Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student. I know the ammonia inhalant is supposed to work, but I've had two fakers recently who managed to not respond to it. We now understand that there is nothing false or insincere about most non-epileptic seizures. I personally have had people manipulate me and abuse me by using my main triggers to their advantage. But it's not 100%, obviously, because hearing loss patterns can be really weird. People who experience pseudoseizures have many of the same symptoms of epileptic seizures: convulsions, or jerking motions falling … However, medication for mood disorders may be a viable treatment plan. For this reason, they may also have symptoms associated with their trauma or mental disorder. 1 Likes. Find out what causes it, who's at risk, how it's diagnosed, and more. The cause of a Pseudoseizure is more often than not psychological like increased stress or some sort of emotional distress. The question of whether a seizure-like event is a true epileptic seizure or some type of pseudoseizure is often very hard to sort out. Loss of consciousness or awareness 5. Non-epileptic seizures are hard for doctors to diagnose because many times they resemble a grand mal seizure. Use a Bic pen (tail or cap), and press it forcefully into the cuticle area of a fingernail. But yeah, that's beside the point. “Pseudo” is a Latin word meaning false, however, pseudoseizures are as real as epileptic seizures. These can not only ruin what might otherwise have been a fine day, but more importantly, they can (and do!) to the er they say my SEIZURES are fake and not real SEIZURES and I need to stop FAKING and grow up But I m ...Hi I m Sarah I m 20 years old and I ve been experiencing seizure like... View answer. In the past, patients experiencing non-epileptic seizures were thought to be seeking attention or faking them. Nonepileptic seizures are caused by something other than epilepsy — typically by psychological conditions. They have ceased for a while and she isn't on medicine. Seizures are changes in your brain’s electrical activity. A St John Ambulance trainer demonstrates what to look for if someone is having a seizure, what causes a seizure and what to do to help. If someone tells you they have a trauma related disorder such as, PTSD, DID, OSDD, etc; they are also telling you that they have experienced trauma. Otherwise it can be very hard to tell if someone has a tic, tremor, myoclonus, or a seizure, and what exactly might be … The symptoms of a pseudoseizure are nearly identical to those of an epileptic seizure. Surely, in your search for information on seizures, you read about the variety of seizures conditions, circumstances which cause them and recovery periods after a seizure. But most seizures aren't an emergency. It usually involves talking about "Oh if I don't get this or that" or someone who just wants attention. Anything else is faker-faker. What's making you suspicious? Our members represent more than 60 professional nursing specialties. Specializes in Pediatrics, Correctional. If someone gets recurrent seizures, he or she may be able to identify warning signs before the seizure even occurs, such as unusual tastes, smells, sensations or even out-of-body experiences. The seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes. Okay I know this is a very sensitive subject. The person has difficulty breathing or waking after the seizure. If they're not faking, then you did the right thing by taking them to the clinic. If they're faking they recover instantly, and most of the time they start to "come out of it" when you loudly ask the nearest officer for a handful of ice. As soon as they stop jerking, I generally start asking questions as if they are awake when I suspect faux seizures.....like do you take seizure meds, what med, when was the last dose, how long have you had seizures, when was your last drug level, was it low, etc. An EEG recorded during a seizure can normally distinguish between epileptic and non-epileptic seizures. As we have seen, psychogenic non-epileptic seizures are not fake—no more so than a panic attack or a headache. Broken and waved under the nose of someone faking a seizure (usually with their tightly clamped eyes and mouths ensuring all the fumes went right up the nares) it never failed to elicit a marked response from the fakers. A neurological exam. A brain disorder called epilepsy causes the first kind. It can look exactly like a seizure but if the person is placed on an EEG, it will be normal during the "seizure." You could also become the "boy who cried wolf" and not … I'm fairly sure a rapist wouldn't, they generally tend to have low IQs. It is quite rare to find someone who is deliberately faking a seizure just as it is rare to find people who fake having other medical conditions. Probably the easiest "tell" for seizure activity, whether absence or GTC, is the pain response. The best test to run is called a video EEG. To achieve that, we need to read a person’s mind, which is beyond the reach of technology. We’ve rounded up the most up-to-date stats and figures surrounding diabetes, its prevention, causes, and risk factors. Maintain normal or almost normal blood oxygenation, Tend to sometimes "wake up" afterwards like waking up from sleep, Will allow you to drop their hand into their face - they've all seen or heard of that episode of ER. When I have an inmate say they had a seizure, it is usually after the fact. Could that be considered battery?!? So my friend has been under a lot of stress lately, and also started having asthma. If he is breathing he is not having a “gran mal” seizure. It is the…, Since the Dexcom G6 was approved for use in the United States in 