temporal lobe seizure

[tmmrn]

My husband has been having seizure like events for 4 months.  The first neurologist said the eeg showed seizure activity.  The next neurologist did multiple eegs and the first few showed seizure activity.  Then the last 2 eegs she read as normal.  All of this time she was adjusting his medication.  There had been no change in these events from the time the eeg showed seizure activity to it being normal.  We are now seeing a third neurologist and he did a video eeg observation.  My husband only had one event and it was very mild compared to usual.  This eeg was normal.  This last neurologist now believes that he may be having a conversion disorder instead of epilepsy.  My husband has never had any type of psych issues.  His psychologist (which the neurologist refered him to) doesn't believe this is a psych issue.  Is it possible for this to still be a seizure disorder?  What should we do?  

[Godofredo MD]

Hi.

Did your husband experience or is continually experience psychological stress?

A conversion disorder can be diagnosed if it satisfies certain criteria, including:

- voluntary motor or sensory function involvement suggesting neurological or other medical condition
- presence of psychological stressors prior to onset
- malingering or factitious disorder has been ruled out
- no apparent medical or drug/substance related cause
- there is significant distress and occupational and social impairment
- no apparent mental disorder as the cause of symptoms

How would you describe your husband's seizure-like episodes? What happens? Why are you considering temporal lobe seizure disorder? Is your husband still taking any anti-seizure medications? Are the anti-seizure medications not working? Are there still seizures in spite of the negative EEGs? Were the EEGs done while your husband is having a seizure?

It is indeed possible for this to still be a seizure disorder if no EEGs were able to be done while your husband is having those episodes. A negative EEG cannot rule out seizure disorders, since it can be normal between seizures in people with epilepsy.

Hope this helps.

[bjstarfire]

I have been interacting and have been seen by the 'Best' of 'The Best'
Neurologists for  the past 30 years.
I have been diagnosed with right temporal lobe partial complex "seizures". Auras, or some type of sensory warnings pre-cur.
There is absolute total awareness,
I have a degree in medicine and have been in the medical field for many years.  This entire area of neurology is FINALLY RECEIVING SOME
MUCH NEEDED refinement of this disorfer.

From my years of visits to neurologists, and with EEG results being
negative, I have learned several VIP FACTS:

Everyone has a 'thersh hold' for seizure type activity - basically this is
an electrical disturbance in a part of the brain, that can last from several seconds or longer with a multitude of various after effects, from mild to more severe.

3 major things can 'trigger' an 'epiisode'
   Stress
   Fatuge
   Diet

I absolutely recommend at this time that you stick with a good
neurolgist in the field.  And even then, GOOD ONES are hard to find
who really have an open mind and who are well versed on the clinical side

Also, I learned that 'panick attacks almost always PRECEDES an 'event'

If you want to pursue the 'Psychiatrist end'
FIND A VERY GOOD 'NEURO-PSYCHIATRIST

My Very Best