I lose motor control in hand sometimes for a couple seconds why?

[md2013]

I’m 35. I noticed a few times lately that my hand will stop and sort of “pause” for a second and then go on without me controlling it.  For example, I was putting on makeup and it just paused and no matter how hard I tried in those few seconds it wouldn’t lift up and continue doing my eyeliner.  Then things were normal again.

Today I was cutting an onion and the same hand sort of lost it’s accuracy for a second or two like it lost it’s ability for a few seconds again.

Anyone know what this could be?  Is this the start of some moto-neuron disease?

Thanks

[supermum_ms]

Q:Are they connected maybe?
A:The answer literally is 'maybe'.....one of the problems with connecting isolated and completely different types of events months to years apart to being 'partial focal aware' seizure related activity, is the lack of similarity or repetition of what you've experienced with each event you've described is what makes epileptic seizures less likely than more.

To distinguish between epilepsy seizures and anything else, when test evidence is absent, normal or inconclusive you usually need to answer 'yes' to two basic descriptive prerequisites 1) are the attacks similar to each other? 2) do they reoccur?

Q: Can a small partial seizure last seconds?
A: Technically yes most focal aware seizures are brief, lasting between a few seconds and 2 minutes but so do many other explanations and the dissimilarity opens the door for alternate explanations too.

"Focal Seizures
Focal seizures (previously called partial seizures) start in one part of the brain and affect the part of the body controlled by that part of the brain. The symptoms the person experiences will depend on the function that the focal point is associated with or controls. The seizure may involve the involuntary movement or stiffening of a limb, feelings of déjà vu, an unpleasant smell or taste, or sensations in the stomach such as ‘butterflies’ or nausea. The seizure usually lasts less than two minutes.

People can have different levels of consciousness during focal seizures. Sometimes the person remains alert throughout the seizure and can remember what happens.

Focal seizures where the person retains full awareness of the event were previously called simple partial seizures.

Focal seizures can also affect a person’s level of consciousness. In some focal seizures the person is in a dyscognitive state. This means their level of consciousness is altered rather than lost. The person may often  appear confused and dazed and may do strange and repetitive actions like fiddling with their clothes, making chewing movements or uttering unusual sounds. These behaviours may also be described as trance-like or robot-like and are called automatisms.

The seizure usually lasts for one or two minutes but the person may be confused and drowsy for some minutes to several hours afterwards and have no memory of the seizure or the events just
before or after it. This type of seizure can be mistaken for drug/ alcohol affected behaviour or psychiatric disturbance.

Focal dyscognitive seizures were previously known as complex partial seizures.

At times focal seizures can evolve to become secondarily generalised seizures."
http://www.epilepsyaustralia.net/epilepsy-explained/

You said around 18mths - 2 yrs prior to these latest seconds long freeze episodes you've just experienced, you had a one off nocturnal event... "A year before that I woke up once and was hysterical as I couldn’t speak...It lasted a minute or so and was very scary. They said also a partial seizure or a kind of sleep paralysis" but this type of nocturnal event is genuinely more likely to of been 'sleep paralysis', sleep paralysis is the state of being unable to move or speak as one transitions from sleeping to wakefulness.

Sleep paralysis is a condition characterise by temporary paralysis of the body shortly after waking up called postdormital paralysis or less often, shortly before falling asleep called predormital paralysis, sleep paralysis is not considered to be a sign of a serious condition, although it can be frightening the first time you experience them.

see https://www.belmarrahealth.com/causes-nocturnal-seizures-symptoms-diagnosis-treatment-nocturnal-epilepsy/ to get a better understanding of nocturnal seizures, diagnosis, triggers etc  

I think you may need to seriously consider focal aware seizures may not accurately fit these different types of situations you've experienced and it is likely in your best interest to seek the opinion of a neurologist who specialises in epilepsy and all the likely alternatives there are so you know one way or the other what is going on with you....

Hope that helps.......JJ  

[md2013]

Hello,

Thank you for your response.

For the focal seizure I had last year I was fully aware while it was happening, and they said just a plain focal seizure.

The one while sleeping was more complicated to diagnose in a way.  I was able to yell, I was able to say the first part of a sentence, but I was not able to think of any words. Not even the concept behind the words I wanted.  So my mouth was not paralyzed. Neither was my body. I sat up in bed and was upset.  I remember trying to speak and only “I....” would come out and nothing would follow. I kept repeating the same thing.  It was really bizarre.  I was fully aware.

At any rate, I think it’s just going to be one of those ‘wait and see’ things.  If it keeps happening then I’ll go in.  Or it’s just a fluke of me being more hyper aware since those two episodes.

Thanks for your input!

[supermum_ms]

Hi there,

Q:Is this the start of some moto-neuron disease?
A: In adults, MNDs occur more commonly in men than in women, with symptoms appearing after age 40, that doesn't mean it never happens in women in their 30's because it definitely can but it is one heck of a giant leap to connect something that only lasts 1-3 seconds with anything like an MND.

Q:Anyone know what this could be?
A: I double checked all the physiological explanations i'm aware of and what you've described isn't suggestive or consistent with anything serious...

It's possible your overly hyper focusing on something being seriously wrong and worrying yourself unnecessarily by addition second(s) long normal incidents together when you'd otherwise not notice them, alternative thoughts are momentary inattention, stressed, overly tired, disconnection from physical activity ie going through the motion of but not really paying attention and it taking a few seconds for you to reconnect with the activity once you tune back in or something of that nature....

Hope it helps.....JJ

[md2013]

Thank you for your reply :)

I think it worries me a bit as last year I had partial seizure where my leg started failing and collapsing and then my whole left side sort of curled up like a bug over that leg and I couldn’t move. I also had a huge disconnect with that leg. I could see it stumbling and failing but I had no idea why. Like the feedback loop was gone. It lasted a few minutes.  I went to the hospital and two neurologists later it was diagnosed as a partial seizure.
A year before that I woke up once and was hysterical as I couldn’t speak. I could only start a sentence but couldn’t get past the first word. I could only cry. It felt like all words had been erased from my mind. Not even concept remained. It lasted a minute or so and was very scary. They said also a partial seizure or a kind of sleep paralysis.  So when my hand did that recently I’m hyper aware now of my body not working right I think. Are they connected maybe? Can a small partial seizure last seconds?