different types of seizures...was mine a grand mal?

[kerihough]

What are the different types of seizures. what is a "tonic clonic"? I was just curious as to what type I have had. someone said in the introduction forum that it sounds like a "tonic clonic" or grand mal. I am new to all this and was interested in finding out what the difference is between all the types. or if someone can give me a link if that info is already on here, that would be great too. If you are curious as to checking out my experience and telling my what makes mine a "tonic clonic" if that is what it is would be great too. In the foyer forum the thread for kerihough. thanks all!

Keri

[Meetz1064]

and welcome to CWE. I don't know if I've welcomed you yet, but here are a couple of links to check out, specifically for seizure types. The first is tonic clonic (grand mal), the other is a more generic listing that you can access on the same site.

http://www.epilepsy.com/EPILEPSY/SEIZURE_TONICCLONIC

http://www.epilepsy.com/EPILEPSY/TYPES_SEIZURES

And from what I briefly read in the first post, it is difficult to tell whether or not it was a tonic clonic/grand mal. You would have to ask your husband to read the description that I gave you...and have him talk to the doctor, too. It's likely, given that you were "shaking like a fish out of water" but I can't say for sure because A) I'm not a doctor, and B) I wasn't there. Aggressiveness does happen afterwards......it's not uncommon.

Good luck, and take care.

Meetz

[skillefer]

Thanks Meetz! I still haven't figured out how to post links to threads....*sigh*

[Meetz1064]

You're welcome. But it's easy, Skilly....

[drarvindr]

hi welcome to CWE. I went over your history in your previous post. You did have a tonic clonic. Seizures can be broadly classified as simple or complex and generalised or partial. Simple seizures are when you do not lose consciousness. Complex ones are when you do. Generalised seizures originate all over the whole of your brain and partial ones originate only a part of it , for example you may notice only your arm or leg shaking (hence the older term , focal seizures , ie seizures coming from a single focus). Some seizures start as partials and secondarily generalise , ie , your arm will shake and then the shaking spreads to the rest of your body. In some classical cases , the shaking starts in your hand , then your face then the rest of your body. This is called a "jacksonian march".

Tonic-clonic seizures involve an initial rigid contraction of the muscles (called the tonic phase) which may involve tongue biting, urinary incontinence and the absence of breathing(hence your going purple). This is followed by rhythmic muscle contractions (clonic phase) which is what resulted in you jerking all over. Some people (like me) get absence seizures and myoclonic seizures. in absence seizures , you blank out and stare for a maximum of 30 seconds and then regain your flow. It can even happen in mid sentence.If one were to watch you having an absence seizure they would think you were daydreaming. In myoclonus , one part of your body jerks suddenly and you regain control almost instantly(involve an extremely brief (< 0.1 second) muscle contraction.). People with atonic seizures (your body stays upright when you stand because of the inherent muscle tone in your legs) usually have " drop attacks" when their legs give way .

There are two types of continuous seizure - status epilepticus and epilepsia partialis continua. Status epilepticus is when you have continuous seizure activity or sequential seizures for more than 30 minutes. IF THIS HAPPENS TO YOU SOMEONE SHOULD CALL 911 AFTER 5 MINUTES. THIS IS A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.epilepsia partialis continua happens when a partial seizure continues or happens sequentially for days or weeks. It can be a sign of stroke.

Hope i've been of help.

[stilldancing_98]

Sometimes with my myoclonic I will simply watch myself drop keys out of my hands. Or sometimes I don't even know.I have drop attacks and t/cs petit mal. I have seen my son have a longer myoclonic while awake. Atypical seizure. Choked on his food.All while he was awake but not aware. Just a longer myoclonic seizure. When I went to the small children's hospital, they could not even pronounce the name of the seizure. Terd.

[kerihough]

hi welcome to CWE. I went over your history in your previous post. You did have a tonic clonic. Seizures can be broadly classified as simple or complex and generalised or partial. Simple seizures are when you do not lose consciousness. Complex ones are when you do. Generalised seizures originate all over the whole of your brain and partial ones originate only a part of it , for example you may notice only your arm or leg shaking (hence the older term , focal seizures , ie seizures coming from a single focus). Some seizures start as partials and secondarily generalise , ie , your arm will shake and then the shaking spreads to the rest of your body. In some classical cases , the shaking starts in your hand , then your face then the rest of your body. This is called a "jacksonian march".
Tonic-clonic seizures involve an initial rigid contraction of the muscles (called the tonic phase) which may involve tongue biting, urinary incontinence and the absence of breathing(hence your going purple). This is followed by rhythmic muscle contractions (clonic phase) which is what resulted in you jerking all over. Some people (like me) get absence seizures and myoclonic seizures. in absence seizures , you blank out and stare for a maximum of 30 seconds and then regain your flow. It can even happen in mid sentence.If one were to watch you having an absence seizure they would think you were daydreaming. In myoclonus , one part of your body jerks suddenly and you regain control almost instantly(involve an extremely brief (< 0.1 second) muscle contraction.). People with atonic seizures (your body stays upright when you stand because of the inherent muscle tone in your legs) usually have " drop attacks" when their legs give way .
There are two types of continuous seizure - status epilepticus and epilepsia partialis continua. Status epilepticus is when you have continuous seizure activity or sequential seizures for more than 30 minutes. IF THIS HAPPENS TO YOU SOMEONE SHOULD CALL 911 AFTER 5 MINUTES. THIS IS A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.epilepsia partialis continua happens when a partial seizure continues or happens sequentially for days or weeks. It can be a sign of stroke.
Hope i've been of help.

