To think this could be epilepsy?

[parenthoodseason]

For as long as I can remember I've had what I can only describe as 'brain zaps' it feels like a zap, a bolt in my brain which shakes it, it makes my eyes shake for a second when it happens and then I'm fine.

When I was younger I only ever got these when I was ill so I just thought it was a normal part of being ill.

As I've gotten older (30 now) they happen when I'm ill but also they happen once in a while when I'm feeling fine.

I remember being about 20 and walking over a bridge and there was a pattern on the bridge and looking at this pattern would cause the brain zap and eyes to shake, not just once but every time I looked at it as I was walking.

Also when I would frequence clubs a few times I had to go outside as I felt the zap due to the lighting and would feel my body tense up but I wouldn't actually seizure.

What has worried me is the other day I was driving and the sun was coming in and out the trees if you know what I mean. So it was shining in my eyes then would be a shadow then sun in eyes then shadow at a fast speed and I had the same sensation a few times in a row. The the point I had to hold my hand up to block it and was panicking that I was going to pass out.

Does this sound like something serious? It really doesn't impact my life at all other than it's a weird/unpleasant sensation, however, happening when driving has worried me.

I do think you should go and see your GP to put your mind at rest. I get ocular migraines and I wonder if it could be that. Good luck.

Thanks

Bump

I think it sounds like photosensitive epilepsy and you should be asking GP for referral to neurology.

I have occular migraines which are flashing lights etc. However, the light in the trees- I have known two people to have seizures triggered by sun and rows of trees or gaps in a fence producing a kind of strobe effect, please get checked, hopefully nothing serious.

Yes, this is a seizure, a partial seizure. Where only part of your brain is effected. The sense of doom is caused by a temporal lobe seizure. All my life I had brain blips, it got worse over time until eventually it generalised (falling to the floor) and I was diagnosed. You need to see a neurologist. “Unpleasant feeling”, is typical temporal lobe seizure.
hope you get the answers you need x

When I had my first witnessed seizures someone was talking about the light flickering, the doctors said she’d of known as a child if she had photo sensitive epilepsy. It’s highly unlikely it develops later in life. Partial seizures however tend to get more often and more intense over time x

I have photosensitive epilepsy and the examples you've used are very typical triggers, sunlight flashing through trees being a particular problem for me. You should definitely seek a referral to neurology. An EEG - a standard diagnostic test for epilespy - will pick up photosensitivity, part of the test involves flashing lights at various frequencies. My tolerance is to quite low frequencies, strobe lights aren't a problem, for instance. I have medication which controls my seizures successfully. A tip in the meantime is to cover one eye when you're exposed to flashing lights.