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Sleep Apnea causing epilepsy?!
Tue, 01/03/2006 - 23:40Hello everyone,
I hope everybody had a great christmas/new year!
I had a question about Sleep Apnea causing epi.
on the day after christmas I had another tonic clonic which was so violent that I dislocated my right arm, anyway, when I went to see my GP about it all, he suggested I go to a sleep clinic to see if I have Sleep Apnea. I know that lack of sleep can trig sometimes, but my doc seems to believe that my epi could be caused by Sleep Apnea. Has anyone else heard of this? I've always had trouble sleeping, since infency, but I never thought much of it, and now they tell me that I have an abnormally narrow airway, which probably means Sleep Apnea, which might have caused my epi!!!!!!!!! If anyone knows anything about this please give me more info, it would be much appriciated!
Re: Sleep Apnea causing epilepsy?!
Submitted by Your best advocate on Sat, 2012-04-21 - 15:51
Thank you all so much for posting this... I had my first seizure in 2009, at 31 years old. I had a few triggers so I thought it was a one time thing. Like many of you, my GP right away assumed the worst and that I was in for a life of unexplained neuro issues. It was clear right away that I wasn't going to get any answers from him, so I did all my own research. He dismissed everything I found, but said that if I felt really strongly about my triggers I could subject myself to them again and see if I seized again. I saw a few neurologists who gave me multiple EEGs, regular and sleep deprived. Although I never showed epileptic activity on any, I had "questionable readings" on one of my sleep deprived EEGs, so the neuro wanted to put me on meds.. after one seizure! Well I moved, and, not intentionally, I did expose myself again to my triggers, and I did seize... two more times over the course of a few years. ***Disclaimer: I apologize if it sounds like I'm complaining. I know my case is mild compared to most so I'm not complaining about it so much as I am the medical care I've received*** So, I was put on Keppra, the minimal dose, and only one one seizure while on it.. between the second and third... my new neuro actually believed in the triggers and said to stay on the minimal dose because he didn't believe I was epileptic, just had a lower seizure threshold, and when I exposed myself to this "perfect storm" of circumstances could seize again... I did as he recommended. I asked about apnea (just from my own research) and although he didn't dismiss it, he said it was highly unlikely because like someone else here said they "weren't fat enough". He referred me but I didn't have a chance to go until recently.
Since then I had another sleep deprived, video monitored EEG, and had conflicting analyses by different neuros on the team.. I had two who said they were concerned about a focal point. One of them, after the first night said that he saw a bunch of activity already so I would likely be discharged... I asked if what he saw was epileptic and he started back pedaling. I stayed four days and never seized nor showed any epileptic discharges.
I just went for a sleep study and received a diagnosis of mild sleep apnea. Everything I found on my own seems to be coming true. I meet with the other neuro about my last sleep deprived EEG on Monday... curious to hear what she says before, then after learning of my apnea diagnosis.
To anyone on here that says that apnea doesn't trigger seizures but that the opposite is true, how is that possible? Before blindly believing your doctor when they say that, ask them to explain to you how a brief tonic clonic episode can cause sleep apnea... I guarantee you they won't be able to explain it to you in a way that makes sense.. What DOES make sense however, is that over time, poor oxygen to your brain, over the course of your sleep, combined with the fatigue of poor sleep, can progressively lower your seizure threshold (everyone has one, whether they've ever had a seizure or not).
I call myself "Your best advocate", because thats what I believe we all are. Doctors are great and in some cases, heroic people.. I would never take from that... in the end though, they are people..they are capable of making mistakes, and they are subject to biases. If you want the best information, you'll likely have to go out and get it yourself. Don't ever be made to feel you don't know any better, and certainly don't ever be afraid to ask questions, or for explanations.. its your life!
To all of those with epilepsy, or who have had seizures and are in limbo as to why, I wish you the very best on your road to discovery and resolution!
Thank you all so much for posting this... I had my first seizure in 2009, at 31 years old. I had a few triggers so I thought it was a one time thing. Like many of you, my GP right away assumed the worst and that I was in for a life of unexplained neuro issues. It was clear right away that I wasn't going to get any answers from him, so I did all my own research. He dismissed everything I found, but said that if I felt really strongly about my triggers I could subject myself to them again and see if I seized again. I saw a few neurologists who gave me multiple EEGs, regular and sleep deprived. Although I never showed epileptic activity on any, I had "questionable readings" on one of my sleep deprived EEGs, so the neuro wanted to put me on meds.. after one seizure! Well I moved, and, not intentionally, I did expose myself again to my triggers, and I did seize... two more times over the course of a few years. ***Disclaimer: I apologize if it sounds like I'm complaining. I know my case is mild compared to most so I'm not complaining about it so much as I am the medical care I've received*** So, I was put on Keppra, the minimal dose, and only one one seizure while on it.. between the second and third... my new neuro actually believed in the triggers and said to stay on the minimal dose because he didn't believe I was epileptic, just had a lower seizure threshold, and when I exposed myself to this "perfect storm" of circumstances could seize again... I did as he recommended. I asked about apnea (just from my own research) and although he didn't dismiss it, he said it was highly unlikely because like someone else here said they "weren't fat enough". He referred me but I didn't have a chance to go until recently.
Since then I had another sleep deprived, video monitored EEG, and had conflicting analyses by different neuros on the team.. I had two who said they were concerned about a focal point. One of them, after the first night said that he saw a bunch of activity already so I would likely be discharged... I asked if what he saw was epileptic and he started back pedaling. I stayed four days and never seized nor showed any epileptic discharges.
I just went for a sleep study and received a diagnosis of mild sleep apnea. Everything I found on my own seems to be coming true. I meet with the other neuro about my last sleep deprived EEG on Monday... curious to hear what she says before, then after learning of my apnea diagnosis.
To anyone on here that says that apnea doesn't trigger seizures but that the opposite is true, how is that possible? Before blindly believing your doctor when they say that, ask them to explain to you how a brief tonic clonic episode can cause sleep apnea... I guarantee you they won't be able to explain it to you in a way that makes sense.. What DOES make sense however, is that over time, poor oxygen to your brain, over the course of your sleep, combined with the fatigue of poor sleep, can progressively lower your seizure threshold (everyone has one, whether they've ever had a seizure or not).
I call myself "Your best advocate", because thats what I believe we all are. Doctors are great and in some cases, heroic people.. I would never take from that... in the end though, they are people..they are capable of making mistakes, and they are subject to biases. If you want the best information, you'll likely have to go out and get it yourself. Don't ever be made to feel you don't know any better, and certainly don't ever be afraid to ask questions, or for explanations.. its your life!
To all of those with epilepsy, or who have had seizures and are in limbo as to why, I wish you the very best on your road to discovery and resolution!