Go Mountaineer's

[wvueers]

First time to post on here. I have partial epilespy for 27yrs. I work and drive and try to live a normal life. When i get tired i seem to get in trouble. I have a tough time getting too sleep. I have small seizures sometimes when trying to sleep. Does anyone have any answers for me. Also i am a big sports fan

[Bernard]

Hi wvueers, welcome to the forum.

Stacy's seizure activity is also closely tied to the amount (and quality) of sleep that she gets. I think sleep deprivation is a fairly common seizure trigger (or threshold lowerer). Have you had a sleep study done to test for sleep apnea? It's pretty common among those with epilepsy.

Here's some handy tips for falling asleep: tips for insomnia

I also highly recommend EEG neurofeedback and have heard good things about neurobehavioral therapy. It's worth investigating anyways!

P.S. I'm a huge college football fan myself. Hook'em!

[RobinN]

wvueers - Welcome to CWE
This is different than what my daughter experiences. I am sure there are others that will be along to offer some suggestions.
Glad you joined us.

[brain]

WV!



Welcome to CWE! And I am wondering
if you've ever had a what they call a
"night EEG"? or "night video EEG"?

It's when you go in like at 5-7 PM at
either a Sleep Apnea Center that's a 24
hour place or at the Hospital, and you
spend the night over there and they
track you down to see if you have:

1) Sleep Apnea
2) Seizures
3) Both 1 & 2

You will be asked NOT to have:

1) Caffeine
2) Smoke
3) Alcohol
4) Drugs - illegal
5) If you're on medication; they will
inquire what medication(s) you are
on and why and at what time.
6) You may be asked to eat before you
come - OR - you may be asked to eat a
specific diet before you come - OR -
they may provide you food (if you're
going to be at the Hospital).
7) They may or may not perform lab
work (Up to the Doctor)
8 ) You may be asked to bring your own
PJ's or they may provide you PJ's or a
Gown.
9) If at Hospital, you may have a Head
Scan(s) performed before you have the
EEG electrodes placed upon you
10) You MAY be asked to stay awake as
long as you possibility can the night
before and then go to bed and have the
alarm set for a specific time (ie: 8 AM)
and then forced to stay awake all day
without any naps!

PS: It's a great idea if you would shower
and wash up and blow dry your hair BUT
DO NOT USE CONDITIONER! DO NOT
USE HAIR SPRAY, GEL, ETC! Before you
leave your home ....


I've had in the past "overnight stay"
as I have nocturnal seizures (seizures
during my sleep) and there were no
need for me to stay all the time since
the issue was primarily at nights. I've
been at both the Centers and at the
Hospital.

The PROCEDURE does not hurt at all.
The Tech will measure your head, then
clean it, and put glue and then the
electrodes on and then gauze your head
so that it will all stay in place, since it is
only temporary, for you will be awaken
in the morning.

They will monitor you throughout the
night, so if you have a seizure(s); they
have the Staff, ARNP(s) & Doctor(s)
there. And if you have Sleep Apnea
and stop breathing, they monitor that
too. They monitor everything!

At SOME Centers - when they wake you
up, they often have donuts, coffee, etc
and a small plastic disposable tooth-
brush and tiny toothpaste so you can
wake up before you leave. Others just
lets you go home. Sometimes the
Center Doctor "may" go over the result
with you if it's serious enough; and will
relay / fax the info to your Doctor if he
or she had not already alerted him/her.

In some rare events, sometimes the
Doctor or ARNP would have the instruc-
tions for you to call your Doctor or have
the prescription(s) written up to get
you started and a schedule to see your
Doctor already set up for you, to a
Neurologist if you are having seizures,
OR - your Doctor might even schedule
you to be moved to a Hospital.

At the Hospital, in some cases, if the
need be, they may revert to keeping
you there longer, especially if you are
having nocturnal seizures. They will
need more monitoring - as how you are
during the day, and if you do not have
a Neurologist, one will come to see you
and it will go from there.


Twice I've had to drive from a Sleep
Center, head home, drop my son off
at my parent's house, and head directly
to the Hospital to the Admissions, as
they contacted my Neurologist and he
had his Office already processed the
Admission, but that was a long time
ago since this had ever happened.



What's the difference between the
Sleep Centers and Hospitals? Not much.
They are equal - except Hospitals cost
more and from my experience, they
usually end up keeping me there longer!

[BuckeyeFan]

Hello southern neighbor.

Welcome to the site. We can be friends until football season starts. Then you are on the wrong side of the river.


Just kidding. As you can tell by the name, I am a sports fan as well. WVU is pretty cool, its that school up north that I can't stand to mention!

[skillefer]

LOL...Welcome wvueers! My older brother went to WVU. I've had seizures since I was about 3 years old. You'll find the crew here really friendly. So feel free to ask any questions. As for your seizures, I tend to have them when I let myself get run down. I haven't experienced the little seizures while sleeping though...at least that I know of.

[wvueers]

Thank you so much for your response. I have my 6 month check up at Cleveland Clinic in March. I will copy all your answers and take them with me. I have went thru all test that you can get. They wanted me to have frontal lobe surgery. I decided to stay with meds. I take Keppra 4 a day, and Lamictal 5 a day. I have told them about my sleeping problem before but they did not respond. The worst part about going thru the test was when they tokk the meds away to find where the seizures were coming from. I started my first grand mal when i was asleep. Woke up, had no idea i had one until my was holding my hand. I had to laugh because I said to my wife, they are watching you in the camera, what are you doing. I feel very comfortable on this web site. Thank you for everything again. Buckeye Fan: I will be rooting for O-H-I-O against Coach Rich Fraud. Not mad that he left WV, It is how he did it. Dave

[brain]

Why do I feel so abandoned here?

Am I the only USF Bull & FSU 'nole fan here?




PS: I do like O-H-I-O

[wvueers]

Brain, thanks for reminding me about your bulls. There is always next year.

[brain]

Brain, thanks for reminding me about your bulls. There is always next year.

I love SPORTS and I know it well,
I might be a woman ... but I prefer
it LIVE as in PERSON, than in front
of a TV Set ... and since I'm short,
don't even THINK about blocking
my VIEW! I'm not afraid to use those
CUPS for a MEGAPHONE IN YOUR EAR
to tell you to SIT DOWN!



PS: That's why I prefer the front
row seat or the edge .. Wheels, Balls,
Contact, Courts, Free For All - Pro,
Amateur, Semi-Pro, Who-Cares, Co-Ed
and I don't care ...

I'd rather be PLAYING and getting into
the ACTION!



I'm known to call out plays!

[BuckeyeFan]

At least your not a Hurricane or Gator fan. That gives us a chance to cure you of the Seminole problem. USF will be OK.

O-H-I-O



Those college games are great. OSU games have so much energy. Makes the NFL look like a sideshow when you compare them live.

[BuckeyeFan]

Dave,

You won't miss a coach who choked on Pittsburgh. Maybe he was too busy negotiating his contract.


Seriously, best of luck with your testing. You have picked a great facility. I am on Keppra (2000 mg) myself along with Phenytek (aka dilantin). I don't generally have trouble sleeping, if anything it is just the opposite.

There are several good threads here on Keppra. Some people have a lot of trouble with it, but it does seem pretty effective.