u/ryannnn1246

Hi everyone, I’m wondering if anyone experiences symptoms similar to mine. Please no scary/catastrophic comments — I’ve already had extensive neurological testing and I’m mainly looking for similar experiences, reassurance and advice.

I’ve been taking Lexapro (escitalopram) for 2.5 years. About 7 months ago, I started tapering very slowly. I developed a lot of DPDR, followed by some strange symptoms:

Random memories/dream memories: 50–100 random memories or fragments of dreams can pop into my mind throughout the day. Sometimes triggered by a smell/color, but often completely random. Some repeat frequently.

Music/earworms: Random songs or melodies suddenly pop into my head, sometimes songs I haven’t heard in years. My brain can also create melodies.

Sleep-related experiences: During transitions between sleep and wakefulness, I’ve experienced visual flashes, voices/sounds and smells. Sometimes a smell from a dream seems to replay while waking up.

I became worried about focal/temporal lobe epilepsy after reading about it online. However, I don’t have major episodes and my neurologists have been skeptical.
I’ve had 5 EEGs, including 3 × 24-hour video EEGs. I experienced some of these symptoms during the recordings, but everything was normal, with no epileptiform activity or abnormal background activity.
I’ve seen 5 neurologists, and all think this is psychological/sleep-related rather than epilepsy.

I still have some doubts, especially because the symptoms involve different things (memory, music, visual phenomena, smells, etc.). My neurologist also said that the combination with hypnagogic/hypnopompic experiences would be unusual.

I’m trying to stay positive. Even if it were focal epilepsy, I know many people with it who live completely normal lives with treatment and don’t let it stop them from enjoying life.
Has anyone experienced something similar? Especially random autobiographical memories, old dream memories, random songs/melodies, or these experiences during sleep transitions?
I’m looking for similar experiences and positive/practical advice, rather than comments that could increase health anxiety. ❤️

Hi ❤️ anyone can help or relate? Please no catastrophic comments, I’ve already had a lot of neuro testing and I’m looking for similar experiences and advice.

**- Random memories/dream memories:** 50–100 random memories or fragments of dreams can pop into my mind throughout the day. Sometimes triggered by a smell/color, but often completely random. Some out of nowhere. The more I think about it the more I have. Also if I got one memory while I was brushing my teeth, everytime I brush my teeth I have the same memory popping. So I don’t think it’s focal or electric.
**- Music/earworms :** Random songs pop into my head, sometimes songs I haven’t heard in years. My brain can also create melodies that stay as earworms.
**- Sleep-related experiences:** During transitions between sleep and wakefulness, I’ve experienced visual flashes, voices/sounds and smells. The smell is always something that I have been smelling the day before !! Like lemon for example.

Context: I’ve been taking Lexapro (escitalopram) for 2.5 years for very strong anxiety symptoms. 7 months ago, I started tapering very slowly. I developed chronic DPDR (since the first day I decreased the dosage) followed by these symptoms. I’m back at 10mg now.

I know a lot about focal/temporal lobe epilepsy. I don’t have major episodes and my neuros told me it was fonctionnal.

I’ve had not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, \*\*5 EEGs, including 3 × 24-hour video EEG.\*\* I experienced all the memories popping, visual flash, myclonic jerks, voice in my head during the sleep and everything was normal, with no epileptiform activity or abnormal background activity.
I’ve seen 5 neuro, and all think this is psychological/sleep-related rather than epilepsy.

I still have doubts. My neuro said that the combination of developing both epilepsy and hypnagogic/hypnopompic experiences in the same months would be unusual.

Has anyone experienced something similar? Especially random childhood memories, dream memories, random songs + these experiences during sleep transitions?

Even if it were focal awareness epilepsy, I know many people with it who live completely normal lives with treatment and don’t let it stop them from enjoying life.

I’m looking for similar experiences and positive/practical advice ❤️ I think I already did all the testing I could including 2 MRI. Now I am just thinking about reducing or not lexapro.

