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Is it epilepsy?

I feel like the seizures I've had are non epileptic in nature, but I'm afraid to go for a second opinion because my diagnosis came from a professor.

So a bit of background, I had blackouts as a child that were attributed to a small hole in the wall of my heart, which eventually cleared itself. In later years I would begin to have fainting episodes as a teenager, I was diagnosed with epilepsy, but discharged after they found nothing in the tests and my blackouts seem to just stop of their own accord.

As an adult I became quite unhealthy, I started having awareness seizures and fainting episodes, I would eventually be clinically diagnosed with epilepsy, though I was still being investigated for a heart problem at the same time.

Unfortunately, covid happened and the tests for my heart were never concluded. I was put on a small dose of lamotragine because they didn't think my threshold for episodes was very high. Regardless, the lamotragine did nothing eventually (naughty) I just stopped taking it and tried to rebuild my life following the diagnosis, my episodes were exceptionally rare.

Fast forward a couple of years, still having auras and a couple of episodes, I had started to have palpitations, long short here I eventually got diagnosed with a thickened heart wall and reduced ejection fraction. But this is where my epilepsy doubt crept in, after getting the medication into my system my episodes stopped altogether, no aura, no feeling no nothing. It seems like too much of a coincidence that a treatment for a condition I have evidence of having, would stop my episodes.

So I thought they might be non epileptic episodes and thought about getting a second opinion, but I'm really not sure. Any guidance would be appreciated from you all!

  1. See how it goes, it sounds like you're doing ok, if it's not a financial burden to get a test done, then maybe get checked out.

    I have heart failure, heart disease, triple bypass 2007 and haven't been looking after myself I'm afraid to say, had a seizure with a ghastly aura out the blue a year and a half ago and had about 8 since, also having palpitations. Testing didn't show anything, so I'm starting to wonder if my heart is the culprit, all I can do is look after myself from now on as I can't afford any more tests. Its possible your heart may be the culprit.

    I've done a bit of research and heart failure/issues usually causes syncope, losing consciousness, which doesn't involve seizures. Maybe get it checked out if you haven't already?

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