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Myoclonic jerks occuring in the evening?

Thu, 11/01/2007 - 13:10
Hi, I have never posted on here before but I am a bit freaked out and everyone seems to know so much I was hoping someone could help me! I was diagnosed with Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy almost 3 years ago (I am 23 now). I had been having seizures (or twitches as I thought they were) for about 4 years and didn't know what they were. After having a serious scalding accident, JME was diagnosed. I understood that it only occured in the morning as it was associated with sleep patterns/deprivation. This seemed to fit my symptoms pretty well. Unfortunately my neurologist wasn't particularly thorough when diagnosing me and I went away with many unanswered questions. However I was well established on my meds (Lamictal) and I had my drivers licence back so I just put it all to the back of my mind and got on with things. Now I am beginning to have serious doubts about my initial diagnosis and the subsequent follow up checks I had. Before I was established on my medication I would only have seizures/jerks early in the morning or if I had a nap in the middle of the day. However now I have started to have them in the late evening (between 7-9pm). This is worrying a) because I understood that they ONLY took place in the morning and b) because they were happening depsite being on my meds. Obviously I am extremely freaked out and a bit terrified of going to see my doctor because of what this might mean. I just wanted to know if anyone else had ever experienced myoclonic seizures at other times of the day and NOT related to sleep and if so whether their epilepsy was diagnosed as JME or something else. Also, what do you think will be my doctors response if I go to him and say that I have been having seizures again (albeit very small ones). Also (sorry I know this is a long message), I have always experienced absences associated with myoclonic jerks. In fact I quite often have absences with no jerk afterwards (although I never really know as i'm not always aware of them). Are absences classed as epilepsy and if I am having absences but no jerks will that still be enough for my drivers lilcence to be taken away from me? I would really appreciate any answers or help anyone could give me - I know I sound like a bit of a whinger! Thanks!

Comments

Re: Myoclonic jerks occuring in the evening?

Submitted by teener on Sun, 2011-01-02 - 22:08

So happy I was reminded of this thread. I last posted on it in october of '09, and just past a full year year later they came back. Later in the evening those night time jerks. Didn't even bother going back to the neuro this time, just let it work itself out. They went away after two weeks, but sometimes I feel like its going to happen again. So weird.

All the best, Christine

So happy I was reminded of this thread. I last posted on it in october of '09, and just past a full year year later they came back. Later in the evening those night time jerks. Didn't even bother going back to the neuro this time, just let it work itself out. They went away after two weeks, but sometimes I feel like its going to happen again. So weird.

All the best, Christine

Re: Myoclonic jerks occuring in the evening?

Submitted by mom doubtful on Sun, 2011-01-09 - 01:48

HI I am new here. My son had some small jerky movement in his hands I noticed. I noticed it lot of times, then we saw a neuro and he ordered eeg... etc then diagnosed him with Myoclonis seizure. and prescribed him Zonegran. this happened when he was 6 yr old.

After some years of giving him that, the docs just tells me to continue forever, got frustrated, Since i dint see any movements, i slooooooowly stopped the med.

 now after 2 yrs of not having meds, and not having any movements, now i am seeing it again!! so frustrated to go back to meds forever... what should i do??now he is 10 yr old.

I am not been able to find anyone with this problem.  where can i find pple with same problem??

pls help!! any advise would be so thankful.

HI I am new here. My son had some small jerky movement in his hands I noticed. I noticed it lot of times, then we saw a neuro and he ordered eeg... etc then diagnosed him with Myoclonis seizure. and prescribed him Zonegran. this happened when he was 6 yr old.

After some years of giving him that, the docs just tells me to continue forever, got frustrated, Since i dint see any movements, i slooooooowly stopped the med.

 now after 2 yrs of not having meds, and not having any movements, now i am seeing it again!! so frustrated to go back to meds forever... what should i do??now he is 10 yr old.

I am not been able to find anyone with this problem.  where can i find pple with same problem??

pls help!! any advise would be so thankful.

Re: Myoclonic jerks occuring in the evening?

Submitted by bsomethingsweet on Wed, 2011-03-16 - 07:57

hey there

i was also diagnosed with JME when i was 14, im 20 now. my seizures only happen about once or twice a year, always around this time of year in the cooler months for some reason. mine only ever happen at night either in my sleep or if im woken from a deep sleep and then go back to bed. i was also on lamictal now on lamictrogine (much cheaper.. lamictal is expensive as hell as im sure you know) the only real way to help is to get as much sleep as possible and ive found that eating a lot of fresh fruits and veggies helps cutting out a lot of sweets.. not all, just some if you have a sweet tooth. make sure you take your meds as close to 12 hours apart as possible, and my doc has me taking folic acid vitamins.. which seemed to improve my situation in a minor way, yet still helping..

it is very hard for me to explain feelings to certain people.. if you ever want to talk about weird feelings  you  may get, we may have similar feelings and be able to talk about it, my feelings send me into temporary depression.

thanks

hey there

i was also diagnosed with JME when i was 14, im 20 now. my seizures only happen about once or twice a year, always around this time of year in the cooler months for some reason. mine only ever happen at night either in my sleep or if im woken from a deep sleep and then go back to bed. i was also on lamictal now on lamictrogine (much cheaper.. lamictal is expensive as hell as im sure you know) the only real way to help is to get as much sleep as possible and ive found that eating a lot of fresh fruits and veggies helps cutting out a lot of sweets.. not all, just some if you have a sweet tooth. make sure you take your meds as close to 12 hours apart as possible, and my doc has me taking folic acid vitamins.. which seemed to improve my situation in a minor way, yet still helping..

it is very hard for me to explain feelings to certain people.. if you ever want to talk about weird feelings  you  may get, we may have similar feelings and be able to talk about it, my feelings send me into temporary depression.

thanks

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