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Is this an Aura or a Seizure? Confused
Mon, 04/23/2018 - 04:32Topic: Men With Epilepsy
Hi,
I had a temporal lobe brain tumour removed 5 years ago, and I have been confused ever since. My neurologist told me I have Complex Partial seizures and Temporal Lobe Epilepsy. But what I don’t understand is what exactly I am experiencing. Is it just an aura or is it a seizure? As many of you know these feelings are extremely difficult to explain, but I will try my best to:
When I have an “episode” or “ strange feeling” I get the deja vu sensation, I for some reason I cannot explain need to crouch down and feel the floor. If I’m laying in bed I need to sit up. Strange I know. I don’t consciously make the decision to do this, I just do it for some strange reason. I also get an electrical tingling sensation throughout my whole body, but mostly in my head, a nauseous feeling, and an intense overload of emotions. It seems to mostly be fear/terror along with sadness where I feel like crying.
I remain conscious and am somewhat aware of my surroundings, and generally lasts for about 20 - 30 seconds.
When it is finished I am quiet, confused and very tired.
What I don’t get is all of the other symptoms people mention of TLE such as clothes picking, lip smacking, walking...
I really hate them and am really sick of them.
What are your thoughts? Aura or seizure?
Could this be a different type of seizure?
Does this or similar happen to anyone else? (I hope so as then I know it is “normal”)
I would love to hear your thoughts.
Thanks guys,
Scott
Comments
Hi joe, Thanks so much for
Submitted by ScottB on Mon, 2018-04-23 - 22:18
Hi joe, Thanks so much for your response. It was a very thorough and descriptive answer to my question. It seems to me then that I am indeed having seizures. I figured I was but just wanted to be sure. I’m new on here, just signing up yesterday. This being my first post. I’m impressed with it and I wish I joined years ago. Thanks again. It means a lot to hear from other experts/epileptics. It’s just amazing to see how many different types of epilepsy there are, with differing symptoms. Thanks again. Have s great day, Scott
Hi joe, Thanks so much for
Submitted by ScottB on Mon, 2018-04-23 - 22:20
Hi joe, Thanks so much for your response. It was a very thorough and descriptive answer to my question. It seems to me then that I am indeed having seizures. I figured I was but just wanted to be sure. I’m new on here, just signing up yesterday. This being my first post. I’m impressed with it and I wish I joined years ago. Thanks again. It means a lot to hear from other experts/epileptics. It’s just amazing to see how many different types of epilepsy there are, with differing symptoms. Thanks again. Have s great day, Scott
Aura or seizure? When we
Submitted by birdman on Mon, 2018-04-23 - 09:06
Aura or seizure? When we start out in treatment the doctor often asks, "Do you have any auras" as if to imply that auras are something other than a seizure. Aura is often referred to as a warning of a seizure to come. But actually an aura is a seizure, just in an early, weak point. Doctors still often refer to these as "simple partial seizures" but there has been a renaming of these. Now they call them "focal onset without impaired awareness".The aura is excess uncontrolled brainwave activity occurring in a small part of the brain (hence the name partial seizure) and gives you the odd and strong sensations that part of the brain controls. It can remain "localized" and then go away, or it can intensify and become a complex partial where you lose awareness. Or, that partial seizure can spread and become the more familiar seizure known as "grand mal", "convulsion", or "generalized tonic clonic".The strong sensations are not only hard to describe but uncomfortable to talk about because they are so strange. You wonder what others think about you when you tell them about your experience. But a good doctor understands and shouldn't be mystified by what you share. I experience a sour smell / taste and a tickle in the stomach. I used to have more of the de ja vu experience. I would go on to describe it as more like being mystified by the familiarity of different objects positions. I think this is because my seizures were occurring in an area effecting visual memory.