seizures?

jackieatx

I wasn't sure where to post this... I have been dieting for three months and have lost almost 15 pounds. I have always gotten blackouts randomly throughout my life, but they were rare. When I started dieting, I would get reoccuring bouts of dizziness and spots behind my eyes, to the point where I'd have to grab hold of something. They started getting more frequent and longer, until a couple days ago I had my first seizure. I got dizzy, grabbed the counter, but blacked out and apparently fell on the ground and started twitching. My roommate was going to call an ambulance but I don't have much money, even though I have insurance, that is terribly expensive. I just had another one today that was longer and this time I had a bad headache before it started. What I want to know is, has this happened to you, and what tests did you have to take to find out what it is? Is it due to my dieting? Any info you could give would be so appreciated. I've googled my symptoms but there are so many things that cause seizures, and I can imagine having to go get all these tests done and such, and it scares me. I guess I'd just like some insight from someone who this might have also happened to? Honestly I'm pretty scared.

beachlover317

Well, google can be a scarey place to be when you are experiencing such severe symptoms. If your diary is correct, you are not restricting calories unreasonably. My only advice to you is to go to the doctor. I know it is expensive, but imagine how expensive it will be if you end up really ill. Do you have a clinic that you could go to in your area? Seizures can be caused by MANY things. PLease - go get checked out. You are important.

jackieatx

That was very sweet, thank you. I am going to a doctor tomorrow, because what I am most worried about is having one when I'm holding my son. I guess I am just wondering if anyone else had similar symptoms and what it turned out to be, and what tests they took, because i really don't know where to start with this. I am hoping its something simple like upping calories?

bathsheba_c

GO TO THE DOCTOR. Figuring out what's wrong early on is much cheaper than getting it fixed after it's become a major issue.

asystolern

Im an ER nurse for 12 years ... you really need to go to a dr to get checked out. It may just be simple as simple as imbalanced electrolytes or anemia but heaven forbid if its something worse. ignoring these things don't make them go away

Do you take a multivitamin and are you drinking enough water? Those are my first 2 questions

ChaseAlder

This used to happen to me a lot more when I was staying at home, but now that I'm working it probably only happens about once a month on average. I have Neurocardiogenic Syncope. Occasionally my blood pressure will bottom out and I will lose control of any limbs that are holding my weight (my legs while standing, my arms while leaning on a counter, both arms and legs if I'm on all fours, etc.) My muscles will start to twitch uncontrollably and continue to do so until I either faint or lay down on the floor quickly enough to get blood flow back to my brain.

I'd go see the doctor. I'm no expert, but it doesn't sound diet related to me.

beachlover317

Well, now, what better reason to get yourself to the doctor than your son. He needs you. Listen to the nurse's advice. Go get checked out. :flowerforyou:

ambercholtz

I am not a physician but it sounds like a sugar imbalance. I have not viewed your diary so I do not know what you are consuming, however I would be sure to eat balanced meals. Make sure you are getting protein, eating vegetables/fruit and eating a carbohydrate twice a day.

jackieatx

Honestly my water intake is all over the place, I'll have twelve glasses one day and only drink my morning and nightime tea the next, but generally I'm well hydrated. I take a women's vitamin pretty steadily every day, although sometimes I forget, but not usually because I have it with morning tea.

Your symptoms sound very familiar to me.

trudance4

Hi

Yes I have!! Since I started exercising this has been happening to me!

I have had it numerous times but I have never blackout before about 3 years ago! I have went to A&E and my doctor all tests were normal!

They sent me to a cardiologist and they thing it might be a form of epilepsie for me, my heart is fine! I get a deja vu feeling, dizzy, and if i dont get my head down on a tabel or something I black out. I am waiting on an appt for the neurologist now.

Go get it checked out x

jackieatx

Hi

Yes I have!! Since I started exercising this has been happening to me!

I have had it numerous times but I have never blackout before about 3 years ago! I have went to A&E and my doctor all tests were normal!

They sent me to a cardiologist and they thing it might be a form of epilepsie for me, my heart is fine! I get a deja vu feeling, dizzy, and if i dont get my head down on a tabel or something I black out. I am waiting on an appt for the neurologist now.

Go get it checked out x

That's what I am nervous about- being bounced from specialist to specialist. Can you message me if you find out what's going on? It would be helpful to know someone who is going through something similar.

EvgeniZyntx

This is not a good place to get advice or to use what other have as a reference for seizures. They can be caused by such a variety of neurological, cardiovascular or metabolic reasons that the advice you get here could be very dangerous and not at all related to xour own condition. Please go see a doctor and start the path to define what you have and manage it better.

Best of luck, this can take time and be frustrating. In the meantime, think about reducing dieting or anything else that is resulting in these events -- you can come back to this once you understand the condition better.

sgv0918

My son has a seizure disorder. If you had 2 that close together you need to go get checked out. They'll do an eeg which is the best thing to determine seizures and you can go from there to see if you need meds to regulate it. It is not something to be ignored. Lack of money or not get this checked out NOW

xxcandywrathxx

It doesn't seem like a grand-mal seizure which you could call a good thing, but unfortunately there are several types of epilepsy...if it was a seizure it sounds like a complex partial seizure...did you have any other symptoms? Such as confusion, acting like a child or crying when you came out of it?
Tunnel vision, dejavu, euphoria or depersonalisation are common with partial seizures
Confusion, crying, attacking people(out of fear usually), trying to get things, and forgetting things are common with grand-mal seizures.

