Blackout

[Rob186]

Just checking, my girlfriend lately has been having these blackout or seizures where she just stares unable to move or talk, they usually last a few seconds. Wondering if anyone gets this fnd symptoms

[MarbleDuckling]

Hi Rob186,

These types of events happen to my girlfriend as well. They do look like 'absence seizures', but can range from simple 1-2 seconds lapse in concentration to 5-10 minutes just staring ahead with no interaction possible with her.

They are usually triggered by emotionally coming down from a stressful event, such as shopping, so she'll typically get them on the way out of the store, or on the car ride home. However, there are times where she'll be stressed in the store, and see something she likes such as cute PJ's and her emotions will flip from stress to joy and that can cause it as well, and then again when she goes from the joy to stress of shopping again.

These little events she's having is hard to see in day to day, since, as you've noticed they can only last for a few moments at a time. So unless I'm interacting with her a lot of them go unnoticed just because of how they are. Sometimes she'll notice, like if she's typing on the computer and they happen, she's got a finger held down and she ends up with a lineeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

Other times we've been talking at the dinner table and we'll notice she's not interacting anymore with the conversation and she'll be just looking ahead with a vacant look on her face.

During the longer events, her eyes can be fixed, and dilated, and her breathing shallow. Her arms usually tense up stiff, sometimes her finger do as well. I generally just try to talk to her while she's having her, reassuring her it's ok and that I'm with her, asking her to think of how my hands feel stroking her arm etc because there are times where she has been aware of what's happening around her.

[Rob186 in reply to MarbleDuckling]

Thanks for replying, I was worried as sometimes we don't get an answer from our doctors, everything is put under fnd. I wish your girlfriend good health, take care and stay strong

[Leesaloo]

Hi, I did have these seizures, I was either in tremendous pain before and while in seizure, loud noises caused them, fatigue and concentration also caused them, I used to be in a wheelchair and every appointment in hospital caused awful seizures, my nose would run, I would dribble and my ears hurt with pressure in them,it was a truly dreadful, painful time, also with some seizures I stopped breathing that was frightening too. 6 years on and fatigue will still try to cause a seizure but I haven’t had one since coming out of rehabilitation 3 years ago, it was explained to me there that I kept pushing myself too hard and a non epileptic seizure was the consequence. It is still very hard to not overdo things in the constant struggle to want to improve but I have realised I’m my own worst enemy when I’ve overdone something, my back will hurt, my foot turns in, my limp comes back, my teeth hurt, the list is endless BUT if I can learn the line between improving and overdoing it, I will have achieved a miracle for me. I wish your girlfriend all the best and for me and hopefully her there is light at the end of the tunnel, no more seizures 🤞

[Rob186 in reply to Leesaloo]

Thanks so much for your reply, actually this week so far is a good, she does tms every week and yoga and just started weight lifting, just as the doctor suggested and so far she seems much better. I wish you good health and take care

[Gemmamumtodane]

My 11 year old son gets these , 5/6 seconds at a time . He can some times be very confused and irritated after them . We got told they were non epileptic absent seizures.

He’s in pain all the time , at first I used to think it was his brain short circuiting due to the pain .

[Rob186]

Thanks for replying, yes she gets the same but after they pass she is slow and tired... This fnd is a mysterious condition but don't give up. Try to get him into sports cos I'm seeing that it helped my girlfriend a lot, she is more focused and less in pain. Wish you good luck

[Jenpow]

Yes, I get this alongside full on seizures. I know sometimes its happening and other times i know I've been away somewhere but not sure where.

I was noted to have up to 20 of these a day and thats just when carers were here. It's hard coming to terms with something gps, ambulance crew and hospitals seem to know so little about so it's taken since jan to start coming to terms with my diagnosis.

The more o try and fight it the worse it gets so I just try and go with it now although there are days when I still get so angry at my brain I get overwhelmed and tend to seizure out.

Sending hugs to you both. It's a weird condition that I'm trying to accept. Jen x

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My partner was having seizures and did not remember any of them lately he will have periods of unresponsiveness and drop to the floor