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Can you be conscious for a grand mal seizure/tonic-clonic?

Tue, 07/07/2009 - 19:52

A few weeks ago, at the age of 22,  I was diagnosed with epilepsy. I have had mainly focal epileptic seizures but recently suffered from a second tonic-clonic seizure in a month.

I was asleep and it was late at night for the first tonic-clonic seizure and I was at the hospital for EEG testing as well as video monitering.

During the second, it was late afternoon, I had suffered from two seizures that day and then after dozing off around 5:30, awoke to my neck turning almost all the way around and my arms twitching, then my body, and then my legs. I rememeber the entire thing... gasping for air and almost losing consiousness. I am currently taking 1500 mg. of Keppra and now will be increasing this dosage to 3000 mg.

I am 22, in perfect health... and now dealing with all of this. It is my knowledge that people that have grand mal seizures or tonic-clonic seizures, lose consciousness. Am I having some sort of different seizure, or what?!?! So confused...

Comments

Re: Can you be conscious for a grand mal seizure/tonic-clonic?

Submitted by korenat on Wed, 2011-05-11 - 15:50
Actually there are non-epileptic seizures that you remain awake for and they are called Pseudo seizures. Doctors often mis diagnose people with a different type of seizure as it is easy to do so with this type of seizure. With pseudo seizures your head can move back and forth, pin and needles feeling, numbness, heaviness, etc... However, Pseudo seizures are psychological and a person should see a psychiatrist to try and figure out what your triggers are for these seizures. You may not ever figure out what the trigger is but, the more you talk about what is bothering you or what might of happened to you in the past the more you will help yourself. Stress, abuse(physical, mental and, sexual). Often people have a hard time dealing with their past and allow themselves not to think of these things. Subconsciously, your brain reacts to these issues and will eventually cause these seizures. A lot of doctors have a hard time dealing with patients who have these seizures because, they cannot be controlled by medication. In turn if you are taking medication for epilepsy and you are actually having pseudo seizures they can a risk in having unnecessary seizures. You should contact your doctor right away and ask if you might be having these seizures. The best way for your doctor to find out if you have these seizures or not is to have a video EEG in the hospital under a controlled environment. Often they will reduce your medication to try and induce a seizure so they can tell if your brain shows activity on the brain then that is a normal seizure if there is no activity then you are having pseudo seizures. Im only sharing this because, I recently found out about this and I believe everyone should know. Dont get me wrong it is possible to have both epileptic seizures and non-epileptic seizures. I hope this helps everyone.

Re: Can you be conscious for a grand mal seizure/tonic-clonic?

Submitted by jfoster57 on Mon, 2011-10-10 - 19:37
I have only had something like 8-10 TC seizures in the last 18 years, but I remember at least half of them. It isn't as perfect a memory as I would have of, say, a conversation with a friend, but when it comes to the agony of feeling every single muscle in your entire body tensing to its full potential at the same time, I can remember that indescribable pain pretty well. It was not my imagination, and it was the most agonizing feeling I've ever felt in my life. On other occasions I blacked out and did not feel anything.

Re: Can you be conscious for a grand mal seizure/tonic-clonic?

Submitted by Massey on Thu, 2012-04-12 - 11:14

I had suspected my son was conscious during a grand mal once becuase when I said "I am going to move you away from the wall" he just did it himself while flopping and looking unconscious.

This year is Cleveland Clinic while doing a VEEG and having grand mals he was able to repeat back everything that had been said in the room during those seizures verbatum. The staff there said it is less common but it does happen.

He commonly has drop a attacks and partials. He's completely aware during those as well.

My son is 22, his became known when he was almost 18. Let me know if you'd like to talk to him.

I had suspected my son was conscious during a grand mal once becuase when I said "I am going to move you away from the wall" he just did it himself while flopping and looking unconscious.

This year is Cleveland Clinic while doing a VEEG and having grand mals he was able to repeat back everything that had been said in the room during those seizures verbatum. The staff there said it is less common but it does happen.

He commonly has drop a attacks and partials. He's completely aware during those as well.

My son is 22, his became known when he was almost 18. Let me know if you'd like to talk to him.

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