2018, it's given people another option to monitor their glucose levels. Fake seizures are very difficult to tell as some people fake them very well. In this test, the person undergoes an EEG, which involves attaching wires to the persons head with sticky pads. There are 2 inmates who always manage to have "seizures" within 10 minutes of one another, even though they are in different units. Pseudoseizures are fairly common. Non-epileptic paroxysmal events in pediatrics. Types of Seizures… Again we respond always like it is real, you never know. The fakers generally end up answering all the questions accurately, albeit with some drama. However, there’s a misconception about non-epileptic seizures being ‘fake’, so it’s important to clear that up here. Last night, my roommate had a friend over for tea and it got really late. Epilepsy is a chronic disorder that causes unprovoked, recurrent seizures. Every symptom we mentioned, the I/M would start doing. you can tell on how they are having a seizure, I have seizures and if when they are having one they are breathing or they are well carfull not to hit their head on the ground, when you are having a real seizure you can not control any part of your body. Ok so there was a patient/IM that had a seizure (perhaps, unsure) and the staff that went were stating that it was fake because she was alert and oriented. Women are three times as likely as men to have a PNES. 2.3K views. Monitor / film: Although some kids with tic disorders (under stress) can supress them to some degree, they often rebound with greater tic activity when no one is watching. Minor limping is a good way of faking an injured ankle. Uncontrollable jerking movements of the arms and legs 4. Has 4 years experience. that is the ONLY 100% way. Update: I responded to one of her seizure posts saying the following “Hi _____, that is awful and I’m sorry that happened to you! An EEG will help in differentiating between a real seizure and a fake one. This means a brain scan won’t show a change during a nonepileptic seizure. XxlaurenxX. Use a Bic pen (tail or cap), and press it forcefully into the cuticle area of a fingernail. Let me explain. Help a person who feels a seizure onset by getting them water. After a seizure, your doctor will thoroughly review your symptoms and medical history. Epilepsy is not really defined by the type of seizure, but how many someone has. If the person had a psychological condition that was diagnosed, they were more likely to experience long-term recovery. How to tell if someone is faking a seizure? With a seizure, signs and symptoms can range from mild to severe and vary depending on the type of seizure. Research from 2003 shows these commonly include: People who experience pseudoseizures have many of the same symptoms of epileptic seizures: People who experience PNES often also have mental health conditions. What are the demographics of seizures? What causes syncope? What are some ways to tell if someone is faking epilepsy for attention? Many neurologists also work with psychiatrists to confirm a diagnosis. … For an absence seizure (staring spell) you can flick at their eyes, and they won't blink. A trick that was passed on to me was "Protecting their airway" with a nasal airway (NPA). Pseudoseizures are also called as non-epileptic seizures. They’re also sometimes called psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES). A syncope episode is usually short. A psychiatrist will talk to you to help determine if there are psychological reasons that could be causing your seizures. If you were diagnosed with epilepsy but aren’t responding to medication, you may be experiencing pseudoseizures. Has 22 years experience. Specializes in ER. Studies show it’s not clear whether epilepsy medication can help this condition or not. Specializes in Mental health, substance abuse, geriatrics, PCU. If they're faking it, then they get 24h in observation, which is basically like isolation, no TV. However, if you have any experience in clinical practice or medicine, you can tell if someone is faking an injury. If they don’t react in any way, they are unconscious. Anyone can have a seizure in their lifetime. I laughed at y'all's comments about the smelling salts because I have started to use those and they truly are "miracle workers" lol. People who are faking you can usually just tell- they aren't postical, they're alert and oriented (if they're talking and not pulling the "I'm faking unconsciousness" thing), they weren't incontinent (although not every seizure involves incontinence). Some also call them paroxysmal non-epileptic seizures (also PNES). Or just bypass the inhalant and use the rub. But then again, some of them may like that. There's also inability to recall key personal information that is too far-reaching to be simple forgetfulness. During the EEG, the person is video recorded. That's also why we check & double check to make sure it's not a real seizure. The safest thing is usually to get them stabilized as you would any seizure (turn them, do a neuro assessment, get them oriented) and then let them spend the night in the infirmary with qh or q 15m observation, depending on their LOC. The biggest clue is that someone who isn't faking and has long term epilepsy with frequent seizures will do pretty much anything to avoid panic, fuss, ambulance called, hospital etc. But after working in corrections & psych I can smell someone faking a seizure. Anyway, she explained to me that based on the way she plays the tones, you can usually tell if someone is faking. Our roommate policy is that no boys can spend the night. And they are such BAD actors! As you stated you cannot swallow your tongue during a seizure and it’s important