Deep Breathing

[Cinnabar]

The day of my first grand mal seizure, stress was in the air at home. I found a quiet place to practice deep breathing in order to relax. The breathing "took over me". It began to have a life of it's own. Shortly, I was barely aware that I was hyperventilating before hitting the floor convulsing. I'm tentative about it, now, but I practice "mild" Pranayana breathing when stressed out. Has deep breathing been a trigger for anyone? I've read some articles saying it's beneficial for those with Epilepsy and then some articles discouraging it. The whole experience was ironic, leaving a stressfull situation to calm myself and then convulsing. L -

[epileric]

I know when I was younger I could provoke a seizure by hyperventilating and blinking my eyes as fast as possible. Nowadays I often try to take control of my breath when I feel one starting. I"ll breath deep, hold it, then exhale as slowly as possible. If I do it soon enough it usually works but other times I wonder if it makes things worse.

[Zoe]

Sounds like the "deep breathing" you are describing is hyperventilating and it is not at all the same thing as pranayama in yoga. Hyperventilating is rapid breathing that will upset the balance of CO2 in your blood, your metabolism and can indeed trigger a seizure.
Deep measured slow breathing can stop a seizure before it starts, interrupt one in progress and provides you a means to manage seizures on your own.

This link will take you to a lot of information on behavioral strategies for learning self control of your seizures, including progressive relaxation which uses slow deep breathing.

Effectiveness of psychological interventions for people with ...Controlled examination of effects of progressive relaxation training on seizure ... treatment program on adults with refractory epileptic seizures. ...
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/art...?artid=2169675
This link is to a discussion we had here a while back.
nocturnal seizures, neurofeedback, seizures

[brain]

ZOE is right in reference to the post. Some people
have a generalized misunderstanding in regards to
"deep breathing".

Maybe Zoe can post more specifics in reference into
details on "deep breathing" performances that are
non-seizure provoking? I'm not into Yoga so much so
I'm not qualified to speak into it, but I do have my
own relaxation methods but its unique to its own.

[Cinnabar]

Sounds like the "deep breathing" you are describing is hyperventilating and it is not at all the same thing as pranayama in yoga. Hyperventilating is rapid breathing that will upset the balance of CO2 in your blood, your metabolism and can indeed trigger a seizure.
Deep measured slow breathing can stop a seizure before it starts, interrupt one in progress and provides you a means to manage seizures on your own.

This link will take you to a lot of information on behavioral strategies for learning self control of your seizures, including progressive relaxation which uses slow deep breathing.

Effectiveness of psychological interventions for people with ...Controlled examination of effects of progressive relaxation training on seizure ... treatment program on adults with refractory epileptic seizures. ...
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/art...?artid=2169675
This link is to a discussion we had here a while back.
nocturnal seizures, neurofeedback, seizures

I'll look into your link L -

[Cinnabar]

ZOE is right in reference to the post. Some people
have a generalized misunderstanding in regards to
"deep breathing".

Maybe Zoe can post more specifics in reference into
details on "deep breathing" performances that are
non-seizure provoking? I'm not into Yoga so much so
I'm not qualified to speak into it, but I do have my
own relaxation methods but its unique to its own.

Thank you. There is much to be explored on the subject L-

[Zoe]

There is a book, "The Breath Connection" by Robert Fried, PhD. He did a study on teaching deep diaphragmatic breathing while doing biofeedback. There were twenty-some people in the study, and most showed improvement in their seizure frequency after the biofeedback training. The book is out of print but you can get it through your library's interlibrary loan if it isn't on the shelves. His chapter on epilepsy is very informative and there is a lot of information on how improving your breathing can improve your health.

[Zoe]

By the way, Patricia Murphy, who wrote the book on treating epilepsy naturally, was a participant in one of those studies. Here's a review:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m...ly/ai_87720061

[Crazy Monkey]

As well as Epilepsy I also struggle from time to time with panic attacks and these always involve hyperventilating the breathes are big but feel false, like they are not filling your lungs and they continue to get faster and faster to the point where I am sure that my throat has closed and I can't even get the smallest piece of air into my lungs, this puts me in a stressful situation that brings on seizures so I have to get it under control and fast, I have taught myself to control the hyperventilating by calming and relaxing my breathing, by making sure that my breathes are relaxed, deep and even and to think non-stressful thoughts, this technique has helped me to get past many panic attacks before they get out of control.

[Cinnabar]

Thanks Zoe! I'm going to flag that link! Always Laurie

[Zoe]

You sure have good intuition to have figured this out! It took me years. Panic and cardiac arrythmia were the form my partial seizures took. As with seizures, practice, practice, practice may help you get over them altogether over time. Hope so! Do try some google searches on these topics "panic disorder" "magnesium" "hyperventilation" "calcium" "Breathing" "tetany" "panic". Keep trusting your own inner knowledge on how to proceed.

