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Seizures During Sleep

Wed, 02/11/2009 - 22:16

 

Hi, I'm new to this site. I have most of my seizures in my sleep or in the morning after waking up.. my last one being two days ago. It seems that either illicit drugs, alcohol or lack of sleep bring most of my seizures on, and I'm working on getting them under control by giving up these things rather than taking my medication, I find the medication Valpro has some bad side effects.

I think my last seizure  was a big one becauseI have been a scattered mess since then, I've slept for two days straight now and I have yet to leave the house. I can't think straight so if this doesn't make any sense I hope u understand why. My whole body is aching and my memory is slowly returning.

Anyways I'm almost 25 and I was diagnosed about 2 1/2 years ago.. does anybody else experience sleep related seizures?.. I truly believe if I can get enough sleep I will  get my epiliepsy under control.

Thanks for any of your comments.

Comments

Re: Seizures During Sleep

Submitted by G Girl on Tue, 2009-05-19 - 23:24

Hi there!

I only have grand mals when I am sleeping.  I never did until though until I was 22.  My whole life before that was kinda crazy because at night I was convinced ghosts were trying to hurt me because at night I would always wake up paralyzed & it took a lot of effort to get myself out of that.  I would wiggle a pinky finger or toe & then have to jerk my whole body & get up and walk around for a long time.  I never have gotten good sleep in my life.

I was 22 & in bed with my boyfriend (now hubby) & had a grand mal.  I shook, bit my tongue, bled out of my mouth, & he thought I had died.  Luckily I never piss myself!  I hadn't taken a breath in a few minutes & I took a big old whoop of air in finally.  He called an ambulance, in the meantime I jumped up & tried to do something but fell down.  I don't remember any of this, I just remember waking up in my living room with the worst headache ever & a bunch of people I didn't know.  I asked what happened?  They said you had a seizure.  I thought what's that?  They asked me my boyfriend's name, I couldn't remember it.  I got sent to the hospital for a CAT scan & the next day for a sleep-deprived EEG which showed an interesting slow curve pattern followed by a generalized pattern during sleep.  After hearing about all of my past issues I was diagnosed with epilepsy of course & started on Depakote.  Simple & complex partial seizures, generalized seizures (grand mals).  Took Depakote, hated it, started Lamictal, Tegretol, Dilantin, Neurontin, finally Keppra after I took a break from meds altogether for 2 years & had lots of grand mals.  When I had two within a few hours & got a black eye & tore my mouth up really bad I decided to try meds & now take Keppra.  It's not a good idea to stop meds altogether, I gradually weened myself off & then was free of meds & had lots of seizures.  That's what happens.    

I know about SUDEP but you just can't worry that that will happen, just take care of yourself & do the best you can.  The nice thing about sleep seizures is that I am always in bed, my hubby is usually there to take care of me, & he can can my work if he needs to.  The bad part is the recovery time, the stupidness that sticks around for days & makes it hard to think because it hurts so much.  Plus eating food ... ouch.  My tongue is scarred.  The great news is that I take Keppra which is awesome.  I still have partial seizures in the daytime somewhat often but nighttime is so much better.

Good luck!!   

Hi there!

I only have grand mals when I am sleeping.  I never did until though until I was 22.  My whole life before that was kinda crazy because at night I was convinced ghosts were trying to hurt me because at night I would always wake up paralyzed & it took a lot of effort to get myself out of that.  I would wiggle a pinky finger or toe & then have to jerk my whole body & get up and walk around for a long time.  I never have gotten good sleep in my life.