to never force something into the mouth of someone having a seizure. General apperance, vital signs, incontinence, pupils, foaming, sounds, movement, sensation, orientation, etc. Has 39 years experience. If you monitor their tic behavior when they don't think you are looking it should stop in the fake. No however, she's having seizures Yesterday she had one at work, and later that night she also had one which I was present for. The results of the EEG and the video footage are used to assist in the diagnosis. Nauseating, but funny as heck! allnurses.com, INC, 7900 International Drive #300, Bloomington MN 55425 I say this with the obvious caveat that you may have someone take a swing at you, and say they were, "out of it". Lie on the ground. Probably the easiest "tell" for seizure activity, whether absence or GTC, is the pain response. Learn more about types of seizures, causes and symptoms of seizures, typical treatment, and how you can help someone having a seizure. This brain scan will show if there’s any abnormality in the brain function during the seizure. The usual reason for ‘faking’ (or feigning) a seizure is to escape legal circumstances, according to research. A seizure is an event when you lose control of your body and convulse, possibly also losing consciousness. One of my favored methods for sorting out the real from the fake was an ammonia inhalant. allnurses is a Nursing Career & Support site. In one 2003 study of 317 patients, 29 to 52 percent experienced resolution of seizures and 15 to 43 percent experienced fewer seizures. Getting a correct diagnosis is the first step toward getting well. A staring spell 3. I was wondering, how do you handle the fakers/manipulators/attention seekers? The signs and symptoms of a having a seizure vary by type of seizure and from individual to individual. That room is FREEZING so it took only 1 time in there for him to be "cured.". The biggest clue is that someone who isn't faking and has long term epilepsy with frequent seizures will do pretty much anything to avoid panic, fuss, ambulance called, hospital etc. All rights reserved. She had seizure after seizure with undetermined causes. There are two types of seizures: epileptic and nonepileptic. Here's what…. Yes it is possible, doctors can do brain scans necessary to show if someone really had a seizure and was not faking it. ANYWAY, there are LOTs of different types of seizures and they don't necessarily have to involve jerking motions - in fact some seizures consist of only blank stares : they are called absance seizures. Syncope is caused by a decrease in blood flow to the brain. According to the Epilepsy Foundation, about 20 percent of people referred to epilepsy centers have nonepileptic seizures. Sure, enough, it happens. Seizure or not? I imagine, too, you would have read about auras and the ability some seizure patients have to tell when a seizure is coming on. Psychogenic seizures are. If they are playing GTC (generalized tonic clonic) with flopping, shaking and foaming at the mouth, they may continue with this, but the limb receiving pain will be rigid, attempting to minimize manipulation which would cause more pain. Learn about over 20 different medications used to treat seizures and epilepsy in this list of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). However, if you have any experience in clinical practice or medicine, you can tell if someone is faking an injury. There is almost always nystagmus with the dilated pupils. The EEG cannot however diagnose faking. Help the person by … In some cases, a person may be able to tell a seizure is coming on. A quick review of their history (once they are stable) can help. I don't mean to say that epileptic patients fake their symptoms. Because the signs of a seizure can be variable, if you suspect someone is having a seizure, it is best to get help from a healthcare professional to keep that person safe and healthy. Epilepsy disrupts the nerve activity in the brain, causing seizures. People who can administer counseling are psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers. This is our method of choice. Exceptions include frontal lobe & Jacksonian epileptic seizures. After 32 years of ER nursing I can say I've never seen anyone wake up from a seizure and be able to answer those type of questions. Comment. Our mission is to Empower, Unite, and Advance every nurse, student, and educator. I've never actually tried it, but there were no fake seizures on that nurse's shift! adf8. The lymphatic system is made up of lymph nodes and vessels that drain fluids from your…. A lay person without medical knowledge probably wouldn't know the difference. However, I am a bit intrigued by using an NPA to "protect the airway". Some people have psychogenic non-epileptic attacks. Easy to tell the fakers from the real thing- much more accurate than the "Hand drop on the face"- Too many frequent fliers know that is coming-. It can help if you witness an episode, especially if you are a neurologist who specializes in movement disorders! Thanks for all the information. I want to know if she can fake it and how. Haywire! All the neurologists said you couldn't tell someone having a true seizure from someone having a pseudo-seizure unless it was someone truely faking it. Having my life back and my driver 's license can flick at their eyes and. Get this or that '' how to tell if someone is faking a seizure someone who just wants attention nurse 's shift time... Brain disorder called epilepsy causes the first one ( also PNES ) seizure can normally distinguish epileptic. Hard for doctors to diagnose pseudoseizures blood flow to the brain, and emotional.! 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