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Nocturnal seizure... what is it?!

Tue, 07/24/2007 - 22:24
Hi all I am new to this forum, and just stumbled across it while trying to search for an explanation of something that happened to me. So my story is... I was on holiays, so was fairly tired after a flight from Australia to New York. I fell asleep around 1:00am and my boyfriend woke up to me at 2:00am having a seizure. Apparently i looked like i was being possessed (charming, i know!). Basically it wasnt jerky movements, but i just lost control of every body movement - i wet the bed, my face muscles had gone all droopy, I couldnt talk except to slur a little bit, and I couldnt sit up. I woke up to the ambulance guys, then within 5 minutes I realised where I was and was starting to be able to speak again and by the time i was in the emergency room, within maybe 20 mins, I was fully functional again. My MRI and CT scans came back totally clear and the neurologist said that it must have been a random seizure (ie he could see no reason for it except possibly exhaustion). My family has a long history of strokes but the doctors said this wasnt a stroke. Does anyone know if this sounds like a type of epilepsy?? If anyone could give me ANY info that would be great. Anyone with a similar story etc. Thank you so much in advance!! alana

Comments

Re: Nocturnal seizure... what is it?!

Submitted by reba on Thu, 2008-04-03 - 17:22

 I would sometimes have nocturnal seizures. When I awoke, I would be very sick to my stomach, be wet from losing my bladder control, sometimes with a sore bitten tounge and the fear that something has happened. My husband would tell me that I had had a seizure. Losing bladder control and tounge biting happend sometimes even if I didnt have night seizures. Since having right templobe surgery in '07, I have been blessed to not having any since. Take Care, Becky

 I would sometimes have nocturnal seizures. When I awoke, I would be very sick to my stomach, be wet from losing my bladder control, sometimes with a sore bitten tounge and the fear that something has happened. My husband would tell me that I had had a seizure. Losing bladder control and tounge biting happend sometimes even if I didnt have night seizures. Since having right templobe surgery in '07, I have been blessed to not having any since. Take Care, Becky

Re: Nocturnal seizure... what is it?!

Submitted by mbounds411 on Tue, 2011-08-16 - 22:29
My God it does me good to know that I'm not alone in the world. For the longest time I thought I was some kind creature who needed to be put down and now I see that I am not alone in this.

Re: Nocturnal seizure... what is it?!

Submitted by mgburton on Thu, 2011-10-13 - 13:06

I have nocturnal epilepsy as well which started when I was 16.  I am now 44 and have been seisure free for almost 12 years, thanks to God!  They are terrible, and it helps to know you are not alone in this!  I have been taking Tegretol (carbamezapine) since I was about 18 and this has worked wonderfully for me EXCEPT for the fact they brought on panic attacks as a side effect.  As well, for the past year I have been having some serious problems with the twitching and falling down, but no actual grand mal seisures.  Anyone else experience a similar thing?  I am wondering if it is because I am entering menopause, or if I am becoming immune to the drug. 

Something all of you haven't mentioned that I have experienced is that after a seisure I would have a temporary memory loss, so severe that at times I didn't even know my own family.  It would slowly come back to me over a period of hours.  As well, it would feel like my limbs were made of lead after a seisure, and I would be very stomach sick. 

I read somewhere that Tegretol is not the best drug for Epilepsy that includes twitching or involuntary body movements.  Has anyone else come across that?  I know you can't always believe what you read online, and I am curious as to how many out there have read this as well. 

 I am scared to switch to another medication as this one has been working so well for me.  Has anyone else switched and if so, how did that work for you?  Glad I found this forum.  Hang in there folks, it is a very tough thing to live with but when you find a good doctor and treatment it gets much better!

I have nocturnal epilepsy as well which started when I was 16.  I am now 44 and have been seisure free for almost 12 years, thanks to God!  They are terrible, and it helps to know you are not alone in this!  I have been taking Tegretol (carbamezapine) since I was about 18 and this has worked wonderfully for me EXCEPT for the fact they brought on panic attacks as a side effect.  As well, for the past year I have been having some serious problems with the twitching and falling down, but no actual grand mal seisures.  Anyone else experience a similar thing?  I am wondering if it is because I am entering menopause, or if I am becoming immune to the drug. 

Something all of you haven't mentioned that I have experienced is that after a seisure I would have a temporary memory loss, so severe that at times I didn't even know my own family.  It would slowly come back to me over a period of hours.  As well, it would feel like my limbs were made of lead after a seisure, and I would be very stomach sick. 

I read somewhere that Tegretol is not the best drug for Epilepsy that includes twitching or involuntary body movements.  Has anyone else come across that?  I know you can't always believe what you read online, and I am curious as to how many out there have read this as well. 

 I am scared to switch to another medication as this one has been working so well for me.  Has anyone else switched and if so, how did that work for you?  Glad I found this forum.  Hang in there folks, it is a very tough thing to live with but when you find a good doctor and treatment it gets much better!

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