Hi ❤️ anyone can help or relate? Please no catastrophic comments, I’ve already had a lot of neuro testing and I’m looking for similar experiences and advice.

- Random memories/dream memories: 50–100 random childhood memories or dreams memories can pop into my mind throughout the day. Most triggered by a smell/color, but often completely random. The more I think about it the more I have. Also if I got one memory while I was brushing my teeth, everytime I brush my teeth I have the same memory popping. So I don’t think it’s focal or electric.
- Music/earworms : Random songs pop into my head, sometimes songs I haven’t heard in years. My brain can also create melodies that stay as earworms.
- Sleep-related experiences: During transitions between sleep and wakefulness, I’ve experienced visual flashes, voices/sounds and smells. The smell is always something that I have been smelling the day before !! Like lemon for example.

Context: I’ve been taking Lexapro (escitalopram) for 2.5 years for very strong anxiety symptoms. 7 months ago, I started tapering very slowly. I developed chronic DPDR (since the first day I decreased the dosage) followed by these symptoms. I’m back at 10mg now.

I know a lot about focal/temporal lobe epilepsy. I don’t have major episodes and my neuros told me it was fonctionnal.

I’ve had not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, 5 EEGs, including 3 × 24-hour video EEG. I experienced all the memories popping, visual flash, myclonic jerks, voice in my head during the sleep and everything was normal, with no epileptiform activity or abnormal background activity.
I’ve seen 5 neuro, and all think this is psychological/sleep-related rather than epilepsy.

I still have doubts. My neuro said that the combination of developing both epilepsy and hypnagogic/hypnopompic experiences in the same months would be unusual.

Has anyone experienced something similar? Especially random childhood memories, dream memories, random songs + these experiences during sleep transitions?

Even if it were focal awareness epilepsy, I know many people with it who live completely normal lives with treatment and don’t let it stop them from enjoying life.

I’m looking for similar experiences and positive/practical advice ❤️ I think I already did all the testing I could including 2 MRI. Now I am just thinking about reducing or not lexapro.

Hi ❤️ anyone can help or relate? Please no catastrophic comments, I’ve already had a lot of neuro testing and I’m looking for similar experiences and advice.

- Random memories/dream memories: 50–100 random memories or fragments of dreams can pop into my mind throughout the day. Sometimes triggered by a smell/color, but often completely random. Some out of nowhere. The more I think about it the more I have. Also if I got one memory while I was brushing my teeth, everytime I brush my teeth I have the same memory popping. So I don’t think it’s focal or electric.
- Music/earworms : Random songs pop into my head, sometimes songs I haven’t heard in years. My brain can also create melodies that stay as earworms.
- Sleep-related experiences: During transitions between sleep and wakefulness, I’ve experienced visual flashes, voices/sounds and smells. The smell is always something that I have been smelling the day before !! Like lemon for example.

Context: I’ve been taking Lexapro (escitalopram) for 2.5 years for very strong anxiety symptoms. 7 months ago, I started tapering very slowly. I developed chronic DPDR (since the first day I decreased the dosage) followed by these symptoms. I’m back at 10mg now.

I know a lot about focal/temporal lobe epilepsy. I don’t have major episodes and my neuros told me it was fonctionnal.

I’ve had not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, 5 EEGs, including 3 × 24-hour video EEG. I experienced all the memories popping, visual flash, myclonic jerks, voice in my head during the sleep and everything was normal, with no epileptiform activity or abnormal background activity.
I’ve seen 5 neuro, and all think this is psychological/sleep-related rather than epilepsy.

I still have doubts. My neuro said that the combination of developing both epilepsy and hypnagogic/hypnopompic experiences in the same months would be unusual.

Has anyone experienced something similar? Especially random childhood memories, dream memories, random songs + these experiences during sleep transitions?

Even if it were focal awareness epilepsy, I know many people with it who live completely normal lives with treatment and don’t let it stop them from enjoying life.

I’m looking for similar experiences and positive/practical advice ❤️ I think I already did all the testing I could including 2 MRI. Now I am just thinking about reducing or not lexapro.

