Epilepsy Forum - Is It Epilepsy? Is Talking a "trigger"?????

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Q: Is It Epilepsy? Is Talking a "trigger"?????

asked by: portzy on November 3rd, 2004

New User

Hi, I have recently been diagnosed with epilepsy and started treatment (carbamazepine) after numerous tests (mri, ct etc.) which showed nothing conclusive.
During my seizures which are about every 2 weeks I do not loose consciousness but am unable to respond to the people around me. Just prior to the onset I have the fleeting sensation of palpitations.
Since starting treatment the seizures haven't stopped but have changed in so much as when coming around I sob uncontrollably for a few minutes.
The thing that concerns me is that these seizures never occur when I am alone and appear to be only when I am having a lengthy converation although not when on the telephone.
I have mentioned this to my consultant who didn't even acknowledge that I had said anything.
Does anyone else have anything like this or know if talking can be some sort of "trigger". I have never heard of anything like this and am begining to feel I don't have epilepsy but some sort of psychiatric problem!
Anyone have any ideas please? Confused

Replies(5)

kayakmom

replied on November 3rd, 2004

Experienced User

I am so sorry that the doctor ignored this question!! Have you had an eeg? What did it show....It is not unusual for some meds to change the way seizures come, it is often from trying the wrong meds first. (if diagnosis is not clear and they med is the wrong type for the seizure you have. It can also aggravate another kind that you have a potential for)

i have not heard that talking is a trigger, but that does not mean much. Epilepsy seems so individual that nothing would surprise me. Since you have doubts, how about trying a psychologist and seeing if he feels there is an anxiety or some other thing that may trigger something....

I wonder if it just happens when you are with others in that you may be more stressed(a trigger), more tired (another)< dehydrated or hungry....Just a thought.....

Hang in there. I hope the doctors can find better answers, will listen to you and help!

Ellalouise

replied on November 12th, 2004

New User

Narcolepsy

I cannot say if you have narcolepsy but you must be aware that;

talking, laughter, extreem feelings are triggers for a condition called narcolepsy.
Collapsing and paralysis are the signature traits.
It is often misdianosed as epilepsy.
The collapsing in narcolepsy is due to rem and sleep disorder.
Suffers sleep the same hours but suffer from sleep attacks where they retain conciousness but are paralysed for lenths of time up to an hour.

Other symptoms are;
daytimesleepyness
automatic behaviour(auto pilot)
memory loss
feeling of being sick before falling
slurred speech
blurred eyesight
hallucinations
confusion
it can take up to 14 years for a sufferer to be diagnosee because of the amount of doctors that are unaware of the illness.

I hope you can ask your gp about this

sami_1982

replied on November 13th, 2004

Experienced User

Hello Portzy

Cabramazapine...Or tegretol... What mg are you on. I am currently on 800mg of it thr controled release tablets.

I suffer from alot of different types of seizures, but the most common are grand mal, simple complex, partial complex and some automatisms.

I have more cluster type seizures..I also take sodium valproate I take 2000mg of that the extended controlled type.

Portzy... Talking for me has been a trigger... It is like an automatism seizure...Its like you forget to breathe, and you say an entire sentance flat out, your aware, you just cant stop, you think that you are talking normal but it comes out sounding in another language, like you are talking in tongues or something.

It happens to me quite frequently..Ive now been taking tegretol for 1 yr.

Hope that helps.

I like you have no known cause for my epilepsy either.

Anyother questions just ask me ok take care. Sami

portzy

replied on November 14th, 2004

New User

Is Talking a Trigger?

Hi,
thanks for replies and support.

Sami, it made me feel better to know that someone else has experienced talking as a possible trigger.
Saw consultant last week who said it was "an interesting observation" but of course unless I stop talking does not change the management.
At present I am taking tegretol retard 300mg in morning 200mg at night and will be increasing by 100mg fortnightly until on 400mg twice a day.

I haven't had a seizure for just over 2 weeks which is longest yet so hopefully this is going in the right direction.

I have now read more on epilepsy and feel better about things and also understand these other 'funny sensations' I have been getting which again the consultant seemed to ignore.

Thanks again - portzy

DarkAngel202

replied on February 1st, 2006

New User

Talking a Trigger For Me Too

Hi I am new here. I have had epilepsy for 35 years. I am also add, and have fibromyalgia and a list of other female health problems. My mother use to always tell me when they first learned I was epileptic that I would start to talk non stop before a seizure. She always knew I was about to have one by my conversation. So I believe it is a trigger also.

I also have a feeling like I am goin to pass out, sometimes it gets blurry, and I feel like i'm gonna die. I have a lot of my seizures in my sleep. For the most part I have been seizure free for a long time. I have a few a year compared to having about 10 to 20 a day for a while before getting on tegrotol.

I would love to hear what other triggers are out there.

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