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Can you pull yourself out of an aura when you feel it coming?

Mon, 02/15/2010 - 19:48

Hi everyone. I've been asking a few questions since I'm new to this site. I've had 3 seizures so far, my first one being 3 months. So far my MRI and EEG were normal, then I did a full telemetric study, I find out those results in 2 days when I see my neuro again. After my third seizure he put me on Epilim 800mg without actually properly diagnosing me with epilepsy.

I'm very curious as to whether it's possible that my seizures are psychogenic? I have been under a lot of stress/anxiety/depression for quite a long time, plus a "traumatic" childhood as they would call it. I actually had a few anxiety attacks lately. I have had 2-3 episodes which you might call auras, however something tells me they may also be episodes of depersonalisation. My reasons being...once I learned that these might be epileptic auras, they scared the CRAP out of me and so whenever I felt them coming, I actually diverted my attention away from it...to make it stop. And I succeeded. I'm not sure if that's possible with real epileptic auras so I'm asking you guys. Also it's always the SAME feeling....a feeling of strangeness. The best way I can describe it is:

They always happen when I'm talking (well actually listening) to my mother speak. I'd be listening and then everything would change...rather my perception of it did. I can't SEE myself outside of my body, I kind of feel like I AM outside it...everything begins to look different...I know where I am, but I just see it differently? Kinda like when you stare at something for too long and then all of a sudden you get a whole new perspective on it.

Please, please I'd like to hear some of your experiences with auras! Have you been able to stop/control them? Or do they completely take you over?

Comments

Re: Can you pull yourself out of an aura when you feel it coming

Submitted by Brainjury on Fri, 2010-04-02 - 22:17

I've been having auras for 10 years now. As soon as they started I started graphing them and realized they usually happen based on sleep deprivation, anxiety, stress, and hormones. Graphing it also has made me really proud. I used to have one a day and since I can control them more often now it is usually about once every 40 days! :)

It used to happen when I was going to sleep but now that never does. It happens when not focusing on something: listening to someone talk, sitting on a bus and just looking out a window, eating by myself, etc. Because I can feel them about to come -- my chest tightens, my heart beats faster, and I feel terrified I always call friends or family telling them I feel auraish. It seems like my mind is just like ok, fine, I won't give you an aura! Then I always start to do something like playing a game on my computer or talking on facebook. I find if I am focusing on something my brain is just too occupied to give me an aura. Finally, if I get the feeling of a really bad aura and I still have the strength to get some meds, taking ativan always helps. 

When it does happen I too get frustrated as hell when I can't see anything but the back of my head is still thinking why does this happen to me?! Why won't it stop?! If it does happen I find mine only lasts about 1 minute if friends or family are there to help. I always advocate for myself saying if I have an aura please rub my arm and say "its ok, its ok." Once again, if my brain is focusing on someone saying that, and touching a part of me I think it makes my head occupied with that the aura goes away a lot faster!

I've been having auras for 10 years now. As soon as they started I started graphing them and realized they usually happen based on sleep deprivation, anxiety, stress, and hormones. Graphing it also has made me really proud. I used to have one a day and since I can control them more often now it is usually about once every 40 days! :)

It used to happen when I was going to sleep but now that never does. It happens when not focusing on something: listening to someone talk, sitting on a bus and just looking out a window, eating by myself, etc. Because I can feel them about to come -- my chest tightens, my heart beats faster, and I feel terrified I always call friends or family telling them I feel auraish. It seems like my mind is just like ok, fine, I won't give you an aura! Then I always start to do something like playing a game on my computer or talking on facebook. I find if I am focusing on something my brain is just too occupied to give me an aura. Finally, if I get the feeling of a really bad aura and I still have the strength to get some meds, taking ativan always helps. 

When it does happen I too get frustrated as hell when I can't see anything but the back of my head is still thinking why does this happen to me?! Why won't it stop?! If it does happen I find mine only lasts about 1 minute if friends or family are there to help. I always advocate for myself saying if I have an aura please rub my arm and say "its ok, its ok." Once again, if my brain is focusing on someone saying that, and touching a part of me I think it makes my head occupied with that the aura goes away a lot faster!

Can you pull yourself out of an aura when you feel it coming?

Submitted by leoet on Wed, 2010-07-21 - 17:13
Please read my story and maybe it will help answer your question a little: http://my.epilepsy.com/node/990942/full Thanks, Leo

Can you pull yourself out of an aura when you feel it coming?

Submitted by mickey23 on Wed, 2010-07-21 - 21:16
Very interesting story Leo, I am so glad you are doing better, and I am glad God has made the difference in my life.   I too am now a strong believer that prayer and doing God's will is making a huge difference in my life.   I have been seizure free now since november 2010, and I have been praying and going to church and believing that God will help me to stay seizure free.  I do every now and again have those funny feelings that make you nervous because they are feelings and slight muscle spasms you remember having before the start of a full blown grand mal seizure, but when that happens I start praying alot more than usual and it helps and also helps me to keep my focus on God more often.  Sometimes I feel the way you were speaking about, that those little reminders come to make me realize that without God I cant get through this.  Thank you for sharing your story!!!

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