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Are these Myoclonic Seizures?
I'm 22 years old and I get arm jerks whenever I watch movies with strobe lights or rapid moving images.
I also get them when riding in the car with the sunlight flickering through the trees.
I also get the arm jerks when watching TV with flashing lights, playing video games, police cars, and also with flickering fluorescent lights.
I also get an aura that's blue flashing lights in both eyes that leads to my hand twitching.
I get twitches in my fingers and then my hand will jump. I get head jerks with my hand jumping.
My feet jerk and my mouth twitches. I was recently prescribed clonazepam 0.5 t.i.d for the jerks and they instantly went away.
But the aura and the twitching of the hands and feet haven't gone away.
My question is this photosensitive epilepsy and simple partial seizures?
Thank You for taking the time in reading this long post
I also get them when riding in the car with the sunlight flickering through the trees.
I also get the arm jerks when watching TV with flashing lights, playing video games, police cars, and also with flickering fluorescent lights.
I also get an aura that's blue flashing lights in both eyes that leads to my hand twitching.
I get twitches in my fingers and then my hand will jump. I get head jerks with my hand jumping.
My feet jerk and my mouth twitches. I was recently prescribed clonazepam 0.5 t.i.d for the jerks and they instantly went away.
But the aura and the twitching of the hands and feet haven't gone away.
My question is this photosensitive epilepsy and simple partial seizures?
Thank You for taking the time in reading this long post
Thanks for trying to answer my question. I just got a confirmation from my neurologist and an epilepsy team saying I just had mild seizures. Put on generic Depakene Valproic Acid 250 mg 3 times a day.
I went to a neurologist and he confirmed with an epilepsy team that I just had mild seizures, not sure what kind though. The neurologist put me on generic Depakene Valproic Acid 250 mg 3 times a day. Thanks for your answer
Hi
It does sound like myoclonus, more specifically stimulus-sensitive myoclonus which is when the jerks are triggered by something, in your case it seems to be light.
As gman15 said, you should be going to a neurologist to check it out and a few tests should be run to make sure there is not a more serious underlying disorder. My neuro tells me that sometimes if you can't find a cause they might actually stop after a while (I'm still waiting to see if that's gonna happen in my case, I've had this for almost two years now)
I've got spinal myoclonus. I get jerks all over but mostly in the area around my abs and the more serious ones (in my abs) usually only come when I'm lying down. I always say that it will help me develop a six pack :) I'm taking Epilim (known as Depakote in the US) and Lamictal which hasn't stopped them completely but it helps alot. Side effects, like tiredness and lack of concentration, aren't the greatest but I'd take those over the jerks any day.
I've found that stress and lack of sleep makes mine a lot worse so I try my best to avoid them. Thr most annoying thing is that people give you funny looks if you just suddenly jerk but I've gotten used to that now.
Take care
It does sound like myoclonus, more specifically stimulus-sensitive myoclonus which is when the jerks are triggered by something, in your case it seems to be light.
As gman15 said, you should be going to a neurologist to check it out and a few tests should be run to make sure there is not a more serious underlying disorder. My neuro tells me that sometimes if you can't find a cause they might actually stop after a while (I'm still waiting to see if that's gonna happen in my case, I've had this for almost two years now)
I've got spinal myoclonus. I get jerks all over but mostly in the area around my abs and the more serious ones (in my abs) usually only come when I'm lying down. I always say that it will help me develop a six pack :) I'm taking Epilim (known as Depakote in the US) and Lamictal which hasn't stopped them completely but it helps alot. Side effects, like tiredness and lack of concentration, aren't the greatest but I'd take those over the jerks any day.
I've found that stress and lack of sleep makes mine a lot worse so I try my best to avoid them. Thr most annoying thing is that people give you funny looks if you just suddenly jerk but I've gotten used to that now.
Take care
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Yes. it sounds like Myoclonic jerks. I suffered with jerks, mostly of the arms and hands, but also occassionaly my mouth and head. I was reluctant to admit there was anything wrong with me and, despite my being a big guy and a varsity athlete since my sophmore year in high school, I suffered people making fun of me for my jerks. One morning, after a night of drinking and little sleep, while playing a computer game, I had a full blown seizure. Two weeks later I spent 24 hours in the hospital having a brain scan while awake and asleep. The end result was I was diagnosed with Juvenille Myoclconic Epilepsy. Since then I am on Depakote and have not experienced either Myoclonic jerks or a seizure.
My doctor, who is the head of Neurology, explained to me that it is impossible to tell for sure if you are at risk for suffering a seizure without an exam by a Neurologist. Since you are already on medication to control the Myoclonic jerks the idea of taking different medicine to control both should not be an issue. And the risks associated with having a seizure should encourage you to at least discuss this with a neurologist.
BTW, I play video games and am on my computer close to 4 hours a day. I also play college baseball. The Depakote has actually let me live a near normal life. The only negatives are the medicine does make me tired, so I need more sleep than before I took the Depakote. AND, the medicine is processed through the liver so you really can't go out and just drink (I limit myself to two beers a night and have 16 oz of water after each beer - apparently consuming liquor increases the chance of a seizure and dehydration is a contributing factor).
Hope this long answer helps, and I hope you think about going to see a neurologist.