[Hopeful10]

On top of bipolar disorder and anxiety disorder, I have a diagnosis of "complex migraine with aura." It presents with an aura that starts with a low mood, weakness and then I get irritable, light sensitive, see spots in my vision, sometimes I get auditory hallucinations and I get paralysis/extreme weakness on both sides of my body. Then, sometimes I get an "aura" as they call it like had last night -- I went into convulsions multiple times...before the convulsions start I get a fluttering feeling in my stomach, then a strong urge to cough, extreme nausea, dry heaves then my body tenses up and I go into convulsions. I am partially aware, but not totally...I can hear everything around me but I can't respond. When I first started getting these 1 1/2 years ago, I was admitted into the Cleveland Clinic neurology dept and monitored for 3 days...they did a 48 hr EEG, an MRI, and a CT scan. They didn't find anything abnormal, so they diagnosed me with the complex (complicated) migraine. I was sent home and have been followed by a neurologist loosely who did another 48 hr EEG last summer. There was one blip that was abnormal, but he attributed it to dreaming. I have tried multiple medications and have had either bad reactions, they didn't work, or I was allergic to them. I am currently on Topamax, but all my body can handle is 25 mg twice a day. We tried 3 times a day but my body reacted strongly against it. Anyway, what is frustrating to me is that just because this seizure activity doesn't show up on an EEG they say I'm fine or it's "all in my head, psychological." It is frustrating that they hear a history of bipolar and migraine and stop there...they refuse to do any more testing, as they think it's all psychosomatic. But my husband and family knows it's not. I have an appt with a neurological specialist, but I can't see her till august. That is frustrating itself, as I had an appt in May, but it got rescheduled because the dr had some kind of mandatory training she got called to do. I've been waiting since last year to see her. In the mean time, what am I to do??!! I'm tired of being dismissed simply because I have bipolar!!! I'm not stupid because I have it! Quite the contrary!!! And I am faithful in taking my meds and following up on my appts regularly. But I get treated as a low life loser who knows nothing when I end up in the ER after a seizure episode. I'm not stupid! I graduated second in my class in high school and i also worked as a nurse after college before I was diagnosed. I am a highly functioning person with a condition that debilitates me at times, but it does not define me! I am so frustrated with people in healthcare that still have so much stigma against mental illness. Does anyone else feel this way...do you have issues getting docs to really check out your physical issues because of your mental illness? Do you feel marginalized?? If you do, do you have any helpful tips that I could use that helps you get your docs to listen past your mental illness?? Thanks.

I will never give up hope!

[glok]

Hello, Hopeful10. I have no tips. I commend you for not giving up hope.

Hi Hopeful,

I can relate to what you're enduring. I'm not a doctor, however I have symptoms like yours and am being evaluated for migralepsy. It is difficult to diagnose because by the time most get an EEG the seizure is over. There is information to be found on the epilepsy website. If you can get to an neuro epilepsy specialist most are trained to make a diagnosis by listening carefully to how the patient describes the symptoms. You've done a great job explaining your sx on your post, perhaps you cut and paste it and take it to the doc. Sometimes, I understand it may be a matter of adjusting your anti-convulsant, who knows. My GP had me raise my Lamictal until I see a specialist next week. Typically, dosages for seizure meds are much much higher than for psyche illnesses. I have probably enough information to be dangerous. Feel free to take it for what it's worth. Migralepsy, if that is what you have, is very treatable and once you get the right meds, you should be fine with school.

[Hopeful10]

Thank you sunnyfan!

I will never give up hope!