Stress-induced seizures

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Ok, I feel very silly, and I don't think this is aspie-related at all...but since I don't know what is is, I figured I would ask. When I get too overwhelmed, I get nauseous, frequently pass out, and sometimes seize. It's non-epileptic, and I've had all the appropriate tests, so the best guess is that it's stress related. (Woohoo, it's all in my head.)

Does this happen to anyone else, or is it a completely separate issue? (Again, sorry for the likely non-related-ness of the question...)

im not sure if this is really the same issue, but i have noticed that when there is some kind of environmental stress i can sometimes become full of rage for no other apparent reason. what i mean by 'stress' is something like a bad smell or especially when there is stuff scattered all over the room and it seems like too much is going on at once. i also remember reading somewhere that some autistics rages may be caused by abnormal brainwaves so i am wondering if maybe there is some kind of connection?

Hi,

I collapse / pass out too when I am very stressed - especially when I have sensory overload, or when I have exhaustion from having too much 'enforced' social interaction and sensory stimulation. It's like part of me suddenly runs out of battery and just shuts down.

It can also be very embarrassing as it sometimes happens in public places. I don't have seizures, but other than this I seem to have the same symptoms as you.

When I feel faint, I also experience visual disturbances, and on some occasions temporary blindness!!

I also find that my 'selective mutism' (I think that's what it is called...?) takes hold in these situations too.

I often stim like crazy when I start to feel stressed in this way, but sometimes that is not enough to stop the above symptoms.

Hmm, I wonder if your body is going into semi shock from over stimulus or something - so pulling blood back to the core, which in turn drops your blood pressure? I think a bottomed out bp would cause you to feint, feel nauseous etc.
just an idea that flew into me just now...

I've had auras when I've felt stressed in the past, but thankfully never full-blown tonic-clonic seizures.

If you are really having seizures I would push for more tests. You could be having an extreme panic attack that maybe causing a seizure. I know stress can cause meltdown. It not completely unlikely that they could cause seizures if your susceptible. When I was having meltdowns I often had seizure like symptoms like involuntary movements.

Interesting, as I have low blood pressure too, so can't stand for long periods (well, not much more than a few minutes, really!) otherwise I collapse - so standing in shop queues is no fun!

Although when I am stressed, even if my blood pressure is fine, or even if I am lying down, I still get the same symptoms, so as you suggest, it could be that sensory overload triggers events that lead to a drop in blood pressure.

Regarding involuntary movements, I tend to get this too. I have dyspraxia which gets a lot worse when I am stressed / over stimulated and can cause involuntary movements as well significant worsening in physical co-ordination.

THE SAME THING HAPPEN TO ME!!

Last time It happend It was when I was in the shower! spraned my finger when I fell! And the night befor I got in a really bad fight with my brother.

Also when I broke my little toe. The dentist. The heat. At school. Frequently when i'm on my period. I will feel the same thing, Get nauseouated, pass out and sometimes start convolting. Though I notice that twice I got really thursty and when I drank some water I vomited it and when i'm exposed to heat (Outside during summer, Hot showers) I'll start seeing colors, lights, blured vision. like when you press you hands on your eyes.

but I feel so happy that i'm not the only one that has this!

I don't know that if it's an aspie thing or not.

I have had issues with this. I was on medication for epilepsy for a while, until I spent several days in an epilepsy monitoring unit and my neurologist decided that the episodes were nonepileptic. I think part of the issue was the severe tingling I got from the Topamax, which I also had to take for my migraines. I can't stand tingling (sensory issues), so I flipped out. The doctor recommended counseling for some PTSD I have, but I really think it was the tingling, which mostly went away when the dosage was lowered.

Interestingly, one of the first things I did when one of these episodes was coming on would be to start flapping my hands.

i feel sorry for anyone who has seizures, they look painful

Unless they're taking an EEG while you having one of these attacks, they may well miss it unless you've got a constant abnormal read. One or even a few EEG readings do not a diagnosis make.

It sounds like an epileptic seizure and both seizures and stress work via the same neurochemical, GABA. So increase in stress definitely can bring on a seizure or increase in number or severity of seizures.

How often do you have these? If they are infrequent, you may never get an EEG to catch you in the midst of an attack. Otherwise, if you have them more frequently but just haven't had one during an EEG, then I'd ask to have a 48-hour carry-round EEG. They're mini EEGs they hook you up to and you carry it around and it'll record all activity over the 48 hour period.

OR, it could be nonepileptic seizures, which is another disorder in itself but is most often associated with epilepsy.

Btw, seizures and epilepsy are VERY common in ASDs. Approximately 30% of auties have seizures.

Nonepileptic seizures actually have nothing to do with epilepsy at all. They're episodes brought on by stress and emotional issues. It ends up being treated as a psychological issue and not a medical one, which is why once a neurologist diagnoses it, they hand you off to a psychologist. There can be medical reasons for seizures that aren't due to epilepsy, but that's different.

Well, as far as mine go, they aren't painful, they just tire me out a lot (in fact, as soon as I come round from one I need to go to sleep because I'm so exhausted) and leave me with a thundering headache afterwards. The temporary paralysis in my right side doesn't help, though

I have a seizure disorder, fortunately controlled by medication. It is brought on by stress.

Nonepileptic seizures most often occur with an epileptic disorder. Not to say they can't occur without one, but the majority of those who have nonepileptic seizures also have epileptic seizures.

i have psuedo-seizures, i was on meds for epilepsy first and then monitored for a week in hospital which came down to it not being epilepsy i actually got addicted to the meds and it took 2-3 wks to shake the feeling, they are litterally overwhem of the brain due to factors like stress and are not damaging or damgerous to the brain, must be controlled by managing anxiety and stress, the overwhelm equates to a really big meltdown really