# Epilepsy?



## intrasearching (Jul 15, 2011)

I've noticed this problem at different times for years... But I never knew what it was. I thought it was resultant of previous drug use (mild-- marijuana and salvia once). Basically, it's this feeling that everything is slowwwwinnngggg downnnnn. Like, my perception is slightly slowed. I know that it is not real, that things outside of me are not changing. I can sense that it's just a problem with my brain. I do have hypoglycemia, so it may be that.

I recently documented an episode of this on video. It is startling to watch. My speech actually slows for a second. Again, I am wondering if it isn't blood sugar related. I do feel hungry right now. I don't have a lot of food available to me right now (no cash), so I've been eating junk for the past few days. I am hoping it's just that.

If you are at all curious, and especially if you know anything about epilepsy, would you perhaps take a look at this video?

Start at 13:00 so you can see the difference. The slow occurs at 13:08. You'll notice it.

Aaah...


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## rycbar (Aug 2, 2011)

Is there anyway you can upload the video to YouTube? I feel as though I have to register to that site to watch the video...


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## intrasearching (Jul 15, 2011)

Gadfly said:


> Is there anyway you can upload the video to YouTube? I feel as though I have to register to that site to watch the video...


Sorry, I think I screwed up the link before. It is on YouTube.


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## rycbar (Aug 2, 2011)

Your slowed speech could simply just be the result of thoughtfulness, but that would to be too easy, too obvious. On occasion my speech as well slows and I have concluded that it by way of a sudden tiredness or sudden disinterested in what I am discussing. I think it would be wise to first tame your hypoglycemia and get a decent meal in you. Continue to record yourself and do some talking exercises and experiments to see if it is a direct result of hypoglycemia or something else entirely.


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## Inguz (Mar 10, 2012)

I'm just giving an alternate opinion, to me it looks like you got an emotional response when you thought about how depressingly unproductive you are when you just lie in bed and think all day. Just after that you talk about being unhappy, and how you compare yourself to others.


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## Steel Magnolia (Apr 10, 2012)

Neurasthenia said:


> I've noticed this problem at different times for years... But I never knew what it was. I thought it was resultant of previous drug use (mild-- marijuana and salvia once). Basically, it's this feeling that everything is slowwwwinnngggg downnnnn. Like, my perception is slightly slowed. I know that it is not real, that things outside of me are not changing. I can sense that it's just a problem with my brain. I do have hypoglycemia, so it may be that.
> 
> I recently documented an episode of this on video. It is startling to watch. My speech actually slows for a second. Again, I am wondering if it isn't blood sugar related. I do feel hungry right now. I don't have a lot of food available to me right now (no cash), so I've been eating junk for the past few days. I am hoping it's just that.
> 
> ...


I suffered, what I believe, was a grand mal (aka tonic-clonic) seizure in late April, after four years of being seizure-free, and not knowing if I was dealing with seizures or fainting spells (crappy specialists and crappy lab tests in my country may have accounted for "inconclusive results", in my case). I am not a physician, so I cannot diagnose you, but the thing you said about blood sugar dropping could be an issue. I had a similar thing happen to me at one of my hypnotherapy appointments. Normally, when I have enough energy, I sound like a machine gun when I speak. Well, this one time, I was firing off a bunch of issues, speaking rapidly, like usual, and then I just stopped speaking for no reason. My hypnotherapist said: "Are you okay? You've suddenly stopped talking and you've gone as white as a sheet." I responded with, "I'm pale-skinned, I always look like that." She followed up with: "This is likely a drop in blood sugar level. You need to realize that you have a different metabolism from most people, and that you need to eat in small doses, around the clock." I had never even thought about this before, but she was right. She had to get me a bit of food, as she believed I was about to collapse on her (I was not consciously aware of my energy drain until she mentioned it).

My blood sugar levels have always tested out as normal, but I am having a problem keeping weight on, and have developed physical nausea at the thought of food, depending on my hormone levels (I really hate being a woman, sometimes). I think I may have a thyroid issue, and one of my medical practitioners suggested this to me. I have left a message for my physician, and am seeing her next week (it's the earliest appointment I could get- the Canadian health care system drives me nuts!!!!). So, I will be tested for seizures, most likely, and probably thyroid issues as well.

