[Mckey]

I have been having staring spells all my life. And lately after the "stare" I will have a "duh" moment. Usually my stare is just a "stare". But now after I stare at something, afterwards I will be dazed and confused for about 15 minutes. And I have had "duh" moments after my severe Absence's. So I thought this was an apprpriate place to ask.

Today, I was staring at the dog. Notice, I didnt know I was staring. But then I notice that I am staring, and I have been staring with my tongue sticking out of my mouth. I dont remember sticking my tongue out initially. I have no idea how long I actually stared, but I did feel a time lapse.

My parents notice my "stares". They say when I have them I am completely still, I dont blink, and my eyes look empty. My eyes look empty to them when I am daydreaming too (Mckeys World). But when I daydream I am oviously indulged in thought. While during my staring spells its as if I am completely void of thought for a few seconds.

I dont remember blacking out. I just remember that I notice that I am staring and sitting completely still.

How can you tell if you black out?

Maybe I dont black out, maybe I just stare with void of thought being completely still without blinking. Maybe?

[Mckey]

Help?

[lostinthoughtandjaded]

Have you poked around the Dissociative Disorders forum at all? Cause I do something similar, but I don't think I experience the "lost time" issue that it sounds like you are going through, it's much closer to the daydream spells you say you have...

But as you've posted this in the seizure forum, you're also probably aware that a seizure disorder can cause this too- there was this study done along the way that I'd have to look up again, where researchers would flash a light repeatedly at subjects, and measure the brain's response... for the seizure kids (even the ones who had shown almost no symptoms) their brains would "miss" some of the flashes- kinda like the brain stepped out for that split second...


I think if it gets worse- especially if your stares get longer- I would check out a neurologist and see what they have to say... just my opinion...

[Mckey]

Thank you for the response jaded.

I do see a neurologist, and I did an MRI and EEG (with the flashing light included) and both came back normal. I havent talked to him about the staring spells though, I really wanted his opinion, and I dont see him until January. I am on lamictal and it helps my CP's and SP's but not the staring spells.

I dont have dissociation with the staring spells or the daydreaming. I only have dissociation with SP's and CP's.

I just wonder if the staring spells are Absence's or not. I keep looking for more info on them but I keep getting "mostly seen in children" thing. Which makes me wonder...

[Mckey]

Are these spells a concern? Are they a flag to get an earlier appt with the Neuro? I am not scheduled to see him for 2 and a half months.

[nalgas]

I assume this is the same stuff you were talking about in that other thread a couple weeks ago, right?

Mckey, on 14 November 2009 - 11:40 PM, said:

Are these spells a concern? Are they a flag to get an earlier appt with the Neuro? I am not scheduled to see him for 2 and a half months.

A concern? In the sense that you should talk about them with him, yes, that would probably be a good idea. They tend to like knowing about weird things like that going on, especially if you can keep a log of each time they happen and what was going on at the time, which can help a lot with narrowing down what's causing it.

As far as whether or not you should reschedule your appointment for an earlier time, I don't really know one way or the other. When I have something like that happen and I'm not sure, I call my neurologist's office and ask whether I should come in or it's ok to wait. I just had to do that recently, after my brain was acting funny last month. I wasn't scheduled to go in until the beginning of next year, either, but they had me go in last week instead. Other times I've just had to keep an eye on things and let them know if something changed. I would guess that if it's not getting worse or causing significant problems, they won't have you come in Right This Minute, but there's a reason they're the doctors/nurses and I'm not.

[Velvet Elvis]

I get daydreaming trances almost this bad from ADHD. I don't know about the no blinking part. It's not like I black out so much as I get lost in my train of thought and completely shut out the outside world.

[Mckey]

Yeah its some of the stuff that I was talking about in the last thread. The staring spells are just odd though because I have no idea what they are, and not even sure if they are neuro related.

VE, I have major daydreaming spells as well. Where I stare off into space and think. But with the spells I am talking about, I am completely void of thought. Its hard to explain the difference, but the feelings of the each instance feel different.

[LikeMinded]

Mckey, on 17 November 2009 - 10:04 PM, said:

Yeah its some of the stuff that I was talking about in the last thread. The staring spells are just odd though because I have no idea what they are, and not even sure if they are neuro related.

VE, I have major daydreaming spells as well. Where I stare off into space and think. But with the spells I am talking about, I am completely void of thought. Its hard to explain the difference, but the feelings of the each instance feel different.

