finished, I feel shaky inside and have done some pretty strange things. ie- once I had my hand and cell phone inside my bowl of oatmeal. Also, if I am writing when this comes on, I draw little squiggly looking lines maybe a quarter to half an inch long that are identical on the paper every couple of words until I take my hand away.

I cannot tie it to anything - food, allergy, environment, time of day, what I am doing, stress, et al.

Epilepsy? Other seizure type? Flu? Sinus attack? Protein shortage? Being taken over by an alien?

[terensie]

Thank you for affirming my own thoughts about needing to get a DX asap. I, too, have felt that these weird bouts warrant an emergency intervention. My doc, however, has not behaved or spoken with me with a sense of urgency. So I'm thinking that he is not alarmed, nor is the neurologist. My homecare nurses, however, are a bit upset.

I did not have any event as a precursor to these syptoms. I have been very ill for about 8 years now and am, as a result, very sensitive to any connections between daily life or extraordinary circumstances that may link a feeling of discomfort, severe pain or profound weakness, dizziness, zoning out, et al with something I have done, eaten, smelled, touched, heard or had done to me. It is a conundrum.  

I had an izchemic stroke about 5+ years ago and a much milder one about a year and a half later. I am on several "biggie" meds, such as methadone for chronic, severe pain from an accident that began all these illnesses (type II diabetes, hypertension, muscle atrophy, RSD). I am house-bound about 95% of the time and bed-bound about 75% of the time when I am at home. In my accident, my spine was fractured (hairline) in a couple of places, 3 discs were herniated, toes were broken that would not heal (became the first spot for RSD), and had other minor fractures.

Prior to this, however, I had been very healthy. Have only been DXed with MVP and PAT. Never even needed meds for either. Just ignored them. I have always been into healthy foods (vegetarian; eat organic, whole foods), take supplements, et al. And have led an active life. (Hiked up mountains on day trips in Colorado, loved to ski, etc.)

My mom passed on at age 50 from a sudden death (heart). My dad passed 4 years later when a stroke showed a brain tumor and cancer that I was told was "pretty much everywhere". Both were active and considered healthy. However, they ate lousy and both were alcoholics. Therefore, I don't hold up a big card and think that I must pass in one of those ways, myself.

My doc (a rather well-known diagnostician) told me today that if I have another attack that has such intense symptoms, to go to an emergency room. However, I have been seeing him for only two weeks, so he does not yet have a good feel for my reactions, interactions, opinions, thoughts, beliefs when it comes to my health and treatment.

To his credit, he has already had me take 2 tests - a 24 hour holter monitor (of course, I did not have any type of arrythmia during that time) and a 24 hour continual BP test. The concern about my BP is because I have been hospitalized a few times with uncontrollable, high BP, primarily diastolic. The last time I was in for nearly 3 months.

Last month, however, my BP did a 180 and began reading quite low. The lowest was about 82/37. My doc was not at all alarmed. It seems that no one from this doc to other of my docs to my pharmacist can tell me what "too low" BP is supposed to be. I was experiencing symptoms: passed out twice, light-headed, dizzy, nausea, shaky. But that does not appear to be concerning.

I also keep a diary of every event, what type, time, duration, symptoms, food involvement, activity, and other categories. I chart these things for a couple of reasons. 1) I want to track down anything that even appears to exacerbate any symptoms so that I can alleviate it; 2) I want to visualize not only those categories, but the time of year, what type of allergens are about, pollution level, weather, and similar information.

I think that this is the best way to help support my docs in our attempts, and eventual actualization, to cure the majority of my challenges. I know that docs don't have the time or manpower, and insurance companies do not have the funds to foot the bill for others to do this for me. So I consider it one of my contributions to keeping me as well as possible and on a constant road to recovery.

[louis682]

I see these as emergency symptoms and the neurologist should see you in the next few days to find out the underlying cause and treat it....do you have a family history of congenital disease or defects or neurologic disease or cancer....
and do your remember the first day the symptoms started was it caused by anything had you had trauma impact to your head or ate something in particular you may feel has caused these symptoms

Again you should not wait long for a neurologist these are serious symptoms which can be cured easily but need quick answer as to what is causing them...