Medical question - worried - long post

[Steph1939]

I'm hoping someone can give me a answer to a medical question. My fiance had a seizure in March of this year. It totally came out of the blue. We still do not know why it happened. He had been depressed with an anxiety disorder since October of last year. He had started law school and we were living 2.5 hours apart while I finished my master's degree. I know that he was prescribed xxanax and wellbutrin for his symptoms. The seizure happened when he was back home talking to someone. He looked up and feel on the ground convulsing. He ended up breaking one of his shoulders and popping the other one out.
Fast forward to now. We are now together since I have finished my degree. He is on diazepam, buxaprone, and paxil. He was shaking in the morning but his medication seems to stop that and calm him down. He has been to see a neurologist and he has ordered an eeg (asleep and awake) and some blood work which is scheduled for next week. He had a MRI when he was in the hospital for his seizure. The doctor has not seen it yet. The doctor kept mentioning epilespy and cancer while talking with him. I do know that he has trouble remembering some things which never used to happen. He is scared to death that he has cancer and will be leaving me and his family. Any suggestions about anything I can do to calm him? What does his symptoms suggest to you?
I came to the DIS board for some support because although I don't post too often I lurk a lot. Thanks for reading.

 

[Kimberle]

I don't know. He is doing right by getting tested. Has he had any injuries to his head, a fall, or high fever lately?



b/t/w, if it does turn out to be Epilespy, I have an Aunt, now in her 60's, who's had it since she was a small child. She's lead a perfectly "normal" life. Her's was the result of a high fever (Scarlett) in the 1950's.

 

[C.Ann]

Many of the medications used to treat depression and anxiety can and sometimes do cause seizures.. That's the first place I would be looking.. These same medications can cause memory loss as well..

Try not to worry too much until all of the tests are in.. Epilepsy would be my second guess and cancer a DISTANT third..

Hang in there and keep us posted - okay?

Hugs,
C.Ann

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I was going to say what C. Ann did about the anti-depressants. Most of them have a warning about seizures.

 

[Big V]

I will say a prayer for your DH. I hope it's nothing serious.

 

[mickeyboat]

Not a doctor, only a friend. Here's a for you.

Try not to worry about things until you actually know something. I know it's hard, but you will need all your strength and courage to deal with whatever it is, and hopefully it's nothing.

The best way I found to deal with stressful situations, is to get all the information I can about whatever it is. It relieves stress for me and keeps me occupied. Sometimes even gives me answers I am looking for.

A caveat, though. Some people get frightened when presented with all sorts of information, especially worse case scenarios. If you are one of those kind of people, just stay actively involved with the doctors.

Good luck to you! Good thoughts coming your way.

Denae

 

[Deb in IA]

Epilepsy is used synonymously with seizures. They are the same thing.

An MRI is part of a routine workup for seizures. The doctors want to rule out the serious things that can cause seizures, and one of them is a tumor.

However, the vast majority of people with seizures do NOT have tumors or cancer.

Hope everything turns out well for your fiance.