The Epilepsy Community Forums are closed, and the information is archived. The content in this section may not be current or apply to all situations. In addition, forum questions and responses include information and content that has been generated by epilepsy community members. This content is not moderated. The information on these pages should not be substituted for medical advice from a healthcare provider. Experiences with epilepsy can vary greatly on an individual basis. Please contact your doctor or medical team if you have any questions about your situation. For more information, learn about epilepsy or visit our resources section.

T/c's - and conscious

Sat, 05/13/2006 - 02:25
I hav had this happen 3x which is 3x too much. It hasn't happened for about 2 years but I had it again the other night. No. 3. I'm wondering am I weird? Well, of course, probably, but I do wonder if anyone else has experienced this. I have nocturnal sz's, all types according to VEEGs. Three times I woke up and I'm "stuck" in a t/c. I can't move, talk, and once I had my face buried in a way I couldn't breath well, I couldn't breath hardly at all, my 02 sat thingy didn't alarm so I guess I wasn't in danger that or I didn't hear it, nor did anyone else, but I couldn't move and long ago I stopped sleeping with a pillow which doesn't bother me, but I think my head or body was in a position my face was partway shoved into the bed, I think, I'm not sure what my face was shoved into because I'm "stuck". I expect these probably last a few minutes,it seems like it, then I must go to sleep, remember them the next morning. Typically for me when I'm going to down in a sz, like a drop I have no emotion of fear, nothing. I do have the thought only of I'm going down. nd I have a lot of drops. I was told all of my t/c's or most secondize from a drop so I have never known the feeling of here comes t/c's. For that matter I'm conscious, probably part way, on the way down, but I've never once been conscious going to the floor in a drop or t/c, a small blessing. Has anyone I'm really wondering had a t/c where for a short period of time is aware of all of it? It seems like someone posted about this but I can't find it. And if you have are you just mildly paniced, but not as much as you should be? This is a variation, if that's what it is, I could do without. I'm seeing my neuro next week and asking him but I always seem to find out more asking if anyone has experienced this. That also gives memo info to show to him. Gretchen PS I KNOW I make a lot of typos but I can't see them until this is posted. THEN I see them but I don't get the edit button. So pardon moi.

Comments

Re: T/c's - and conscious

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 2006-05-13 - 09:53
Hope you are writing down these different events and take them to the doctor. When events happen at night, can be hard to sort out if seizure or part of a sleep disorder. sorting this out can help guide best way to treat it. I believe there is info on sleep on both the general site as well as the professional site of epilepsy.com if you are doing research on this. However, best research is your own descriptions! Good luck on the visit!

Epi_help

Epi_help

Re: Re: T/c's - and conscious

Submitted by gretchen1 on Sat, 2006-05-13 - 16:57
Thank you Epi_help for responding. I do have several sleep disorders. It's irritating because the respiratory therapists and sleep study people are a lot more excited abouta it than I am. My nocturnal sz's are increasing in number tho and/or nightly incidence is (also) increasing but what can a girl do? Also my E constantly morphs and I think this can just be another one. If given time, it very well coiuld improve on it's own. I think it will. I am now taking extra E medication before I go to sleep but I don't think it's helping. I've changed the times I take my regular PM AEDs but these sleep disorders seem very tenacious. I think I've had this sleep disorder, sleepoing too profoundly since I was teen and I feel, I'm still alive so leave me alone about it sleep people. That may be sticking my head in the sand, probably is, but.....something. I've been having sleep studies for about a year. I know some of my problems but for me the "cure" is worse to endure than the problem. Of course I'm aware the problem could be lethal too. A catch 22 I guess. My problems are I "sleep too profoundly"as I mentioned and really, it is now I know amazing. NOTHING wakes me up and I rarely move in my sleep. Apparently everyone needs to have 4 periods of REM sleep a night, I don't plus everyone needs to move around in their sleep "x" amount of times and I rarely move at all,again, which lowers my 02 sats dangerously. I've tired wearing all kinds of 02 masks and routes of delivery but they don't help. I can not tolerate CPAP which probably would help if I could tolerate it, nor can I tolerate BiCAP. I lay awake all night, n ight after night. My other problem is sleep apnea which I have frequeqntly or two frequently I'm told. Each episode lasting about 1 minute, which lowers my 02 sats to the upper 40's to 78% with a very slow return and never to normal or never higher than 88% once that starts. Maybe that is triggering off increased nocturnal sz's. I have no idea and no one has postulated. I have to admit I've kept this low key, called a secret if there are any, from my new neuro because CPAP is probably the only thing that will help. I don't want to sound like a woose, but really? I can't get use to it and I feel extremely claustrophic with it on. I feel paniced to be specific. I see my neuro next week and I have this all written out for him. He's one of the good guys and we have good communication. Still this third awake t/c which was brief, is unnerving and I'm wondering if others have it and why it happened at all. Also why it happens only in my sleep. One thing I've always been thankful for in a morbid way is that once I hit the floor in a drop or t/c I'm unconscious by the time I hit. NOT being unconscious as stated by Dr. Devinsky on this site in a drop horrified me. Thankfully I AM unconscious. Going limp and falling isn't something I want to fully experience. I did call my doctor about that clickable and he said some do go unconscious, some do not. I'm certainly glad I'm conscious half way down, then loose that and have never been conscious once I hit. Not only don't I want to feel the potential injuries I endure but I don't want to EVER be aware of those kind of sz's, especially convulsive sz's. I do have a good rapport with my very kind and knowledgable new neuro now I just have to use it and tell him about this. I hope I do. I just don't want to take on NEW problems. It hasn't happened a lot, still it just did happen which makes me worry it'll happen again. But I do wonder, what more can he do? So why mention it? Thanks again for responding. Gretchen

Sign Up for Emails

Stay up to date with the latest epilepsy news, stories from the community, and more.