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Seizures while sleeping~

Tue, 01/25/2005 - 17:03
Topic: New to Epilepsy.com
Hello everyone,
 
I am new to this site... It is late, but I thought I would throw this question out -
 
Anyone have grand mals only while sleeping?
 
My apologies if I'm not using the correct verbiage (grand mal, to me, meaning the 'generic' seizures 1 hears about mainly throughout life - full body convulsions lasting a couple of minutes, eyes rolling, etc.). 
 
This encompasses my seizure history, mainly.  Quick summary: If I have a petit mal, it starts in my right arm, electric feeling, tone in the ear, still have full control.  When sleeping, many times I wake up w/ what seems to have started as this right arm petit mal, but has 'spread' into my chest.  Most of the time I can wake myself up out of them...seems if my level of awake/self-awareness is high enough, I can stop a grand mal from happening.  However, there are times when I can not wake up enough.  I then lapse into a seizure, experiencing/remembering far too much (scary!), & then next thing I know I am waking up very groggy, & so on.
 
Some may see this as a blessing in disguise, as I have never had a grand mal when I've not been asleep first.  I suppose it is, but the experience is no less terrifying.
 
Thanks for the feedback,
 
Ache

Comments

RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: Seizures while sleeping~

Submitted by pongosmommy on Thu, 2005-02-24 - 16:20
Wow Cookieparty, I have been on AntiDepressants for Years(10). Seriously, I took myself off them when I was going to college, and I felt great...for a while. Unfortunately during Physiology (4th semester at jr college) I started having the trouble with the left sided numbness. I also was having trouble with a kidney. Went back to MD's, they got mad that I removed myself from meds without their permission and put me back on Xanax and changed me to Prozac. Said trouble was stress.I took that for 2 more years until I found my next DR who changed me to Effexor XR. I finally came off that a couple months ago. And am now getting my normal energy back.Now I never thought during these years that I was depressed. I kept telling them I was not depressed. They said it is for the stress. HA! They just didn't like my Attitudes I think.Now naturally I am a very friendly Happy person. My friends tease me that I don't know a stranger. But on some of these Anti Depressants? OOOH you Do not want to know me. I am never mean...I just withdraw and don't care...About Me...about my family...about anything at all.Oh and Yes I do know all about the aspertame thing. I no longer drink Diet anything. I was a Big Diet Pepsi Drinker/ as was my Hubby. Well he is Hypoglycemic. We ended up at the ER with his blood sugar below 20 , halluncinations, combative, and He and I are about the same size. I had to fight him LITERALLY to get him in the car. I now drink Water, thank you. Although it bums me out that I can't drink fresca. I used to Love Fresca. Hubby He drinks Pepsi Regular. I used to go to Starbucks and get a big Coffe with an extra shot,drive the hour to work, and then stop at the circle K and get my Monster Energy drinks(2 large). I worked the 4pm-12:30 am shift so I would get all that caffene in my system before I had to do the hour commute home. And people wonder why my heartrate was 102 bpm? And I had High blood pressure usualy 150/102...so one night I collapsed-unable to move left side, slurred speach- everyone thought stroke?Nope it was just the beginning of my fun.

RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: Seizures while sleeping~

Submitted by cookieparty on Thu, 2005-02-24 - 17:53

Doesn't sound like a lot of fun for sure... but you sure sound like a driven soul.... don't let it get you down...I really think if we find the good ol' fashion stuff ...you know the exercise, the fresh foods sans the additives, even coffee in moderation, a glass of wine (not a bottle), etc. , we don't need anti depressants.

Yea, sometimes we all need help I guess...I know that they helped me when everything hit me at once...but, I do wish I had researched and planned for short term usage (like 6 months)....I didn't know enough and hind sight as they say is 20-20.

Now, with the meds for seizures, I just want to take whatever minimal dosage is required to work so I can work and think and I suppose that is everybody's goal. I really don't want anything to do with any medication but I've tried NOT taking it and I lose...those bad boys the GM's come right back smack in the middle of the night. Right now, I have been free from these attacks since 12/24/04 and I like it that way so for now I will keep popping these pills anyway.

Hope you get to a point of some normalcy ....I'm praying for you and crossing my fingers (and anything else I have 2 of just in case!)

cookieparty

Doesn't sound like a lot of fun for sure... but you sure sound like a driven soul.... don't let it get you down...I really think if we find the good ol' fashion stuff ...you know the exercise, the fresh foods sans the additives, even coffee in moderation, a glass of wine (not a bottle), etc. , we don't need anti depressants.

Yea, sometimes we all need help I guess...I know that they helped me when everything hit me at once...but, I do wish I had researched and planned for short term usage (like 6 months)....I didn't know enough and hind sight as they say is 20-20.

Now, with the meds for seizures, I just want to take whatever minimal dosage is required to work so I can work and think and I suppose that is everybody's goal. I really don't want anything to do with any medication but I've tried NOT taking it and I lose...those bad boys the GM's come right back smack in the middle of the night. Right now, I have been free from these attacks since 12/24/04 and I like it that way so for now I will keep popping these pills anyway.

Hope you get to a point of some normalcy ....I'm praying for you and crossing my fingers (and anything else I have 2 of just in case!)

cookieparty

RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: Seizures while sleeping~

Submitted by pongosmommy on Thu, 2005-02-24 - 18:05
Thanks Cookieparty,My Bigones seem to be lessening, and the small ones are actually tolerable. Really some of them are kinda funny to me...not that I am making fun of anyone else...just myself. I don't trust myself to put on makeup right now...these jumps that my hands are making could be disasterous. LOL I could see it now, lipstick across my cheek, mascara across my forhead or nose. I would look like a 2 year old trying to put it on. :)Well, I guess I better see what my 4 year old nephew is doing it is too quiet in his room.Have a great day. And thanks for the prayers, I will keep you in mine that yours stay away OK?Dayna

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