You will probably have to get a brain scan, heart check etc...
If your drinking 12 glasses of water unless you workout for more than 3 hours I suggest cutting down, too much water can cause problems in the body (cause low sodium etc).
Have you thought that perhaps you have low blood pressure or maybe even diabetes?
Hope everything goes well at the doctors.

jackieatx

Honestly I really don't know anyone personally who has had seizures and everyone I do know that I have asked have brought up the diet, so I figured this was as good a place to ask as any. I have seen much odder posts on here, haha! I'm just looking for similar stories or insight because I know nothing about this and as the other lady said, Google is freaking me out! I appreciate your responses.

thin1dayplease

I think you should get checked out. There are many reasons you could be blacking out. Are you confused afterwards or disorientated... this is usually a sign you had a seizure? Other symptoms of a seizure are tongue biting, incontience, having a metal taste before the episode. There is a simple test called EEG which your doctor can send you for to rule this out, although I am not sure on the cost. MRI's don't usually show anything so I wouldn't waste your money on that and go straight for an EEG.

The other possiblities could be low blood pressure, espeically if you are feeling dizzy. Do you have these episodes at any time? Or when getting hot? If you get these on standing from sitting or lying position this could be your blood pressure. You should have your doctor test your blood pressure from sitting to standing position to see if there is a drop. They may then send you for a tilt table test. You should maybe look into something called neurally mediated syncope.

I am not sure if you have diabetes in your family, but could there be a possiblity you are having hypo's (low blood sugar)?? I just thought this as you said it got worse since dieting.

Either way you can't treat any of these yourself. I think they sound most like low blood pressure (neurally mediated syncope) and not a seziure, unless you have any of the symptoms described in the first section. You NEED to see your doctor to put your mind at rest. If you need any further help don't hesitate to contact me xx

jackieatx

Thank you, I actually just got my blood pressure checked, and it was low. The only symptoms I had were tunnel vision and forgetting things. I have had the euphoria before (like you had a cigarette or Hung your head upside down) but not with these seizures, just with the prior dizziness. All of these things you are bringing up are so foreign I'm going to have to Google more!

CoderGal

I was finding the same problems minus the twitching...id more call mine shaking like a old person after some bad news lol. Started going to the gym and things got worse (this is when I first started losing weight). My resting heart rate was over 100 which meant I definately needed a doctor lol. I wasnt over weight. I ate 2 peanutbutter sandwiches before I went to the gym one day. After getting off one of the weight machines everything started going black again. Ended up passing out at the gym. Had some orange juice and felt fine. Everyone at the gym assumed I wasnt eating. I think I wasn't eating enough for the amount of time I spent at the gym but I was definately fueled that time. I think my body was telling me to F off. I started eating more balanced throughout the day (made sure I was getting vitamins and minerals and I had a bit of protein, fat, and carbs in me in each meal. Laid off the gym for a while because I was still getting symptoms but not so bad. I upped my calories by a lot and started feeling a ton better. Im very pro eat more now and it didn't even occur to me until you made this thread that it may have been the low cals that made it worse. At the same time though I always had dizzy spells...except for now? I'm eating a lot more protein and veg compared to what I use to and try to go with more whole foods now. Maybe I was deficient of a vitamin? I didn't eat much protein before either (less then 50 and now I try to get about 97g...1.8g my body weight in kg since I'm exercising). My nails and hair seem to have gotten a lot nicer since I've done that. When I have high carbs its usually because I intend to exercise, so I eat allot less bread compared to what I use to. Carbs are not evil, I just think I was missing other things.

Let us know how things turn out. Im kind of curious how things get resolved for you. Gluck and take care

jackieatx

I don't have diabetes in my family (thank goodness) but low blood pressure has been a problem. I bit my tongue the second time because I was knocking my head against the floor, not the metal taste or incontinence, honestly that makes me feel much better that it may just be low blood sugar and that there is a simple test. A real relief!

asystolern

Stay away from google and web MD!! they can make things far worse and drive you crazy thinking you!! Keep your DR apt and get testing done. rest until then and make sure your eating an appropriate amount of calories. you don't need to have diabetes to have low blood sugar, if your not eating right it can also happen. Just becareful!!

treimnitz

I hope you went to the doctor for this. I have a form of epilepsy and this is what happens when I have seizures. It happens most often when I am going through a cycle or exercising.

delaney056

My mom has epilepsy. PLEASE go to the doctor ASAP and get yourself checked out. Stay away from WebMD and sites like that...they will drive you absolutely crazy! Make sure you're eating enough, and relax until you can get yourself checked out!
You're not considered epileptic until you have more than one seizure.

rubiales

Sorry to hear about your seizures; they can stir a lot of fear. You're doing the right thing to see a doctor. He or she might refer you to a neurologist, and they'll probably want to run some tests (an EEG, probably). Don't be afraid. I have epilepsy and haven't had a seizure for years, but I take my medication daily, without fail. Not sure about a diet connection. Alcohol is never good for people who suffer from a seizure disorder, but I don't have any experience with weight loss and seizures. Hang in there. Maybe some anti-stress techniques would help, too.

Stephanie191991

I was told I had epilepsy (Grand-mal seizures) at the age of 15 I was trying to lose weight not the healthy way (I only ate one meal a day) I've had 3 seizures and now I am on meds that control it now I eat 2 to 3 meals a day Just found out that I am now having small seizures almost everyday how they found out that I had epilepsy was Cat scan Mri and an EEG and my parents are the ones that saw seizure explained what they saw thats how they found out they were Grand-mal