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What do you feel?

Sat, 12/24/2005 - 12:21
I am very sorry to ask, and I apologise if this is too personal. I would just like to ask what do you actually feel during a seizure. How do you know when you have a seizure - I hear that epileptics can smell rotten eggs, or burnt rubber. Are you concious during a seizure, and do you realise that you are having one. Thank you, from Amrou

Comments

Hi... Analogy time... Ever

Submitted by solis on Sat, 2005-12-24 - 17:59
Hi... Analogy time... Ever fall asleep in a rooom (say, in front of the TV) and wake up with no idea how long you'd slept? = a 'complex partial' or a 'generalized' seizure since a surge in electricity from both sides of one part (=complex partial) or throughout the entire brain (generalized) also causes unconsiousness. So it's moot how the seizures manifest themselves (that fact has value only to the observer...not to the one having the seizure) all are equally devastating to the patient. I know I've had a seizure if I'm missing time (there are about 40 variations of epilepsy). Sometimes I don't know I've had a seizure (like our lack of memory for the dreams we have each night, amnesia often follows seizures too) If you are really curious, I'd suggest you go to www.epilepsy.com as it's an excellent site and can answer your questions. ~sol

durnit - don't know why this

Submitted by txrhb1 on Mon, 2005-12-26 - 16:59
durnit - don't know why this posted twice !! Sorry bout that Barbie

Re: What do you feel?

Submitted by txrhb1 on Mon, 2005-12-26 - 17:00
Hi Amrou, This is a very interesting question. There are many different seizure disorders, and many of them manifest themselves differently. I have a few different types of seizures, and can only answer from my experiences: 1. I have myoclonic seizures every once in a while. These are seizures which manifest as muscle spasms or jerks. Mine are usually in my left leg, or in my right arm and the face. They are not painful to me, just very annoying. sometimes, I have only one or two at a time, sometimes they continue in a series for quite a while. 2. I have simple partial seizures, and mine usually are a strange sense of dizziness, detachment, or hearing music when none is present. 3. I also have complex partial seizures. Sometimes, they are preceded by one of my simple partial seizures, sometimes not. Sometimes, I get a strange feeling in my stomach, that rises to my chest. After that, I have no idea what happens. My family says I stare off in the distance, and fumble or fidget with my hands. Sometimes, my hands shake. During the seizure (usually no more than a couple of minutes), I am totally unaware of what is happening as my consciousness is affected. Typically, after a seizure, it takes me a while to really gain full awareness back. I am usually very tired and sometimes have a bad headache. The only way I am 100% certain I have had a complex partial seizure is if someone is with me and has witnessed it, or if I have dropped something and am missing my memory for what has happened. I have fallen a few times during these types of seizures. There are many, many different types of seizures, including some where people get a smell "aura", such as you describe. Check out the main website information on types of seizures - located at http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/types_seizures.html for more information. ((( hugs ))), Barbie *************************************** "We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can fly only by embracing each other." -lucian de crescenzo

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