Are these absence seizures?

Hi Everyone. I posted about this last week but I haven't really come across anyone who has experienced this. This is really hard to try and explain but it seems like either my brain/thought process/or visual process "stops" or "freezes for a second about every 10 seconds. Something is going blank and I can't quite figure it out what it is. My friend who has her PhD in neuroscience suggested the possibility or absence seizures but I have been having them continuously for about a week now. Could they be brain zaps? They started after a bad glutamatergic storm last week. I know this is a Benzo symptom but it gives me peace of mind knowing what could have been damaged. If anyone can relate let me know! Thanks!

This stuff IS complicated. I am no neurologist but doubt they are any sort of odd seizure. Benzo WD can cause seizures but usually Grand Mal or Petit Mal. Mostly grand mal.

Because benzos work on your brain to produce the results you hoped for, your brain just has to heal. Withdrawal can bring on hundreds of weird symptoms, causing you to think you have either goner insane or have some awful disease. You have neither. You are a healthy person who took benzos without knowing the whole truth. It is that simple.

What other symptoms are you having?

east

Thanks East,

 

I know that benzo withdrawal causes a lot of symptoms but I can't seem to find anyone who has this.  It makes it impossible to distract. I've had a variety of symptoms over the past month or while "tapering" and jumping.

 

Right now the only thing seems to be this symptom and crushing brain feeling.  I just got out of the psych ward because I wasn't thinking and told the doctor I was having suicidal ideations as a withdrawal symptom.  Thought I was depressed and baker acted me.  I got out yesterday from being in there for 3 days.  I refused all the pills they tried to give me!

 

My symptoms so far:

 

High morning anxiety where nothing feels "right" and lasts throughout the day.

Slight derealization (not as bad as I had it when I CT prozac)

Hyperstimulation after eating certain foods

Feeling uncomfortable in my own skin

1 day of bad depression

Head pressure/moving around feeling

Heart palpitations

Throat tightness

Suicidal thoughts - I'll pass a tree and think about hanging myself for example

Non-stop ruminating thoughts (It gets really bad and I think leads to a glutamic storm)

Doom feeling - feels like external pressure/presence surrounding my body

Feels like my mind is constantly pulling me away from the present moment

 

 

Hi Everyone. I posted about this last week but I haven't really come across anyone who has experienced this. This is really hard to try and explain but it seems like either my brain/thought process/or visual process "stops" or "freezes for a second about every 10 seconds. Something is going blank and I can't quite figure it out what it is. My friend who has her PhD in neuroscience suggested the possibility or absence seizures but I have been having them continuously for about a week now. Could they be brain zaps? They started after a bad glutamatergic storm last week. I know this is a Benzo symptom but it gives me peace of mind knowing what could have been damaged. If anyone can relate let me know! Thanks!

 

 

I can relate to this symptom, I had it too in my acute phase. I'm having blank mind 24/7 but this was something else, like brain really fell asleep/freezed for few seconds and I felt like being on the edge of seizure, but it never happened.

Do you have head pressure along with this?

 

Good news is, this symptom will pass.

 

Hi Camela,

 

Thanks for the reply! Yes, this is exactly what it feels like! When it gets so bad it feels like I am on autopilot and I am just going in and out of awareness.  I have immense head pressure at the back of my head on either side.

 

I am so happy I finally found someone who has gone through this symptom.  I really thought there was something actually wrong in my brain (like a tumor or something)

 

 

Those sound like micro seizures. Highly under-diagnosed, a neurologist can run tests.

 

It's probably not withdrawl seizures, but can be an expression of your healing.

Hi Camela,

 

Thanks for the reply! Yes, this is exactly what it feels like! When it gets so bad it feels like I am on autopilot and I am just going in and out of awareness.  I have immense head pressure at the back of my head on either side.

 

I am so happy I finally found someone who has gone through this symptom.  I really thought there was something actually wrong in my brain (like a tumor or something)

 

Yes I know exactly what you mean and I can relate to the thoughts 100% , it's a awful symptom but it will go away eventually.

Do you have some other symptoms?

Camela,

 

Did you have these constantly or did they just happen here and there?

Hi Everyone. I posted about this last week but I haven't really come across anyone who has experienced this. This is really hard to try and explain but it seems like either my brain/thought process/or visual process "stops" or "freezes for a second about every 10 seconds. Something is going blank and I can't quite figure it out what it is. My friend who has her PhD in neuroscience suggested the possibility or absence seizures but I have been having them continuously for about a week now. Could they be brain zaps? They started after a bad glutamatergic storm last week. I know this is a Benzo symptom but it gives me peace of mind knowing what could have been damaged. If anyone can relate let me know! Thanks!

 

Is this absolute, as in a touch from someone or willpower can or cannot force you out of the 'seizure' ? if that trick works, it's probably no a 'by the book' absence seizure although I'm sure something is going on. Clonazepam is prescribed for absence seizures (and other things)

yes ive had this without a doubt during my recovery. They did go away in the end. Its a sign of healing

 

 

shania

Thanks, everyone.  I am very concerned that I have had them for a week straight with no relief at all.  It feels like my mind is trying to ruminate like it did before but this time it isn't latching on to a thought - just nothing.

 

It is getting to the point where I am thinking about going to see a neurologist. 

 

shania213 - did you have these constantly or did they come and go.  How long did you have them for?

Camela,

 

Did you have these constantly or did they just happen here and there?

 

 

It just happen here and there, also I remembering I had often racing thoughts along with this.

Thanks, everyone.  I am very concerned that I have had them for a week straight with no relief at all.  It feels like my mind is trying to ruminate like it did before but this time it isn't latching on to a thought - just nothing.

 

It is getting to the point where I am thinking about going to see a neurologist. 

 

shania213 - did you have these constantly or did they come and go.  How long did you have them for?

 

 

 

 

 

I had them constantly-it was so annoying and quite scary to be honest with you. I had a neurologist at the time who knew about withdrawal and so did my nurse practitioner and both reassured me that it was withdrawal.

 

 

If you go to  a neurologist who doesn't understand withdrawal they will try to put you on a med maybe.

 

 

Trust me Ive been through every symptom/side effect

 

 

I had this ..it was like..blank then back...blank then back...blank then back

 

 

I used to be so scared of falling but NOTHING HAPPENED..Im still here to tell the tale

 

 

 

shania

Hi Shania,

 

It is comforting to hear that there is someone else has been through this.  I am quite worried that it might be permanent due to it being my only symptom right now.  Did the neurologist mention what part of the brain was affected and did it show up on any tests? 

 

I can't even describe it to someone because its hard for me to even know what's happening.

yes ive had this without a doubt during my recovery. They did go away in the end. Its a sign of healing

 

 

shania

 

So good to hear it went away for you Shania!

I have the dead brain thing real bad constantly if it happens for a day, usually associated with head pressure and numbness.

 

I read quite a bit your posts and story.

How are you doing now?