Hallucination or is that a fly on the wall?

Posted by tonyde @tonyde, Jun 12 1:18pm

I think I had my first hallucination 2 nights ago, at least the first one I can remember as a possible hallucination. I wait until my wife goes to bed and the house is quiet before filing my weekly pill box. I finished that and started doing a few other things in the kitchen before going to bed when a fly came in the room. First a buzz, I thought mosquito, it seemed to go away for a second when I turned my head, then came back. It followed me from the kitchen into the bathroom where it was flying 100 mph. I heard the buzzing but couldn't see the fly. It finally landed on the mirror and I caught in a cup and then it wasn't there. I heard it flying 100 mph again so I went into the kitchen to get Windex to kill the fly, it followed me flying around me at 100 mph, so fast it made me feel dizzy. It followed me back into the bathroom and finally into my bedroom. It landed on the bedroom wall. I caught it in a cup and then it wasn't there. That fly is sure fast to react. It felt surreal.

I realized the next morning that it was a possible hallucination.

Today I think it was funny that I tried to catch an imaginary fly. Now I need to find a good imaginary exterminator. Sometimes we need to laugh at ourselves.

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kb2014 | @kb2014 | Jun 12 4:55pm

Do you have epilepsy? Have you seen a neurologist recently?

Leonard | @jakedduck1 | Jun 12 4:59pm

@tonyde
Thanks for cheering me up.
As soon as you get that imaginary exterminator, you'll be all set.
I've been on a diet so I need to eat some imaginary food.
Take care,
Jake

tonyde | @tonyde | Jun 12 6:11pm

In reply to @kb2014 "Do you have epilepsy? Have you seen a neurologist recently?" + (show)

Yes, my neurologist recently referred me to USF for an in-hospital 5-day EEG. It's scheduled for next month.

kb2014 | @kb2014 | Jun 12 11:46pm

I cannot diagnose. I have a seizure risk from a craniotomy done may 2014 due to abcess left temporal lobe from bacterial meningitis of my brain. I take lamotrigine ER generic 100mg daily. I also have ptsd. In my 11 plus years with this I have never had hallucinations. I would take this symptom seriously.

Lisa Lucier, Moderator | @lisalucier | Jun 17 8:11am

In reply to @tonyde "Yes, my neurologist recently referred me to USF for an in-hospital 5-day EEG. It's scheduled for..." + (show)

@tonyde - that must have been a shock to realize the fly scenario may have been a hallucination. I'm glad to see you have kept your sense of humor in all this.

Did your neurologist have suggestions on what you might do in the meantime before your 5-day stay in the hospital?

tonyde | @tonyde | Jun 17 8:58am

In reply to @lisalucier "@tonyde - that must have been a shock to realize the fly scenario may have been..." + (show)

She changed my meds recently, the fly came not long after the new meds were started. I'm hoping it as only the transition and no more bugs coming my way. I told her about the fly and she wasn't sure how to address it. I don't believe she can do much until after the test results.

Chris Gautier, Volunteer Mentor | @santosha | Jun 18 4:53pm

Hi @tonyde
I'm glad to hear you handled this episode with good humor. It sounds like these hallucinations may be related to the medication changes your doctor made recently.
I once experienced a hallucination when a new medication was introduced – this was quite a few years ago.
Have you checked the information leaflets of your medications to see if hallucinations are listed as a potential side effect? Has your doctor made any adjustments to your medication dosages since the hallucinations started?
Chris

sungaltoo | @sungaltoo | Jun 18 6:21pm

I get visual and auditory hallucinations when I get hungry, when my protein is depleted. I’ve got a seizure disorder of several different types, which some of my doctors have labeled epilepsy and I take anti-seizure meds for. So I keep myself on a schedule of regular protein in my diet and supplementation with protein shakes.

I was shocked when a doctor I went to for a second opinion diagnosed the hallucinations as psychosis. That term scared me, so I make sure I stick to my protein schedule. I don’t want to have events that may cause me to react and maybe fall and get hurt or say something I wouldn’t want to normally.

I still have small absence seizures, blanking out when someone’s talking or I’m doing something, like I’m bored or daydreaming. It’s embarrassing as people think I don’t listen to them. I try to, but sometimes I don’t remember anything.
My kids have said I said things when I thought I said something else. Often in a restaurant they said I ordered one thing and when the waiter brought it I expected something else. Makes for fun in public so I’ve learned having a sense of humor and being accepting is key.

I don’t fall down or lose consciousness for awhile as long as I’m on the right meds. That’s when I usually get hurt so the meds help prevent that.

When I have hallucinations I usually see a black or striped cat, or I start to hear people talking as a slight background noise, like at a party. If it gets bad it’ll turn into a loud conversation of people I’ve never known or seen, talking about things I’ve never heard before. I have had a lot of cats and have been to a lot of parties in my life lol. Makes you wonder

I also get periodic migraines with auras and if I get a strong prodrome smell or wavy vision that tells me I’m going to have an immediate migraine. The brain is a marvel. At least mine has been 😀

tonyde | @tonyde | Jun 18 6:25pm

In reply to @santosha "Hi @tonyde I'm glad to hear you handled this episode with good humor. It sounds like..." + (show)

The doctor advised me to contact her should I have any other unusual activity. I'm ok so far.

The med change was from Lamictal to Lamictal ER. The hallucination occurred at he end of the 24-hour cycle. That shouldn't make a difference except it was a new drug and it may not have built up fully.

Tony

tonyde | @tonyde | Jun 18 8:50pm

In reply to @sungaltoo "I get visual and auditory hallucinations when I get hungry, when my protein is depleted. I’ve..." + (show)

Your comment about needing protein is interesting. I've had some hypoglycemic events with my blood glucose below 50. However, the doctors have not been able to trigger an event and I haven't noticed a connection between my seizures and low blood glucose.

I did a Google search and it appears a seizure can trigger low blood glucose.