One thing that could help you and your neurologist out is to see if you can identify any triggers that cause these staring spells. I get them too, and it's normally 1) when I'm in a hurry and need to look for something [I normally forget what I was looking for upon entering the room] or 2) when I experience rejection. I think both are forms of psychological dissociation (or maybe the first is just AD/HD acting up).

However, if traditional seizure triggers (lights, sleep deprivation, hyperventilation, etc.) are triggering these, this should be a major flash for your neurodoc.

It's also possible that you might not be able to identify a trigger at all, but I advise to look for one as much as you can... best of luck, anyways...

[Mckey]

Hrm...dissociation...

I forget things when I enter a room too. But my memory is just fucked. Like I saw my pdoc today and when I came out of his room my dad said "what did he say" and I said "i have no clue". All memory just *poof*

I am not sure of the triggers. The last one I had was in the middle of the day and I cant think of any triggers.

Dammit another reason to journal. I suck at journaling.

[LikeMinded]

Mckey, on 19 November 2009 - 09:15 PM, said:

Hrm...dissociation...

I forget things when I enter a room too. But my memory is just fucked. Like I saw my pdoc today and when I came out of his room my dad said "what did he say" and I said "i have no clue". All memory just *poof*

I am not sure of the triggers. The last one I had was in the middle of the day and I cant think of any triggers.

Dammit another reason to journal. I suck at journaling.

Does sound like your 'staring spells' are due to general spaciness (if you will), like mine are... and that journalling should help... are you (like myself and many of my AD/HD friends) hypergraphic (meaning that you like to write notes and stuff like nobody's business)? If so, you could use that issue to your advantage. In my worst bouts of chronic meningitis (these almost always screwed with my already-fragile memory), I'd have a "workflow" post-it note chart of things to do literally stapled to the bottom of my shirt and a pen in my pocket to write on the back of the same post-it note anything that I should have to remember.

If I remember to write it down, that is. That's the hard part. I understand, though, that remembering to write stuff down does come by habit, no matter how bad your memory is......

[Mckey]

I am a hypergraphic in the sense of words and sentences... A LOT of them. I "suffer from an overactive imagination" (my REAL dx lmfao) and all my docs tell me to use it as an advantage. But the thing is, my thoughts are so disorganized that its hard to write the long poems/stories/songs that are actually in my head. Instead I write a single word to a sentence. BUT with that one word I can read it and ALL the feelings and thoughts come back to me (even from months and months ago *as weird as my memory works*). Hopefully someday I can actually write productively.

Anywho hopefully it is just ADHD staring spells. It just.. feels so different. With these new migraines and extra staring spells I am going to bring *when should I see my neuro* to my GP tomorrow. I doubt he will shed much light (being a Naval hospital and all). For now I am keeping my Jan of 010 appt with my neuro.

I'll write more words and sentences when it comes to these things. I carry a notebook with me everywhere lmfao. Okay I am ranting. Thanks LM!

[toronto_girl]

Mckey, on 19 November 2009 - 09:15 PM, said:

Hrm...dissociation...

I forget things when I enter a room too. But my memory is just fucked. Like I saw my pdoc today and when I came out of his room my dad said "what did he say" and I said "i have no clue". All memory just *poof*

I am not sure of the triggers. The last one I had was in the middle of the day and I cant think of any triggers.

Dammit another reason to journal. I suck at journaling.

Mckey, in my opinion, as I suffer from absense seizures, it sounds like an ABSENSE SEIZURE TO A T! But, absense seizure are usually always picked up as symmetrical 3-Hz spike-and-wave discharges on EEGs. So it would highly surprise me if nothing popped up on your EEG. And your neuro would have to make that diagnosis.
Here is the million dollar question, are you confused after your blank stares? Neuros generally ask this because if there is epileptiform activity in the brain, after the seizure, there is no memory of what went on and there will undoubtedly be confusion. (You mentionned you had memory loss...) Absense seizure consists begin and end abruptly, without warning and in most cases there are no triggers or 'auras.' But pay attention if blinking lights help set them off...
What meds have you tried?

[dumdum]

Hey there. If you're staring, it could be complex partials..as toronto girl asked, though, are you confused after the event?

