AboutJoseph DeMartino Expertise I am an epileptic for 43 yrs.my seizures began when I was a 7yr.old
child.they disappeared for approx.21yrs.they reappeared when I was 28.
no outward cause for the return.in 1992 I had surgery on my left temporal lobe and again in `93.they lessened but I still had them. I now take dilantin and trileptal.seizures are partial ly controlled. I am well versed in the subject.
Question I passed out alot as a child, it was always hot-flash, closing in blackness, very 'loud' dream and then wake up shaking and cold sweaty and then throw up. They became less frequent then returned then became less frequent again. I have had memory problems my whole life, short term and long term. I have recalled events with my boyfriend and i have 'blank spaces' He says i have displaced emotions and abnormal emotional reactions. for about 4-5 years i have been having panic attacks consisting of upset stomach, racing thoughts, hot flashes, sudden weepingor yelling, numb, tingly, paralyzed hands. the ball of nerves between my thumb and forefinger pulses, sometimes on and off for days. it causes my fingers to twitch back and forth, sometimes i loose muscle control. I always felt my memory problems were a 'mis-fire' in my brain, almost like i could feel the 'mis-fire'. Now for about 3-4 weeks i have been getting a funny taste in my mouth not a bad taste, no bad breath, my 3-4 panic attacks per week have recently stopped, but this taste has replaced them, and it happens 2-3 times per day. for about a year i have been getting severe headaches, usually above and behind the eyes or right down the middle of the back of my head. Should I take the time to see the doctor? Can I avoid taking unnecessary tests, i think if this is temporal epilepsy it is very acute, and wont show on an EEG or MRI. What will it show up on? I was adopted so I dont know if I ever had a bad infection or fever or trauma to affect the development of my brain. Please shed some light for me??
Answer hi christina
first off,absolutely you need to see a dr. and specifically a neurologist.
i actually do have epilepsy and am effected in left temporal lobe.the information you've been given is incorrect!i also have been adopted and have gone back to where i was adopted from
and was able to find out about all illness that existed.i was able to because there is a law that
exists that anyone who has been adopted can request all pertinent information referring to health while there.only identification of the parent can be refused.go see a lawyer and they will walk you through the process,it is pretty easy to do.
now as far as what you've been told about electroencephlograms or eeg's is incorrect,period!
excuse my anger but it troubles the hell out of me when someone who has neither the teaching or experience to determine something as serious as this,offhandedly will make some diagnosis.
i would imagine that the dr. would order both those two tests.they need to be done not only to diagnose but also rule out any other problems as well.as far as recall,i have that very problem as well.if you need to do something write it down.now,though epilepsy can be caused by trauma most often that is not the case.and if that is indeed a condition you have why does the cause matter any longer?
as far as the other illnesses that you describe i'm unsure of what to tell you except make a point of telling all these things to the dr.you see.i hope to have shed a little light on the questions you had.i hope you keep me informed.please be well,and do not assume or jump to conclusion.
be well,
Joe