Other than the reaction you have described above, what else makes you suspect epilepsy? Have you discussed it with a physician? And/or read up about it? I really do think this is a medical concern, and you should discuss this with your PCP, if you haven't already.

Edited to add: Past marijuana use would not cause this. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I am assuming you were sober in that video? That's how it looked to me.


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## intrasearching (Jul 15, 2011)

Steel Magnolia said:


> I suffered, what I believe, was a grand mal (aka tonic-clonic) seizure in late April, after four years of being seizure-free, and not knowing if I was dealing with seizures or fainting spells (crappy specialists and crappy lab tests in my country may have accounted for "inconclusive results", in my case). I am not a physician, so I cannot diagnose you, but the thing you said about blood sugar dropping could be an issue. I had a similar thing happen to me at one of my hypnotherapy appointments. Normally, when I have enough energy, I sound like a machine gun when I speak. Well, this one time, I was firing off a bunch of issues, speaking rapidly, like usual, and then I just stopped speaking for no reason. My hypnotherapist said: "Are you okay? You've suddenly stopped talking and you've gone as white as a sheet." I responded with, "I'm pale-skinned, I always look like that." She followed up with: "This is likely a drop in blood sugar level. You need to realize that you have a different metabolism from most people, and that you need to eat in small doses, around the clock." I had never even thought about this before, but she was right. She had to get me a bit of food, as she believed I was about to collapse on her (I was not consciously aware of my energy drain until she mentioned it).
> 
> My blood sugar levels have always tested out as normal, but I am having a problem keeping weight on, and have developed physical nausea at the thought of food, depending on my hormone levels (I really hate being a woman, sometimes). I think I may have a thyroid issue, and one of my medical practitioners suggested this to me. I have left a message for my physician, and am seeing her next week (it's the earliest appointment I could get- the Canadian health care system drives me nuts!!!!). So, I will be tested for seizures, most likely, and probably thyroid issues as well.
> 
> ...


To your edit, that is correct. I meant past, as in I do not use it anymore.

Also, what you describe is not quite what I experience. I hope you manage to get your problem figured out!

This slowing down thing does not result in stopped speech. When I would get it in the past, it was this prolonged feeling that everything was just a bit slowed. I start to feel this strange, unsettling rhythm about everything. I can't explain it... One of the first times I got it, I was on a long, strenuous hike with some friends. The feeling persisted for a few minutes once it set in, but I was still talking and being my normal self. My friend and I thought it was some sort of activation of past drug-related perceptions. Today I don't quite believe that, but the feeling is so similar to certain experiences where marijuana caused me to perceive a slowing of time.

When I get low blood sugar, I get a headache, I feel scared, anxious, like I am going crazy, I start to sweat (sometimes), and I feel very disconnected from my surroundings (more than usual-- like I am being sucked into my brain, with my vision seemingly going a bit dark).

I will try to regulate my blood sugar better in the next couple weeks. Here at my school they haven't provided me with enough food, so I'm having to scrape by, getting stuff from the food bank and whatnot.

To Inguz, that is an interesting idea, but I don't feel that's what was happening. Though, I could be wrong, I didn't feel at all emotional throughout the video. I think that what I experienced would be a pretty odd way for my body/mind to let me know that something was emotionally significant. Thank you for your input, though!


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## Steel Magnolia (Apr 10, 2012)

@*Neurasthenia*

Thank you for sharing. Whatever you are dealing with, it definitely sounds complicated. I hope you can figure out what is causing this. I do know that for myself, if I don't eat for several hours at a time, I will sometimes start shaking violently.  In this instance, I *must* eat immediately, or there is risk of me collapsing. This was before I started losing weight. My husband is the same way if he goes without food for too long- and he is severely overweight (I don't have the heart to say "obese"). Any issues with losing or gaining excess weight, in your case? You do look slender, in your video, but that is normal for some people. For me, it isn't- I have a medium frame, and I look my best at around 110-115 lbs. Currently, I am only 89 lbs. I hope I don't drop dead from what I have, and I am not kidding.

