This disorder often involves disturbing thoughts and emotions.Patients with complex partial seizures often come to the attention of psychiatrist before that of any other doctor.Since symptoms often do not accompany a tonic-clonic seizure it is often not recognized as a seizure disorder.
There are certain characteristics that can aid in the diagnosis of complex partial seizures. These types of seizures cause an alteration of the persons perception to his/her surroundings.In contrast to people diagnosed with some form of psychosis, epileptics are aware that thier experiences are an illusion. This is an important distinction when making a proper diagnosis.
Often people in a complex partial seizure will have "auras" before they actually go into the seizure. These auras can include difference in perceptions of sound. A voice may seem far away, louder or clearer.Visual disturbances such as color distortion or things becoming blurred or even unusualy clear. Some people also report that thier environment seems unfamilar to them or that unfamilar places suddenly seem very familar. Intense emotions of fear and anger even sorrow can be present.
Hallmarks of complex partial seizures are outburst of irritability not to be confused with violence. People experiencing a seizure of this type have memory lapses and will appear to others to be daydreaming or have a vacant expression. Most people are aware of losing periods of time and of the disturbances before the actual seizure.
It should be mentioned that even if an EEG routinely turns up negative that does not rule out a diagnosis of temporal lobe epilepsy. Treatment for this seizure disorder is complicated. Medicines can often bring out a psychotic behavior in patients with TLE if not monitored carefully. It is important with this seizure disorder to see a physician which has experience dealing with the management of epilepsy. A physicin and psychiatrist offers the best approach to proper treatment and management of this condition.
Go To Page: 1