Hi ❤️ anyone can help or relate? Please no catastrophic comments, I’ve already had a lot of neuro testing and I’m looking for similar experiences and advice.

- Random memories/dream memories: 50–100 random memories or fragments of dreams can pop into my mind throughout the day. Sometimes triggered by a smell/color, but often completely random. Some out of nowhere. The more I think about it the more I have. Also if I got one memory while I was brushing my teeth, everytime I brush my teeth I have the same memory popping. So I don’t think it’s focal or electric.

- Music/earworms: Random songs pop into my head, sometimes songs I haven’t heard in years. My brain can also create melodies that stay as earworms.

- Sleep-related experiences: During transitions between sleep and wakefulness, I’ve experienced visual flashes, voices/sounds and smells. The smell is always something that I have been smelling the day before !! Like lemon for example.

Context: I’ve been taking Lexapro (escitalopram) for 2.5 years for very strong anxiety symptoms. 7 months ago, I started tapering very slowly. I developed chronic DPDR (since the first day I decreased the dosage) followed by these symptoms. I’m back at 10mg now.

I know a lot about focal/temporal lobe epilepsy. I don’t have major episodes and my neuros told me it was fonctionnal.

I’ve had not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, 5 EEGs, including 3 × 24-hour video EEGs. I experienced some of these symptoms during the recordings, but everything was normal, with no epileptiform activity or abnormal background activity.
I’ve seen 5 neurologists, and all think this is psychological/sleep-related rather than epilepsy.

I still have doubts. My neuro said that the combination of developing both epilepsy and hypnagogic/hypnopompic experiences in the same months would be unusual.

Has anyone experienced something similar? Especially random childhood memories, dream memories, random songs + these experiences during sleep transitions?

Even if it were focal awareness epilepsy, I know many people with it who live completely normal lives with treatment and don’t let it stop them from enjoying life.

I’m looking for similar experiences and positive/practical advice ❤️ I think I already did all the testing I could including 2 MRI. Now I am just thinking about reducing or not lexapro.

Hi ❤️ anyone can help or relate? Please no catastrophic comments, I’ve already had a lot of neuro testing and I’m looking for similar experiences and advice.

- Random memories/dream memories: 50–100 random memories or fragments of dreams can pop into my mind throughout the day. Sometimes triggered by a smell/color, but often completely random. Some out of nowhere. The more I think about it the more I have. Also if I got one memory while I was brushing my teeth, everytime I brush my teeth I have the same memory popping. So I don’t think it’s focal or electric.
- Music/earworms: Random songs pop into my head, sometimes songs I haven’t heard in years. My brain can also create melodies that stay as earworms.
- Sleep-related experiences: During transitions between sleep and wakefulness, I’ve experienced visual flashes, voices/sounds and smells. The smell is always something that I have been smelling the day before !! Like lemon for example.

Context: I’ve been taking Lexapro (escitalopram) for 2.5 years for very strong anxiety symptoms. 7 months ago, I started tapering very slowly. I developed chronic DPDR (since the first day I decreased the dosage) followed by these symptoms. I’m back at 10mg now.

I know a lot about focal/temporal lobe epilepsy. I don’t have major episodes and my neuros told me it was fonctionnal.

I’ve had not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, 5 EEGs, including 3 × 24-hour video EEGs. I experienced some of these symptoms during the recordings, but everything was normal, with no epileptiform activity or abnormal background activity.
I’ve seen 5 neurologists, and all think this is psychological/sleep-related rather than epilepsy.

I still have doubts. My neuro said that the combination of developing both epilepsy and hypnagogic/hypnopompic experiences in the same months would be unusual.

Has anyone experienced something similar? Especially random childhood memories, dream memories, random songs + these experiences during sleep transitions?

Even if it were focal awareness epilepsy, I know many people with it who live completely normal lives with treatment and don’t let it stop them from enjoying life.

I’m looking for similar experiences and positive/practical advice ❤️ I think I already did all the testing I could including 2 MRI. Now I am just thinking about reducing or not lexapro.