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Seizures and yawning, stretching
Sat, 12/06/2008 - 11:08I've noticed a coorelation between stretching and yawning with my seizures. In particular, I do these compulsive strings of half yawns (meaning, they're full yawns, but for the most part I'm not sucking in air, just stretching my mouth or some such) and these extended stretches. I'm not sure if they're part of my "episodes," an aura to them, or part of the post-ictal, but I've definitely noticed they're there.
Does anyone else have/do something similar? I'd love to hear. :-)
~hams
Comments
Re: Seizures and yawning, stretching
Submitted by speechdiva on Fri, 2009-06-05 - 17:40
I am new to the forum and haven't been diagnosed yet. I was searching the internet to see what my symptoms could be indicating. It sounds like you all might be able to help me. For the last couple of years, I have had times (after working at the computer or driving for a long time) when I felt "compelled" to stretch my arms over my head and arch my back and head backwards. Sometimes, I yawn and sometimes I don't. I can "hear" the blood pulsing in my head/neck. Then my eyes close and my body starts to move. I am aware of my arms moving and my body moving back and forth in the chair. I can hear what's going on around me, but I can't say more than "I'm ok" or "Ok". It only lasts a matter of seconds, usually. One time, I fell backwards in my computer chair. One time, it happened when I was standing up and I blacked out, falling backwards and hitting my head on the tile floor. Yesterday, it happened when I was sitting in class, talking to one of my students. After class, I felt a bit nauseated and "weepy". Does this fit with what any of you have experienced?
I thought the stretching was causing my spaciness and body movement, but now I am wondering if the stretching is actually part of a seizure.
My doctor sent me for an MRI but it was normal. I had a CT after I fell and hit my head, and it was normal. I thought it might be the arteries in the back of my neck/head. The neuro didn't do any other tests, but said my B12 (200) was way below normal, so now I get B-12 shots once a month. Nobody ever mentioned the possibility of epilepsy. I'm 51.
Any replies will be most appreciated!
I am new to the forum and haven't been diagnosed yet. I was searching the internet to see what my symptoms could be indicating. It sounds like you all might be able to help me. For the last couple of years, I have had times (after working at the computer or driving for a long time) when I felt "compelled" to stretch my arms over my head and arch my back and head backwards. Sometimes, I yawn and sometimes I don't. I can "hear" the blood pulsing in my head/neck. Then my eyes close and my body starts to move. I am aware of my arms moving and my body moving back and forth in the chair. I can hear what's going on around me, but I can't say more than "I'm ok" or "Ok". It only lasts a matter of seconds, usually. One time, I fell backwards in my computer chair. One time, it happened when I was standing up and I blacked out, falling backwards and hitting my head on the tile floor. Yesterday, it happened when I was sitting in class, talking to one of my students. After class, I felt a bit nauseated and "weepy". Does this fit with what any of you have experienced?
I thought the stretching was causing my spaciness and body movement, but now I am wondering if the stretching is actually part of a seizure.
My doctor sent me for an MRI but it was normal. I had a CT after I fell and hit my head, and it was normal. I thought it might be the arteries in the back of my neck/head. The neuro didn't do any other tests, but said my B12 (200) was way below normal, so now I get B-12 shots once a month. Nobody ever mentioned the possibility of epilepsy. I'm 51.
Any replies will be most appreciated!
Re: Seizures and yawning, stretching
Submitted by TheHam on Fri, 2009-07-10 - 11:08
For the last couple of years, I have had times (after working at the computer or driving for a long time) when I felt "compelled" to stretch my arms over my head and arch my back and head backwards. Sometimes, I yawn and sometimes I don't. I can "hear" the blood pulsing in my head/neck. Then my eyes close and my body starts to move. I am aware of my arms moving and my body moving back and forth in the chair.
YES! You've described it exactly. Oddly enough, especially when my arms are tense and out, I look like I'm in a state of exaltation, lol. It doesn't help that the stretch feels really good... What the heck IS this? I don't always get the moving part at the end, but occasionally I will (usually accompanied by tunnel vision, my eyes don't close). I suspect that it has something to do with low blood pressure (as in, POTS) since it most often occurs when I haven't moved much and suddenly do. Experiment to see if it's the same for you?
BTW, in my case, epilepsy has been ruled out. I've actually been diagnosed with narcolepsy. Maybe that helps? POTS is associated with narcolepsy in a lot of cases, but same as with a lot of things, no one is quite sure why. Sorry for the jumpiness of my response, it's nap time :-)
Look forward to your response!
For the last couple of years, I have had times (after working at the computer or driving for a long time) when I felt "compelled" to stretch my arms over my head and arch my back and head backwards. Sometimes, I yawn and sometimes I don't. I can "hear" the blood pulsing in my head/neck. Then my eyes close and my body starts to move. I am aware of my arms moving and my body moving back and forth in the chair.
YES! You've described it exactly. Oddly enough, especially when my arms are tense and out, I look like I'm in a state of exaltation, lol. It doesn't help that the stretch feels really good... What the heck IS this? I don't always get the moving part at the end, but occasionally I will (usually accompanied by tunnel vision, my eyes don't close). I suspect that it has something to do with low blood pressure (as in, POTS) since it most often occurs when I haven't moved much and suddenly do. Experiment to see if it's the same for you?
BTW, in my case, epilepsy has been ruled out. I've actually been diagnosed with narcolepsy. Maybe that helps? POTS is associated with narcolepsy in a lot of cases, but same as with a lot of things, no one is quite sure why. Sorry for the jumpiness of my response, it's nap time :-)
Look forward to your response!
Re: Seizures and yawning, stretching
Submitted by laracroftisme on Sat, 2009-05-16 - 13:27
I notice I yawn a lot after a seizure but one weird thing I have noticed is that if I have a really really big yawn that I'm kind of not expecting it makes me black out for a few seconds. I think thats prob a seizure, just not the traditional, I usually don't mention stuff like that to my neuro because I notice every time I mention having more seizures or weird symptoms he ups my dosage...