By seizure_girl - 15/08/2013 13:32 - United States - Pierre

Today, I discovered I have epilepsy. 10 years ago, I told my mother about my frequent fits of vertigo, deja vu, nausea, flashes of memory and strange sounds, smells, and images, coupled with an other-worldly feeling. I thought they were holy visions. So did she. FML
I agree, your life sucks 43 474
You deserved it 20 789

seizure_girl tells us more.

seizure_girl 4

Hi there. OP here. Temporal lobe epilepsy involves some pretty freakish seizures that are actually interpreted as religious visions by many. They're a very intense spiritual experience. I was fifteen years old, and spent the next three years as a devout Christian, my own logic at war with my profound sense of purpose. Then I turned 18 and discovered marijuana. Lo and behold, the "visions" disappeared, and I was an atheist again. I made the connection between the drug and the cessation of my fits when I stopped taking it and they came back. Epilepsy never occurred to me until recently, the first time I collapsed into a grand mal seizure in public. I picked myself up off the ground in confusion to meet a lot of stares, and a woman nearby informed me I'd had a seizure. The "aura" that I'd gotten just before blacking out and convulsing was the same as the onset of my previous "visions", the first real clue I'd ever gotten. And yes, my mother is an idiot. When I said that I'd had a seizure while she'd been across the fairgrounds, she accused me of being drunk and said she was disappointed in me for ruining our fun evening at the carnival.

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Top comments

Welshite 39

Yeah, I think the "holy visions" are as the parents who thought their child was possessed when he was actually suffering from seizures.

281 7

Comments

SaturnV 25

I would be interested in knowing OP's age before voting FYL or YDI. If OP was a young child at the time she began experiencing seizures, then the responsibility for this situation lies solely with the mother, both for failing to recognize the serious medical symptoms, and also for planting the notion of "holy visions" in OP's head to begin with. If OP was a teenager or adult ten years ago, then she is at least partially at fault for her own late diagnosis, since assuming responsibility for oneself is a basic tenet of adulthood, even (or perhaps especially) when it includes compensating for the mistakes of one's parents.

24 1
redheadedmonster 24

Are you catholic

2 17
dont_doubt_me 29

Why are Catholics the ones getting called all the time? They're not the only Christians.

9 1
RedPillSucks 31

Americans, especially in the south where I am, seem to have this weird anti-Catholic bias. I've never understood it.

9 0
RoseFox0029 22

It's because the south is primarily baptists, and baptists believe Catholics to be evil, Mary-worshipping sinners. My best friend told me I was going to hell because of my faith, once.

5 0
pazuzus_intern 10

It's not just that, I live in the south and am agnostic which makes things difficult in a very tightly knit bible belt community. You are right about it being primarily baptist and I've noticed that anytime they hear something horrible committed by a christian they jump to blaming any sect but theirs, usually catholic because they're a bit of a minority 'round these parts lol.

5 0
LithFlavored 10

I have epilepsy as well an I must say never thought I was having holy visions before I found out. Then again I guess the symptoms are different for everyone

11 0
RsSsCamaro 4

This is the problem with religion. Lumping such a serious condition into "devine" intervention from God got you where? Yeah exactly... "God" using your body as a weapon against yourself? Your parents are brainwashed douche canoes. If you were in your teens you should have stood up to them with some common sense and demanded to see a doctor. No matter what the age you started experiencing these symptoms your parents committed child abuse/child neglect.

29 6
Coeliacchic93 21

'Brainwashed douche canoes' I love it!

8 2
Maikeru79 10

i feel your plight O.P. I has diagnosed with intractable epilepsy 11 years ago. been struggle and answered a lot of questions I had from when I was a kid. I too had the same symptoms(actuallly not symptoms but partial onset seizures) but now you know the truth and can get about getting them under control. my thoughts are with you. just try to remember. I control it, It doesn't control me.

18 0
thepieguyisi 4

Once again Science sheds light on Bronze Age superstition.

15 5
perdix 29

They are "holy visions" -- the doctors are part of the establishment that doesn't want you to upset the status quo with your enlightenment! They call it epilepsy to suppress you. So, O Holy One, please honor us with your wisdom that we may repair the world sooner!

22 2
Obey_StudBoii 23

Hi OP, I just want to come right out and say that I've been suffering from seizures since I was 14. I'm now 28 and still dealing with them. Although my symptoms weren't like yours with the whole "holy vision" thing going on. When I felt a seizure coming on it was...it was an unexplainable feeling that I can't put my finger on. I do however want to tell you this.DO NOT! Let the Dr put you on Dilantin. Long term use can cause you to lose all memory and will shrink the brain. I found this by doing research. Get the help you need and if you need to send me a message, feel free :)

17 2
nystev 13

Yeah, Auras are pretty weird things... Kind of unpleasant. As for Dilantin, well... I'm sure her doctor will find the right one - might take some test and go, they have a bunch of different ones that work for different people. It sounds like OP's case is pretty mild, I doubt she'll be put on it. I don't think it's the Dilantin that affects memory loss, I think it's probably coincidental; it's the repeated seizures and the damage to the temporal lobe... :/

7 1
Obey_StudBoii 23

#115 Yes they are. I assume that anyone who suffers from seizures or epilipesy has a different case, therefore different medicine. As far as the Dilantin, yes it does cause memory loss. Google the side effects

2 7
nystev 13

My memory was deteriorating long before I was put on Dilantin - it's been about a year now, so far it seems to work better than the other ones, so I'll take it until told otherwise... I think you're confusing it with Topamax, though - this one can cause memory loss side effects.

6 0
robchfra 5

Holy visions? Are you and your mother really that stupid? Please don't have kids to pass on your moron gene.

5 13
graceinsheepwear 33

From holy visions to hanging out on FML. How the mighty have fallen.

10 0