Seizure Or Pre-Fainting?

[Alaska]

Been having more episodes this week where I get close to fainting. I have only fainted once and that was during my tilt table test. When I fainted during that test, she stated that I had seizure like activity. So, this week when I start feeling worse and start having the pre-fainting episodes I start getting really hot, I notice I'm blinking a lot (seems I'm just trying to ground myself), and then when I gets even more severe I start getting a taste of metal in my mouth? One episode I thought I was smelling smoke.

These sound like simple partial seizures to me and possibly auras. Luckily I don't actually pass out, but feel real close.

I'm diagnosed right now with neurally mediated hypotension.

My last EEG was normal.

I should say that I also have frequent muscle tics/twitches during the day.

Is this just my blood pressure lowering and it's just NMH. Or is it my blood pressure lowering and I'm having real seizures (simple partial)?

[forevertired]

Have you seen a neurologist? If you are concerned about possibly having seizures, it might be beneficial to see a neurologist, to know for sure whether you are or not. The neurologist would possibly also be able to prescribe a medication that could help with your muscle twitches, if those bother you.

I am not a doctor, but I have been told that some people with epilepsy have normal EEGs. This is sometimes because they have the EEG when they are not having seizure-like episodes.

I see a movement disorder doctor (a type of neurologist) for my muscle twitches, jerks, and tremors. My POTS is tied in with my movement disorders, thus my treatment for my movement disorders has helped my POTS a bit.

[POTLUCK]

They can do more advanced continuous home EEG, stimulated EEG, inpatient EEG etc. It is harder to decide whether what you experience is caused by seizure such as simple or complex partial epilepsy, or whether lack of oxygen to the brain causes the resulting seizure. this can be caught on EEG and video.

The smell of burning rubber for 30 sec-2min with a maximum of 30 minutes is near pathognomonic for epilepsy.

Hope the info. helps.

[pat57]

Hi

I'm afraid you can't be sure if you pass iout or have a seizure. If you collaspe and no one is witness- you just don't

know. Did you know about the activity the Dr. reported to you during your TTT? There are certain presentations of Elipectic seziure verses

cerebral hypoxia. One increases in presentation then stops ,one trails off. The way you arch your back (every detail) matters. Dr. Grubb has descibed this in one of his books. I have had lots of seizures from lack of blood to the brain and I was dxed with Elipesy at first. Every time ,I think I do not go ,out

but I do.

BTW minor limb jerking during a TTT is seizing and not a seizure. Its the bodies way of trying to up the BP. Had you not been laid down it would have become a generalizeds tonic clonic seizure .Check that with a Dr. only my opinion.

good luck