minieres?

Im still waiting to see if I am recovering from encephalitis after a weeks stay in hospital 5 months ago and symptoms seen to have different diagnosis rfom different doctors ie allergic reaction. Over the last 5 months I have been sleeping over 15 hours a day which is definately not the usual me. I bite my tongue in my sleep and have woken to find I have dug my nails in the palms of my right hand and wet the bed which is really embarassing. How can I tell the difference between having a nightmare or a seizure? I have a weakness down my left hand side affecting my arm and leg my physio thinks ive had a stroke. I have had ear problems for years now but was told my balance organ was not working in my right ear but was able to self correct 6 months ago. The ENT doctor I saw 6 months ago thinks it may be Minieres disease but has not seen me since I was admitted to hospital. The neuro is sending me to a chronic fatigue clinic and as Ive not had a lumbar puncture and my CT scan was ok thinks I might get a ME diagnosis. Could the Minieres have caused symptoms similar to encephalitus or chronic fatigue? Im really fed up of being in pain, falling to the right and not going to work please reply.

[Abhijeet Deshmukh, MD]

Hello.

Was there an attempt at diagnosing the "seizures" at night? Was an EEG done? A video EEG will be helpful. The fact that you had tongue bites, clenched fists and urinary incontinence, hints strongly towards seizures.

Meniere's disease can be seen in one ear in as many as 50% of the cases. But all the other symptoms are not explained by Meniere's disease.

Have you initiated treatment for Meniere's disease?

Regards

[sunglasses]

Thanks for the reply. I am having an EEG with a video on the 25th March and I am to be sleep deprived but neuro doesnt think its Epilepsy.  I was taking Betahistine for Meniere's but the neuro took me off them and prescribed Propranolol 80mg twice a day and Sumatripan when my heads really bad. The tinitus in my bad ear is really bad and its started in my better hearing ear now. Ive gone from being fit and healthy to sleeping all the time but I have so much to look forward in the future that I dont think its depression. My main problems started the night I had the headache, swelling of my face and head, non blanching rash, violent vomiting and hemorrage in my eyes.  I have not had a night seizure for a month now since I started the Propranolol so guess that must have helped. I still 6 months on dont have a diagnosis so im in limbo and desperate to be well again for my family. Could the headache or migrane (migraine) have caused a stroke as the physio says I have brisk reflexes and intermitant signals to the arm and leg down my left side?  

[Abhijeet Deshmukh, MD]

Hello.

Migraines may not cause stroke, but can co-exist with stroke or a transient ischemic attack. Was an MRI done since they suspected encephalitis? It may lead us to the cause of the brisk reflexes.

To answer one of your earlier questions, you can differentiate between a nightmare and a seizure by the state you are in after you wake up. Nightmare does not make you bite your tongue. You have body ache and headache after a seizure.

Regards

[sunglasses]

Hi forgot to ask for a sleep deprived EEG does that mean I am to have no sleep the night before the EEG the literature does not give me any guidance and the holidays means there is no one to ask tomorrow as everywhere is closed. Thanks

[sunglasses]

Thank you for your reply we posted at the same time. I had an MRI six months before my hospital stay. I had a CT scan but neuro is going to review it but think it was normal mid line or something like that? Are there other types of seizures other than Epilepsy? Apparently because I bite the tip of my tongue thats not Epilespsy and as they only happen in my sleep. My lumbar puncture was cancelled twice so will I ever find out if it was pressure in my head. Thanks for your help really appreciate it.

[sunglasses]

I am going to see my ENT specialist tomorrow but he wont be aware of my new problems as I have not seen him since September. I had my EEG last week for my neuro but have to wait for results for a few weeks so doubt they will be available to him tomorrow. How would I know if it was a TIA?  My GP has mentioned vascular headaches would these leave me with the weakness down my left hand side? My lumbar puncture appointment for Encephalitus has still not arrived is it worth having one 5 months after my stay in hospital? Are there any questions I should ask tomorrow? Thank you for your help realise you are realy busy.