Community Forum Archive

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.

Waking up from a seizure - what do you feel?

Mon, 09/26/2011 - 14:37
Topic: My Epilepsy Diary

Hi everyone, I am really intested in finding out what others feel like after having a major seizure (Grand mal).

For me, they ALWAYS happen in the morning. I wake up dazed and scared. Trying to catch my breath. I look for people around me and ask what happened - sometimes I cry out of anger and fear. My body is in intense pain. I'm bleeding from the mouth. It is like I have just been in a boxing match with God.

After the first hour, everything seems "mentally smoother" for the next couple of days. While my limbs and mouth still hurt, the sun is brighter, sounds are clearer, and I am able to pay more attention to detail. Foods taste different too (I'm more relaxed and collective and nothing stresses me out. In a weird way, I'm happy. It's like someone hit the refresh button.

Comments

Re: Waking up from a seizure - what do you feel?

Submitted by Mathematician on Wed, 2011-09-28 - 10:58

Hi Raffa22

I remember when I had seizures, medication didn't seem to help (I was always having a petty mal). So the doctor suggested going off of medication to see what happens. After going off of it, I didn't notice any seizures coming on. And then it happened. I woke up in the early hours of the morning. I could tell that a bad seizure was coming on and that I had only one chance to wake somebody up. So I rolled away from the wall, rolled back around and hit the wall as hard as I could with the side of my fist. The next thing that I remember was waking up in the car with my head in my mom's lap. When setting up, I looked down to see that I had my pajama top on and it was covered with blood. My dad found out that you don't use your fingers to suppress a persons tongue (he had a couple of gashes in his fingers).

I don't recall having any feelings that you described.

Mike

Hi Raffa22

I remember when I had seizures, medication didn't seem to help (I was always having a petty mal). So the doctor suggested going off of medication to see what happens. After going off of it, I didn't notice any seizures coming on. And then it happened. I woke up in the early hours of the morning. I could tell that a bad seizure was coming on and that I had only one chance to wake somebody up. So I rolled away from the wall, rolled back around and hit the wall as hard as I could with the side of my fist. The next thing that I remember was waking up in the car with my head in my mom's lap. When setting up, I looked down to see that I had my pajama top on and it was covered with blood. My dad found out that you don't use your fingers to suppress a persons tongue (he had a couple of gashes in his fingers).

I don't recall having any feelings that you described.

Mike

Re: Waking up from a seizure - what do you feel?

Submitted by transamboss on Mon, 2011-12-26 - 06:46
My very first one, I remember it happening in our bedroom floor and when I was waking from it my wife was scared trying to wake me also, the only thing I remember was why is she waking me up leave me alone.  I truely felt like I had layed down and went to sleep in the floor not just fell out.  Nearly all mine leaves me very confused for around 2 minutes but I always know what happened, I don't bite my tongue or mouth up like others have talked about but when I do wake up and am able to walk again im so exhausted for a day or two its just like I have narcolepsy or something, I could fall asleep at nothing.  Im always really hot, not generally sweating but hot inside during the coming out of seizure stage. 

Re: Waking up from a seizure - what do you feel?

Submitted by Breno on Thu, 2011-10-20 - 20:14

I always feel my seizures comming so i know exactly whats going on around me when i wake up from them, but i'm always really dizzy and tired afterwards i dont get sore till the next day tho, prior to them (seizures) my tinnitus becomes so intence and deafinning then i have between 1-2mins before i'll pass out or it'll just stop and i'll be all good, same process everytime as i wake up in the morning from sleep feels like my heads in a vice noises start (clicking ringing zapping etc altogether at once) then i'll loose my speech and my arms cramp up and my vision blurs then i hope lol, sometimes i fall into some dream same dream each time tho and sometimes there this weird chemical smell, fukn weird stuff...

I always feel my seizures comming so i know exactly whats going on around me when i wake up from them, but i'm always really dizzy and tired afterwards i dont get sore till the next day tho, prior to them (seizures) my tinnitus becomes so intence and deafinning then i have between 1-2mins before i'll pass out or it'll just stop and i'll be all good, same process everytime as i wake up in the morning from sleep feels like my heads in a vice noises start (clicking ringing zapping etc altogether at once) then i'll loose my speech and my arms cramp up and my vision blurs then i hope lol, sometimes i fall into some dream same dream each time tho and sometimes there this weird chemical smell, fukn weird stuff...

Sign Up for Emails

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

Subscribe