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Dreaming and having Seizures

Sun, 12/10/2006 - 15:51
I am not sure where to even post this so I am just going to post this here and hopefully someone can help me with this... OK here it goes.. I have Epilepsy like everyone else here. Mine are Complex partial with Secondary. I am on Topamax 150 2x a day. I am still in the early stages of getting meds right so keep this in mind and not even sure if this med is even the "right" med for me.. But long story short, when I was a kid I had what was formally called "Petite Mal" seizures now called Absence seizures took Phenobarb several years and and lucky enough was OK for more than 25 years without meds. This Oct I had a Grand Mal seizure out of No where, landed in ER with and Abnormal EEG and normal MRI and on Topamax.. OK concerns this week I had 2 vivid dreams that I actually had a seizures in them. I was telling my husband this and now we are wondering if I actually had a seizer in my sleep.. Has anyone else experienced this, or is just my mind playing "tricks" on me or should I have one of those video sleep EEG's?? Side effect of the med?? any in site?? Even though I had Epilepsy when I was a kid, I am all new to it! Please help! Thank you!

Comments

Re: Re: Dreaming and having Seizures

Submitted by Winston on Wed, 2007-01-10 - 21:38
Absolutely! I have partial seizures and generally they begin during the night when I am dreaming. I'll be aware during the dream that it is happening and feel my sypmtoms very clearly. Sometimes I will wake up while it is happening. I will then continue to have my symptoms throughout the day, includng having flashbacks of the dream that I had the night before, or other dreams that I have had when having a seizure. I can only remember these dreams when I am having a seizure - never any other times. Good luck!

Re: Re: Re: Dreaming and having Seizures

Submitted by Moe on Thu, 2007-01-11 - 16:58
I was diagnosed when I was 2 years old, I have had seizures for 32 years now and while I have had some during the day I now only have them while sleeping. An intense dream will act as a trigger - usually dreams where I am being chased or running after someone. I think it has a lot to do with my brain just being a little overactive while I'm asleep. In most cases they happen exactly at 4:00am, my wife is wonderful at helping me along and keeping me from doing harm to myself. In the past I have walked through a plate glass window and pulled a fully stocked entertainment center over on myself. A lot of it has to do with stress in my life. I try and relax myself as mush as possible at night - take a warm bath and just relax my mind. 99% of the time that seems to work, but there is always that fear that come 4:00am I'll be on the move. Relaxation seems to be the key.

Re: Dreaming and having Seizures

Submitted by fruity524 on Sun, 2007-02-04 - 10:34
I have the exact story as you pretty much. I was having absence seizures as a child and everyone just thought I was ditzy. I would blank out for like 30 seconds. My mom thought I just wasn't listening to her. Just after I turned 20 I had my first grand mal seizure. I finally started getting treated a year ago, now I am almost 22. After I started taking Lamictal, I began having nightmares on a daily basis. I still have grand mal seizures around every 90 days. I asked my neurologist and she said it had no connection to my epilepsy. I have talked to others who have grand mal seizures and they have had the same thing. Don't feel alone. There's more of us out there. Some just keep it hidden. We're not totally crazy, just a little. Kaly

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