Do these sound like focal aware seizures? I’m really worried now.

[Ostryga]

3 weeks ago I had a very sharp pain in my head and immediately felt incredibly sick, lightheaded and very fearful. I really had to fight to stay conscious or so it felt. I thought it was a haemorrhage as did A&E when I went it for tests. I had a CT & lumbar puncture - both came back clear.

Since then I’ve had 4 more episodes with less head pain but all very similar. I have a sudden and intense feeling of fear, lightheadedness, a swooping feeling in my stomach and pacing constantly. It’s very scary when it happens although I am aware all the way through. My heart rate stays the same and there is never a stressful situation before hand so it’s not panic attacks. My dr agrees with that.

My dr initially thought it could be cluster headaches so I’ve been prescribed sumatriptan to try out. I have an appointment on Thursday to be followed with a neuro consult.

Honestly I’m shitting myself, I’ve never been seriously unwell before and even though there might be a very simple explanation I’m scared there’s something underlying. Im 33, have the coil, not pregnant, not pre-menopausal, no life changes or grief etc.

I really don't know but I don't think panic attacks are necessarily associated with stressful situations. I've had them completely out of the blue.

I've had panic attacks out of the blue, you don't always have to be in a stressful situation.

But do panic attacks cause pain?

I really don’t think they’re panic attacks, I have no heart rate changes/breathing/sweating etc. it’s all very physical. Plus I don’t think A&E would have admitted me and performed expensive tests if they thought for a second it was a panic attack!

Bit rude.

How? I was just explaining why I don’t think they’re panic attacks.

I’m really worried I have something going on with my health, and as a single parent to a 5 year old I’m sure you can understand how stressful this time must be. I’m really sorry my typing didn’t come across well.

But your symptoms are very much those of a panic attack which is easily mistaken for serious conditions, your body may be reacting to something that you are not fully aware of.

Yes I know. And obviously whilst it’s happening I do feel panic. However, my dr has said she doesn’t think that is the cause otherwise I’m sure they would have prescribed antidepressants to see if they helped with symptoms.

there is never a stressful situation before hand so it’s not panic attacks. My dr agrees with that

You need a new doctor op because that's rubbish.

I've had a handful of panic attacks over the years - they never happen during times of heightened stress or upset. Or not ones I'm aware of anyway but obviously subconsciously something was going on.

If you're in pain and feeling frightened your heart rate should be up, regardless of the cause. Has no one picked up on just how odd it is that yours doesn't increase? Sounds like a key symptom to me, the absence of normal/expected heart rate changes.

I think it sounds exactly like panic or anxiety to be honest. I get panic attacks and they usually happen totally out of the blue. I wouldn’t say I’m particularly stressed either.

Plus I don’t think A&E would have admitted me and performed expensive tests if they thought for a second it was a panic attack!

Sorry op, but this is also incorrect. They'll test for everything as a tick box exercise. The last thing any A&E would risk is sending a 30 year old away with a telling off about panic attacks and then them dropping dead of a heart attack the next day.

Even if they suspected panic attacks, they'd likely test you for a number of things just to rule them out.

I suffer with panic attacks and believe it or not, doctors also take me very seriously and treat me with the care and treatment I need, not the patronising pat on the head that you give sufferers.

I'm sorry you are ill, but thise suggesting it's a panic attack are doing so from experience bit as a way to insult you. I hope you get better soon, regardless of what causes someone to fell ill, it can be dreadful.

Hi
I'm epileptic and what you describe does sound similar to the simple partial seizures I have. Especially the feeling in your tummy. For me it feels like my tummy is floating up into my throat also there are always intense feelings of deja vu, and often unlocking of memories I have forgotten. (If that makes sense) It is weird yes but I never feel afraid at the time. Have you seen a neurologist? Good luck with a diagnosis. X

What are you shitting yourself about? As in what are you fearing is wrong with you?

Do you think you have developed epilepsy? What you describe could be a description of focal aware seizure. The rising feeling from your stomach and as Bb14 describes. However, it's unlikely you have just developed epilepsy considering your age and that you've not had anything happen to you (no head injury recently.) If you're seeing a neurologist then they will do a trace of your brain and will be able to see if it's epilepsy or not, and if it is will treat you for it accordingly.

Any mention of the possibility of it being a seizure from the hospital or your GP? They should have mentioned you shouldn't drive if they were concerned.

Incidentally, migraines and epilepsy aren't wildly separate, so a migraine might feel like a seizure (if it's migraines, sumatriptan is the right path to start on).

Or re you scared it's a brain tumour causing seizures? You've had a CT so rule that out.

Overall you're being listened to and having things ruled out. Though your GP shouldn't have told you it doesn't sound like a panic attack because it does. They are totally overwhelming, to the extent they can make you think you're about to die and cause you to collapse.

The fact you've got the right words for a type of seizure, suggests you've looked it up and done research on seizures to tried diagnose these Incidents yourself. Also your thoughts went immediately to a brain hemorrhage after the first incident suggests you are anxious about your health - and you mention your worry about your 5 year old. So the reason for why you might have panic attacks is there (and as mentioned by several posters doesn't need to be what you're thinking about at the actual time to cause a panic attack.)

I'm going to go against the grain because some of this is ringing true with dd, who's had a few episodes like this. She too, has an overwhelming feeling of fear, not because of what's happening to her, but she described just the feeling of being incredibly scared. Sickness, dizziness and a feeling that everything had happened before.
She's being investigated for temporal lobe epilepsy.
Are you fully alert during an attack?
I'm not a doctor but it may just be worth bearing in mind.

Well I had another ‘episode’ this morning just before dropping Dd off to school. Managed to get an emergency gp appointment who gave me a neuro exam and sent me to A&E. I’ve been admitted on the neurology ward overnight for tests tomorrow. Bloods came back fine except inflammation markers were up, but that can be from anything.

Can you say more about what the pain in your head feels like?

And how long do the episodes last for? How do they get better?

Hope you're feeling much better soon, do let us know if you get any answers.

Thunderclap headache? People I know who have had them think they are having a bleed.. but we can't diagnose you. It's good that you've got an appointment soon.

Hope your tests have found a benign explanation for your episodes OP. Being concerned about the unknown is a horrible place to be.