Best of luck to you. I hope your pcp/other medical practioner(s) can figure out what is wrong. It must be frustrating like hell to have to live with this mysterious issue and not know what is going on.


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## Inguz (Mar 10, 2012)

@Neurasthenia Just an alternate opinion. It happens to me that when I think about such depressing stuff it feels as if I'm "pulled down", as if the air goes out of me and like sounds just fade down and become more dull. In relation to the subject you were talking about it's normal to get physical reactions from emotions, but if it was just a coincidence that it happened the same time as an emotionally loaded topic (from my perspective) then you are obviously in a better position to judge that.


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## Word Dispenser (May 18, 2012)

Neurasthenia said:


> I've noticed this problem at different times for years... But I never knew what it was. I thought it was resultant of previous drug use (mild-- marijuana and salvia once). Basically, it's this feeling that everything is slowwwwinnngggg downnnnn. Like, my perception is slightly slowed. I know that it is not real, that things outside of me are not changing. I can sense that it's just a problem with my brain. I do have hypoglycemia, so it may be that.
> 
> I recently documented an episode of this on video. It is startling to watch. My speech actually slows for a second. Again, I am wondering if it isn't blood sugar related. I do feel hungry right now. I don't have a lot of food available to me right now (no cash), so I've been eating junk for the past few days. I am hoping it's just that.
> 
> ...


This reminds me of some episodes of migraines that I have experienced. One time was very, very weird. I felt as if the entire world was very slow. I thought I was on drugs or something, everything was unreal and strange. Usually I'd get an aura preceding all other symptoms, to let me know I was having a migraine, so this really freaked me out.

Then the aura came. I wasn't relieved-- Migraines are something of a phobia of mine-- But, at least I wasn't dying. I remember when I called my parents to come pick me up from high school, they asked me if I was on drugs, and sounded very concerned.

So, it could have something to do with the blood vessels in your brain, epilepsy, or not. I somehow don't think it's related to epilepsy-- the closest thing I can think of is the kind of episode where you stare off into space for a few seconds. Lots of people do that, but some people go 'dark'. One of my childhood friends did this.

I would suggest trying to drink more water. I know it sounds simple, but sometimes the simplest things help. My migraines can be caused by a multitude of factors, dehydration included.


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## intrasearching (Jul 15, 2011)

Word Dispenser said:


> This reminds me of some episodes of migraines that I have experienced. One time was very, very weird. I felt as if the entire world was very slow. I thought I was on drugs or something, everything was unreal and strange. Usually I'd get an aura preceding all other symptoms, to let me know I was having a migraine, so this really freaked me out.
> 
> Then the aura came. I wasn't relieved-- Migraines are something of a phobia of mine-- But, at least I wasn't dying. I remember when I called my parents to come pick me up from high school, they asked me if I was on drugs, and sounded very concerned.
> 
> ...


You know what? I was actually diagnosed with ocular migraines a few years ago. I used to see little specks of light, just one at a time, like my eye noticed a piece of silver glitter catching the sunlight for just a second.

So, this certainly could be migraine related. I have often felt a pressure, a sort of rushing in my head. Thankfully I don't get the severely painful sorts of migraines. I have had some awful headaches, though (rarely, however).

I also know that migraines and cluster headaches can be caused by problems with blood sugar.

And yes, I do need to drink more water. Usually I just drink like two cups a day, if that... 

Thank you for your input! I wish the best for you in dealing with your migraines.


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## Word Dispenser (May 18, 2012)

Neurasthenia said:


> You know what? I was actually diagnosed with ocular migraines a few years ago. I used to see little specks of light, just one at a time, like my eye noticed a piece of silver glitter catching the sunlight for just a second.
> 
> So, this certainly could be migraine related. I have often felt a pressure, a sort of rushing in my head. Thankfully I don't get the severely painful sorts of migraines. I have had some awful headaches, though (rarely, however).
> 
> ...


Luckily I only get them every six months. Maybe since I've made some dietary changes, this will change.  Maybe I won't get them at all!

You are most welcome, at any rate, and I hope that what you're dealing with isn't severe or worrisome.


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