This is such an interesting thing to read about!! Thank you for posting it! I have epilepsy following hemmorhaging to the parietal area affecting my motor movement, planning, and sensation. Much like the patient described, specific things in cognition 'space' will cause me focal sensations. Full tonic-clonic seizures are quite rare for me, but those smaller focal moments still occur. The feeling is one of my left side moving away from me, where my arm no longer feels mine, and I cannot move it as easily, the limb fades to a blur in my head, and moves in slow motion out of sync with my good side. These auras/focals/feelings occur most intensely when I'm overextending my brain cognitively, usually because I'm having a high-bandwidth conversation or am trying to solve a complex programming problem. When these onsets occur I know I need to stop and step away. Floppy arm = time to stop.
Thanks for posting this - the high bandwidth tasks rings very true with myself also. Certain patterns of thought, situations or locations will bring it on, and that’s when I know I need to go do something else.
Have you tried to do those high-bandwith activities under the effects of nootropics or similar substances? E.g. modafinil, adderall, if so do they make things worse? Better? Make no difference?
I haven’t tried, and tbh I’d be very scared of messing with the complete cocktail of meds (~7) I’m on as it is. Risky! I’d rather maintain a knowable stability even if it’s non optimal.
Amphetamines are not nootropic, but even leaving that aside you shouldn't be suggesting someone with what is clearly a brain injury take fun new drugs.
Keep that up. I'm sure you've been told, but balances like that often only occur once; if you ever drop off the cocktail, it might not work again when you try to recover.