Visual 'spots' (right eye only) have been hindering Jaclyn for almost a year now. These started after her last seizure in November of 09. Her last radiosurgery was April of 09. The spots are more frequent when she gets her heart rate up and/or has stress. For example, she did Zumba the other night and she said she had 'spots' a bunch of times. Her headaches are more frequent and her energy level isn't the best. The nuerologist gave her nortriptyline thinking the visual issues are from migrains. Well...in her words.."That does nothing!" We go back in April for another follow up with the neurologist and neurosurgeon so we will definatly talk to them at that time.
Now the newest symptom. It happens when she is sitting still at school and/or laying in her bed while trying to fall asleep. It feels like static electricity (but not as powerful) going through the back of her legs, arms, fingers, and her back. They stop and start kinda like she is being pinched. It worried her at 1st but now it's just another one of those annoying issues. Hopefully you can open the attached video for her explanation.
Any ideas on what is going on? Her last radiosurgery was LINAC (April 09) and she has been seizure free for alittle over a year but she also has lost her right perepheral vision which we hope returns.
I can’t say that these could be related but a couple of years ago I would get shocks through my left side mostly my left forearm where there has been alot of numbness aswell that usually went away after relaxing for a bit but, for a while now I have experienced these in my face and back while drifting off to sleep and they have been working themselves into my dreams like (getting hit in the face with a door, slipping and falling on ice, alot of falling and unpreventable sudden impact) I can’t say what it is or what causes it, I will be checking in with my neuro’s this week if not later today and will bring it up with them as it has intensified this week after my first embolization increased flow to right occipital lobe and my vision has been getting spotty and headaches are increasing. question, can you describe the spots? for me is light sparkles, streaming blurs and, purple/yellow blobs like bubbles popping for moments at a time.
Thanks Peter for your input. Her 'spots' range from flashes of light to blotches of color to flutters of color. Let me know what your doctor thinks as well. They also last from just a few minutes to a 1/2 hour.
Hey I think I also get the “spots” issue to. Does it sometimes act like if she where to look at a light or a flash from a camera? There are also times when I see spots but it happens once in awhile not all the time and never paid attention to it happening more if i’m stressed or really active. I have never had the static problem. I hope you share with us what the dr says in april as to what the reason is for the static issue. Thinking about you guys =) Andrea
kim, I live with the 'electrical' feeling all through my upper body. My arms and my neck are the worst. I sometimes get it down my left leg too. My doctors just tell me it's a side effect what's going on in my head. From the elecrical discharges /misfires in my brain. I recently started a new seizure med to see if that helps it. So far, I haven't had any luck. It's harmless but, it is a nuisance and it does interupt my sleep/rest a lot of times.
Jaclyn did a very nice job at making her video, it was very impressive.
Andrea-I did read this again and it does sound like she may be having partial seizures. Her neurologist put her on migraine meds back in the fall I think to rule them out first. We see him again in April so I have a feeling he might change her seizure meds but Jaclyn is petrified of that becuase she doesn't want to have to start from ground zero again with meds.
I know how she feels I hated when I had to change medicines. I’m glad you reread it and wish I could be of more help. Hope in April you all will get some better news, maybe up the dosage of the medicine or something. Let me know how it turns out (in April)!!!
Kim (Jaclyn’s mom) said:
Andrea-I did read this again and it does sound like she may be having partial seizures. Her neurologist put her on migraine meds back in the fall I think to rule them out first. We see him again in April so I have a feeling he might change her seizure meds but Jaclyn is petrified of that becuase she doesn't want to have to start from ground zero again with meds.