As well as Epilepsy I also struggle from time to time with panic attacks and these always involve hyperventilating the breathes are big but feel false, like they are not filling your lungs and they continue to get faster and faster to the point where I am sure that my throat has closed and I can't even get the smallest piece of air into my lungs, this puts me in a stressful situation that brings on seizures so I have to get it under control and fast, I have taught myself to control the hyperventilating by calming and relaxing my breathing, by making sure that my breathes are relaxed, deep and even and to think non-stressful thoughts, this technique has helped me to get past many panic attacks before they get out of control.

[Zoe]

Great Laurie! Hope you find information there you can use.

Thanks Zoe! I'm going to flag that link! Always Laurie

[Cinnabar]

Thanks Zoe. Yep, I guess I'm lucky that way. The first time I just caught the hint of hyperventilating! The deep breathing which was supposed to make me relax turned into a hurricane! Very ironic I say, again... Always Laurie

[Zoe]

Laurie,
The change in breathing may be the one and only symptom that applies to everyone who has seizures. Figuring out how they start is our key to finding ways to stop or prevent them.

Thanks Zoe. Yep, I guess I'm lucky that way. The first time I just caught the hint of hyperventilating! The deep breathing which was supposed to make me relax turned into a hurricane! Very ironic I say, again... Always Laurie

[RobinN]

I didn't know that Zoe... everyone has a change in breathing prior to a seizure?
Interesting

[Cinnabar]

Laurie,
The change in breathing may be the one and only symptom that applies to everyone who has seizures. Figuring out how they start is our key to finding ways to stop or prevent them.

Now, I practice "light" Pranayama breathing. I remembered how it used to relax me in yoga classes. But, you're right, I could look into other forms of breathing to prevent epispisodes. I did read that deep breathing was a no no for us. Always Laurie

[Zoe]

Now, I practice "light" Pranayama breathing. I remembered how it used to relax me in yoga classes. But, you're right, I could look into other forms of breathing to prevent epispisodes. I did read that deep breathing was a no no for us. Always Laurie

Hi Laurie,
It is rapid breathing, not deep breathing, that we need to be careful about. There is a lot of informaion around on the subject. It can be helpful for many things including stress management and sleep. Amazing what we can do for ourselves, isn't it?

[Cinnabar]

I know when I was younger I could provoke a seizure by hyperventilating and blinking my eyes as fast as possible. Nowadays I often try to take control of my breath when I feel one starting. I"ll breath deep, hold it, then exhale as slowly as possible. If I do it soon enough it usually works but other times I wonder if it makes things worse.

I would be very careful about deep breathing even if exhaling slowly. From personal experience and what I've read it's detrimental for us. When I was a kid I used to hold my breath to the point of passing out. Why? haven't a clue. I'll have to run that one by my therapist! Always- Laurie

[Cinnabar]

Sounds like the "deep breathing" you are describing is hyperventilating and it is not at all the same thing as pranayama in yoga. Hyperventilating is rapid breathing that will upset the balance of CO2 in your blood, your metabolism and can indeed trigger a seizure.
Deep measured slow breathing can stop a seizure before it starts, interrupt one in progress and provides you a means to manage seizures on your own.

This link will take you to a lot of information on behavioral strategies for learning self control of your seizures, including progressive relaxation which uses slow deep breathing.

Effectiveness of psychological interventions for people with ...Controlled examination of effects of progressive relaxation training on seizure ... treatment program on adults with refractory epileptic seizures. ...
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/art...?artid=2169675
This link is to a discussion we had here a while back.
nocturnal seizures, neurofeedback, seizures

The deep breathing I was talking about and excersizing was a "means" to relax myself after a stressful event. In no way was I intentionally inducing myself to hyperventilate. The deep breathing, intended to relax me, took on a life of it's own, deep breathing lead to rapid breathing then the hyperventilating . It became a kind of a "hyperventilating hurricane". I experienced only a hint of it before loosing consciousness and hitting the floor. I know you mean nothing but well, trying to educate me. But you must be made aware that I've taken enough yoga classes to know that Pranayama is not hyperventilating! Zoe, I believe you misunderstood me on several points or perhaps I did not make myself clear. "Talking" on line e.g. typing to a face/mouth unseen, can make for a frustrating communication. I appreciate your concerns and the links which I'll be looking into. We can't be educated enough.
Thank You, Zoe. Always Laurie

[Cinnabar]

Hi Laurie,
It is rapid breathing, not deep breathing, that we need to be careful about. There is a lot of informaion around on the subject. It can be helpful for many things including stress management and sleep. Amazing what we can do for ourselves, isn't it?

"MY" deep breathing leads to rapid breathing which then leads to hyperventilization. This has been MY experience. There are most likely numerous approaches to breathing. From what I've read, as a follow up, relating to my own experiences several articles discourage "deep" breathing for those with Epilepsy. I have not come accross any information about benefits of deep breating for us. But I know it's not beneficial for me. The topic of breathing is a very interesting one and one worthy of being explored. Just no deep breathing for me! Laurie