seizure question

[lahgarden]

HI Everyone!
Hope ya'll had a wonderful turkey day!

Quick question:
If you have a seizure, do you know you are having one?

I had two events back to back this am, half asleep, saw checkboard pattern, all one color, and felt upper body 'seize' and felt hands flapping lightly.....a few seconds later it happened again.

i knew it was happening, and knew my DH was in the bathroom washing up, and hoped upon hope he would come back in the room, but I couldn't really move to stop it or talk etc.....

i rested and it didn't happen again.

what the heck was that?
thanks for listening.
take care
lah

[Shashi]

It could be what's called a simple partial seizure. With these types of seizures, you'll know what is going on, but you can't control the activity.

I had something similar about a month ago. It started when I kept smelling wood smoke everywhere I went for almost two weeks. Then one afternoon, I was lying on my bed with my eye closed, when I saw the most beautiful colored lights swirling around. During the light show though, I noticed that my normal tremors intensified greatly, especially on my right side. This lasted about 45 seconds to a minute, then stopped. About 15 minutes later, the same thing happened again.

After that, several times a day, I'd feel my body start stiffening up and the shaking start again, but I never had the colored light show again (which was the fun part!) I was aware during each episode, but couldn't keep it from happening. And most of the time, the "seizures" occurred as I was drifting off to sleep or if I was very drowsy.

These episodes lasted a week or two and then stopped (as did the smoke smell.) I told my neurologist about the first two with the swirling colors when they happened, but she said they were optic migraines. I have since done more research, and I think they're simple partial seizures. (I was in a nasty flare at the time.) If they ever happen again, I'll get them checked out.

You may want to call your doctor and get checked out, just to be on the safe side.

Hugs,

Lisa

[mjan]

Hmm..yes sure was a weird seizure-like sign. It really cannot be proven without an EEG to record it, but trust me it's worth a look at by your neuro. I am being monitored for simple partials and maybe complex partials. Simple szs..you know you're having one, complex, you are not aware but may appear awake to others.

Yes its good to have these things witnessed as well. And yes MS can have seizure activity. One of my neuros thought for sure I was having seizures, but the 5 day video EEG did not show any seizure activity, just some slowing waves.

Slow? Yeah..everything I do seems s l o w ... LOL

Keep us posted.

Jan

[laurakim]

Hi Lah,
There are many types of seizures. I have partial complex seizures and while I don`t hit the floor, I lose awareness for a minute or two. I have an aura before one comes. For me, it is a strong sense of dejavu and a funny taste in my mouth. Many people have visual auras, some patterns of colour.

While it`s happening, I talk a mile a minute but later don`t know what I said. Lips smack and arms and legs move in a rythmic fashion but I don`t realize it. There are seizures where the person has no idea it`s happened. Absence seizures, I think.

Definitely mention it to your neuro. There is a simple test called an EEG that tests for seizure activity. They stick a bunch of electrodes on your head and flash lights at you. The worst part of the test is the goop they put in your
hair You should find out quickly. So many things are unsafe if you`re seizuring, especially driving since you`re a danger to others. There are very good anti convulsants out there. I take Tegretol which has the added benefit of reducing MS pain.
Best of luck! Phone your neuro.
Laurakim

[lahgarden]

thank you!

thanks so much for your responses.

I remember the first EEG I ever had, set off half my face twitching like a machine gun, and then 6 years later, sometimes in a flare I get it back for days. i don't like it at all, and wondered if that was some sort of seizure too.

Shashi, isn't it crazy what we go through? I refer to it as being in the fun house, but it's really not that fun...
Thank you for sharing your experience, it's sounds perfectly awful. I hope you get some help.l

Laurakim, Sorry you are going through all of that. it makes sense that a person wouldn't be able to drive if they had a seizure problem like that. Do you have a definite dx of MS?

Mjan, thank you for your insight too. it's so complicated isn't it? I've had a particularly hard day with balance, and feeling slowed down too and fatigue.

I know I should call the neuro, I'm kinda in a weird place right now with that.

So sick of being sick, stuck with the techinical dx for MS, but no "label" so no help other than for individual sx...my mri's are clear.

In March Neuro put me on meds, got a bad reaction, went off them immediately, after a trip to the ER.

Then Neuro requested $10,000 blood work for genetic testing.
Didn't do it, as insurance would not cover. And for heaven's sake, it will come back normal anyway.

So I haven't been back. Been with him for 7 years.

But did have an EEG, AnSWR, and VEP, in April after the go around with the med reaction. Just haven't been back for the results
Ugh.
I hate all this nonsense!

I think I will write for the results of those tests.

We are switching health insurance in Jan -(not voluntarily), and the new deductibles kinda insure never going to the doctor ever again.

this really stinks.

I really whining now.
thanks for listening. I will write for those results, and if it happens again, I will call a neuro. Not sure who, but will call someone.

take care,
lah