thank you very much for the descriptions of the types of seizures. I am glad my husband is a vol firefighter and has to have classes in regards to being a first responder and he didn't flip out and forget what to do. his instinct took over even though he thought his wife was dying. The absense seizure, like the one that seems like you daydreaming sounds familiar. I just thought that maybe I completely lost my concentration but people have said that it seemed like I just went into a daze. Not very long at all but I don't hear anything and i lose my peripheal vision. Could that be what is going on?

[brain]

thank you very much for the descriptions of the types of seizures. I am glad my husband is a vol firefighter and has to have classes in regards to being a first responder and he didn't flip out and forget what to do. his instinct took over even though he thought his wife was dying. The absense seizure, like the one that seems like you daydreaming sounds familiar. I just thought that maybe I completely lost my concentration but people have said that it seemed like I just went into a daze. Not very long at all but I don't hear anything and i lose my peripheal vision. Could that be what is going on?

I have lost my vision and at times have gone partially blind
or completely blind or make it worse (back then when I could
hear) make it deaf and blind! While it was only temporary,
they classified it as "Petit Mal that secondary generalized"
(which we know it as Absence). I did not go into Simple
Partial or Complex Partial - it was like I was "stuck" in the
"Absence E-Mode" - Status Absence Mode; and later they
labeled it as Non-Typical Absence (They have 3 types of
Absence classification and I have been classified as all 3
but the latter being excessively rare: Absence, Non-Typical
Absence - and the rarer part - Atypical Absence (usually
found in babies and children).

If you do a Google research on each (you might have to
type in nontypical Absence because some places do not
use a hyphen), you'll be surprise at the results and findings
of them.

Do I ever get "stuck" in Absence mode? Yeah, once in
a blue moon, but not stuck totally in an Absence completely,
but it does happen. But when it happens to me and it gets
"stuck" and it begins to generalize - it either goes into a
Complex Partial or Tonic Clonic. (I'm usually in the ER by
this time). You can go into Status Epilepticus or "back-to-
back" Seizures, so you will need to be monitored very closely
and the Neurologist (or Epileptologist) will need to be notified,
especially if it's prolonged (even if it's back-to-back).

And here's another perspective you might not realize:

IS IT POSSIBLE TO BOUNCE BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN
TWO DIFFERENT TYPE OF SEIZURES?

ANSWER: YES!

This is absolutely frustrating! One can experience numerous
Absence then generalize into a Simple Partial then bounce back
to Absence and once everyone thinks it's "all over with", *boom*,
it's back to Absence, and bounces back to Simple Partials, and
back and forth - aka "back-to-back" seizures. (This is only an
example illustration, it can apply to Simple Partials, Complex
Partials, Tonic Clonics, etc)...

So one might witness this for a moment and leave the room
and another witnesses that and sees it, and then the other
returns and witnesses what he/she saw earlier before he/she
left the room, then once at the Hospital - both witnesses gives
the reports to the Nurse(s) and ER Doctor(s) (or if before that
to the Paramedics / Ambulance Techs) - so it can be confusing
sometimes when they attempt to put it all together and try to
put the seizure into one event when it was actually 2 or maybe
3 different seizures that actually took place - because it had
generalized and generalized again - where to the untrained
eye they're confused and while the patient doesn't remember
or has partial memory of some point/degree or is in a fog,
so this is where the "experts" in Neurology in Epilepsy and
Seizure Disorders are needed here, especially those who have
more than one type of seizures involved.

It can be tricky to sort it all out - and it can be even worse
when "seizures changes" where when one gets so used to
this and all of a sudden something "new" comes along that
they're unprepared for and are unable to explain or describe
it and they tend to lean more of what they know based on
what they know about the person and it can complicate things
sometimes and bring in confusions. Especially when the patient
isn't aware of what's going on, having no memory at all, and
the loss of conscious whether brief or "in and out" or through-
out the entire event.

There's a lot of things that could possibility trigger the issue
or cause the factor - but that should be discussed between
the Doctor and the patient.

If this persists and happens again, then one must consider
taking drastic steps to push for a EEG, a video EEG if possible,
so such seizures can be recorded and documented, and if
necessary, tests - (if you had been on the same titration of
medication for a long period of time). However, if this is all
"new" to you, then further evaluation needs to be approached
and if the Doctor isn't concerned about your well being, then
consult with your Primary Care immediately and request for
an evaluation and if possible for another Neurologist or
Epileptologist as soon as possible - for such risk of seizures
being left uncontrolled like this raises the chances of one
being brain damaged, Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy,
becoming injured, etc.

I know this is a lengthy post.

You can click on the Epilepsy Foundation Banner below
for more resource and information if necessary.