I have TLE. Last yr. I feel out of the shower and smashed the back of my head on something hard. Blood was everywhere. The hubster rushed me to the ER and when the doc injected the "numbing agent" into my skull--OUCH--my night got even more interesting. While awaiting for the nubing stuff to kick in so the doc could put in the stitches, according to his report I sat bolt upright and stared at the wall. He wrote that I was totally unresponsive.

Hubster told me he even shined the light in my eyes and I didn't blink. Just stared. He ordered a head ct.
The "staring" was actually a CP. When I 'came to' I was completely confused. To this day I don't remember having the head ct...I just recall a nurse coming in with a wheelchair and I said, "I don't need that!" (stubborn Irish lass that I am.)

Soooo, be sure to talk w/your neuro. about this and try to remember to keep a seizure journal.
As for calling to see if your appt. should be moved up? It's worth a shot.
I was scheduled for a VEEG Sept. 29th and unbeknownst to me, my husband email and told him my seizure activity had increased greatly. The doc got me into Duke two days after that email, Sept.2nd. (glad I went, I had four grand mal seizures while I was there!)

So, it's up to you--either way, it can't hurt to email or speak with your doctor about these staring spells.

Best wishes,
Sheila

This post has been edited by dumdum: 05 December 2009 - 12:41 PM

[nalgas]

dumdum, on 05 December 2009 - 12:39 PM, said:

The hubster rushed me to the ER and when the doc injected the "numbing agent" into my skull--OUCH--my night got even more interesting.

What's really fun about that is that stuff like lidocaine has a tendency to cause seizures, depending on how much they give you. Good times.

[dumdum]

I didn't know that those 'numbing agents' could cause seizures! But it makes sense, as while the doc sat on his stool waiting for the stuff to kick in, I recall saying to my husband, "I think I'm going to seize..." and that was it.

I actually passed out and awoke to a nurse with both hands on my head, holding it down while the doc stitched away. I was like, "HUH? Why is she holding my head?"

My latest incident involved getting an aura while walking into the bathroom and the next thing I knew, I was in the tub. I recall hitting my face on the water spicket thingy. Black eye the next day, a trip to the husband's ENT doc a month later (again, I'm stubborn and hate going to the doctor) and surprise! I broke my nose, deviated my septum and surgery has been suggested.

Bathrooms are a definite hazard for people w/epilepsy.

As you said...good times, good times.

This post has been edited by dumdum: 06 December 2009 - 01:26 PM

[Mckey]

toronto_girl, on 02 December 2009 - 09:46 AM, said:

Mckey, on 19 November 2009 - 09:15 PM, said:

Hrm...dissociation...

I forget things when I enter a room too. But my memory is just fucked. Like I saw my pdoc today and when I came out of his room my dad said "what did he say" and I said "i have no clue". All memory just *poof*

I am not sure of the triggers. The last one I had was in the middle of the day and I cant think of any triggers.

Dammit another reason to journal. I suck at journaling.

Mckey, in my opinion, as I suffer from absense seizures, it sounds like an ABSENSE SEIZURE TO A T! But, absense seizure are usually always picked up as symmetrical 3-Hz spike-and-wave discharges on EEGs. So it would highly surprise me if nothing popped up on your EEG. And your neuro would have to make that diagnosis.
Here is the million dollar question, are you confused after your blank stares? Neuros generally ask this because if there is epileptiform activity in the brain, after the seizure, there is no memory of what went on and there will undoubtedly be confusion. (You mentionned you had memory loss...) Absense seizure consists begin and end abruptly, without warning and in most cases there are no triggers or 'auras.' But pay attention if blinking lights help set them off...
What meds have you tried?

what I THOUGHT was an absence I had utter confusion afterwards. i had no idea where i was going or what i was doing. but looking back on things it was probably a CP. usually with the stares i get a "huh?" feeling but not utter confusion like after CPs. when i stare, i usually dont even notice that i do it. other people notice though. they complain they cant get my attention and i dont respond. and i can tell the difference between a staring spell and a ADHD flight of fancy.

im on lamictal now and im doing better (and klonopin helps). im only on 200mg, but i havent had a CP for a few months now. the staring spells though are having a field day.

im keeping my january appt. almost there anyway. still having trouble journalling. im hoping for a new EEG but this time w/o meds.

[tim-e]

dumdum, on 07 December 2009 - 04:24 AM, said:

Bathrooms are a definite hazard for people w/epilepsy.

Indeed, I've had a grand mal in the shower too. Fell out of the cubicle and cracked the wall tiles on the way down.