Is this a seizure?

[MKster]

I work with a friend who had developed what seems to be seizures.
She has had at least five at work. I can tell when they start because she develops an odd breathing pattern. Then her entire
body goes limp and she falls to the ground. Her eyes roll back in her head, and I'm not sure if she's conscious. She doesn't remember what happens after she comes out of it, but during that time she doesn't have any type of jerky movements. Is this a seizure? What should I do for her when this happens? Is there any support groups or place where I can get more information?
Thanks!

[blake89]

A related discussion, syncope vs seizures was started.

[qnmom]

My daughter has passed out, without warning for 5 years now. After hitting the ground, her eyes roll into the back of her head and her eyelids flutter.  She was orginally dx with seizures.  However after trying all kinds of anti-seizure meds, with no releif, she was finally sent to a large teaching hospital where they found out they were not seizures after all.  She has nuerocardigenic syncope (NCS), and also Postuerl Orthastatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). (Sorry for the poor spelling.)   To Dx this, she had a tilt table test.  It would be worth while for your friend to have her doctors check into this disorder, along with an EEG to rule out seizure activity.

[jan]

I am posting 2 links, one for seizures and 1 for syncope:

http://neuro-mancer.mgh.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&number=33&SUBMIT=Go

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NeurocardiogenicSyncope-Fainting/

I hope they are a help to you.

Let me say, having both, epilepsy and neurocardiogenic syncope they are very similar in symptoms and it can be frustrating to your friend and her drs. getting to the diagnosis.

God bless.

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-CS]

The spells you are describing could be consistent with a seizure or syncope (fancy word for passing out). If this is a seziure, it may be do to abnormal electrical activity in her brain. Syncope can be do to many problems, but the most serious is an abnormality within the heart. Therefore, I would recommend she see her primary care doctor ASAP, and then possibly a Neurologist and Cardiologist.

When these events occur simply place something soft under her head, and move things away so she does not hit them. If the spell continues for longer then a few minutes, or if she stops breathing or her heart stops call 911 immediately. Good luck.

You can get some information from the Epilepsy Foundation of America regarding seziures.