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.
The aura feeling before a seizure or migraine????
Fri, 09/01/2006 - 22:02Topic: New to Epilepsy.com
Hello. I sent a note last week as well. I am at a really confused state right now with my husband of 19 years. My husband just had a grand mal seizure about 4 weeks ago now, it happened in our bed while he was sleeping. After all test and seeing a doctor it was determined the cause of this type of seizure was a severe head injury he sustained 26 years ago. This injury was massive at the time but after time he over came the damage it caused. So I was so surprised and not readily accepting this was the cause. One thing among a few he experienced after this accident was severe migraines. Before each migraine he would feel a "funny feeling". We have since learned these are auras.
My question to anyone out there with head injury (he was told he does not have epilepsy) is can you have another grand mal?
My husband had a massive one, stop breathing and all. He also was out for almost a week afterwards. He does not remember the week after all all???? He was unable to work. At this time he is our primary source of income, we have two young children. Today he had to come home after going to work because he felt weird, when he got out of his truck he was walking and felt cars were whizzing by him fast like a movie???? He could not explain why he felt this way. He slept most of the day. This is not at all like him. Could he have had some kind of other seizure today??? I witness the grand mal which was so violent and upsetting I know he did not have one of those.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Comments
Re: The aura feeling before a seizure or migraine????
Submitted by SaraOwens on Fri, 2006-09-01 - 23:16
I had an accident that took away my sense of direction for about 2 minutes after I regained consciousness. I fell off my bicycle into a ditch, no helmet. That was 1993. Two years later I was half asleep, about to get up to see my best friend open his b-day presents, and the next time I open my eyes I'm being led across the front yard to an ambulance. I had suffered my first GM. Ever since 1995, I've had GMs in my sleep, and simple partials consisting of intense deja-vu lasting around a minute, and auras that make me feel as if I will pass out, or start to lose control. I've consistantly been on meds since 2001, and I still have seizures now and then, depending on stress levels and cycles. It always seems to relieve major stress after I have a GM. Sometimes I look forward to the relief they give, but I'd love to find a way to balance my life and become seizure free.
The cars whizzing by sounds like an aura, I have odd feelings like that. The movie feeling is like deja-vu, he's been there before, he feels like he's an actor in a film, that a simple partial seizure. The GM is like an electrical overload in his brain, like eveything working at the same time. His muscles all tensed up at the same time, including the vocal chords, so he may have shouted out. That's why it looks so violent. Depending on how intense the brain "overload" was, one can be tired and foggy for days, sometimes only for half a day.
He could have another GM, and it sounds like he's having simple partials. I would get a second opinion, see a neurologist if you have the money or insurance coverage. These sites about epilepsy can point you in the right direction, even help you find a good doctor in your area!!
Good luck, and if ya want to compare experiences, e-mail me! I know there's plenty of others out there, too who have epilepsy as a result of head injury!
Re: Re: The aura feeling before a seizure or migraine????
Submitted by newtoGMS on Sat, 2006-09-02 - 06:36
Thanks for all the feed back. We have seen two neurologists now and he is under the care of one. He was taken off Depokote about a week after his GM and now is on Lamictal. He had CAT Scan, MRI and EEG. All were fine with the exception of showing the damage he sustained in his accident. I will inquire with the neurologist about what was suggested, a long VEEG. I was surprised to read that yes head injuries can come back and cause a GM. I just wanted to be sure it is not an underlining problem. I was told by the neurologist that the test he has had so far would have showed something like that. Also you described these auras just as my husband has. When they have been associated with a migraine we have noticed they come on with stress, lack of sleep and often with dramatic weather pattern change (baromic pressure change). I was so nervous that these feelings he kept getting all day yesterday was going to lead to another GM. I had our baby monitor on him not the baby so I could hear if he had one while he was sleeping. I will continue to look on-line, this site and others to educate myself more to understand what now is the way of life and to be sure my husband gets the right care going forward. Thanks again.
Re: The aura feeling before a seizure or migraine????
Submitted by slhmurphy on Fri, 2006-09-01 - 22:13
The incident today sounds like it could be another seizure type. Insist on a long term VEEG...that would show any continueing seizure activity. Sam