I was 22 & in bed with my boyfriend (now hubby) & had a grand mal.  I shook, bit my tongue, bled out of my mouth, & he thought I had died.  Luckily I never piss myself!  I hadn't taken a breath in a few minutes & I took a big old whoop of air in finally.  He called an ambulance, in the meantime I jumped up & tried to do something but fell down.  I don't remember any of this, I just remember waking up in my living room with the worst headache ever & a bunch of people I didn't know.  I asked what happened?  They said you had a seizure.  I thought what's that?  They asked me my boyfriend's name, I couldn't remember it.  I got sent to the hospital for a CAT scan & the next day for a sleep-deprived EEG which showed an interesting slow curve pattern followed by a generalized pattern during sleep.  After hearing about all of my past issues I was diagnosed with epilepsy of course & started on Depakote.  Simple & complex partial seizures, generalized seizures (grand mals).  Took Depakote, hated it, started Lamictal, Tegretol, Dilantin, Neurontin, finally Keppra after I took a break from meds altogether for 2 years & had lots of grand mals.  When I had two within a few hours & got a black eye & tore my mouth up really bad I decided to try meds & now take Keppra.  It's not a good idea to stop meds altogether, I gradually weened myself off & then was free of meds & had lots of seizures.  That's what happens.    

I know about SUDEP but you just can't worry that that will happen, just take care of yourself & do the best you can.  The nice thing about sleep seizures is that I am always in bed, my hubby is usually there to take care of me, & he can can my work if he needs to.  The bad part is the recovery time, the stupidness that sticks around for days & makes it hard to think because it hurts so much.  Plus eating food ... ouch.  My tongue is scarred.  The great news is that I take Keppra which is awesome.  I still have partial seizures in the daytime somewhat often but nighttime is so much better.

Good luck!!   

Re: Seizures During Sleep

Submitted by desire775 on Fri, 2009-08-07 - 23:20
You are like you didn't wake up in a puddle of pee

Re: Seizures During Sleep

Submitted by Nonhle Mchunu on Mon, 2009-06-08 - 08:14

Hi, I am 43yrs old, started having seizures when i turned 40yrs. I do not know what brought it till today i have not found the answer. Most of my seizures are during my sleep. When it first happened i was so scared the family believed I was bewitched. I had done EEG, CAT scan but nothing shows the causes of what is really going on.

The last one was in August 2008, it was in the morning and i was trying to wake up and I do not know what happened the next thing I saw was the ambulance people trying to help me and i had blood all over me. My children tell me I fell on my face and broke my two front teeth.

The medication that had been tried on me is Topomax and Epilium. The combination did not help, the doctor decided to cut the topomax. I have not had any seizure from then I am taking 3/300mg a day fo Epilium. My survival and strengths has been brought by meeting other patients in the hospital while admitted and we will talk about this problem. I thought I was going crazy, because it will take time for me to get my memory back and I will have a terrible headache afterwards. What i have noted is that if I am excited or angry I get this seizures or this headache which will make me loose focus for some time.

I hope we get cured soon because I really do not understand why did I develop epilepsy so late in my life or in the future the neurologist learn more and the future generation be helped with this disease if i may call it that.

Hi, I am 43yrs old, started having seizures when i turned 40yrs. I do not know what brought it till today i have not found the answer. Most of my seizures are during my sleep. When it first happened i was so scared the family believed I was bewitched. I had done EEG, CAT scan but nothing shows the causes of what is really going on.

The last one was in August 2008, it was in the morning and i was trying to wake up and I do not know what happened the next thing I saw was the ambulance people trying to help me and i had blood all over me. My children tell me I fell on my face and broke my two front teeth.

The medication that had been tried on me is Topomax and Epilium. The combination did not help, the doctor decided to cut the topomax. I have not had any seizure from then I am taking 3/300mg a day fo Epilium. My survival and strengths has been brought by meeting other patients in the hospital while admitted and we will talk about this problem. I thought I was going crazy, because it will take time for me to get my memory back and I will have a terrible headache afterwards. What i have noted is that if I am excited or angry I get this seizures or this headache which will make me loose focus for some time.

I hope we get cured soon because I really do not understand why did I develop epilepsy so late in my life or in the future the neurologist learn more and the future generation be helped with this disease if i may call it that.

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