Hi,
I have posted here only a few times. My 20 year old son has had 4 sleep seizures in the past year, only in his sleep in the mornings. His girlfriend who shares a bed with him has been the one to discover them. With everything we have thought of and know, he never had one previous to Nov. 26, 2009. Anyway, he has been to 3 neurologists and changed primary care doctors 3 times, complaints needed to be made, that's how bad things were. No one could figure anything out, no one even cared other then to throw high dosages of Keppra (3000mg a day) at him and tell him he cant drive until he hasnt had a (nocturnal) seizure for over 3 years. Screwed him over with the DMV. As I said, no reduced consciousness of any kind while awake - ever! After fighting the health plan for a different neurologist and being told we had already been to too many different neurologists and then fighting back again, the health plan finally set us up with a well known, veteran pediatric neurologist here where we live. He agreed to see my son although he is 20. I was skeptical at first as we have been disappointed so many times. You wouldn't believe what happened. This neurologist knew what was going on. I guess sometimes, 40 years of experience can make a difference. He reviewed everything and asked many pertinent questions, most of which no one had ever asked. He went on to explain how many severe cases he sees and that my sons case was boring but he was leading up to the answer. I wish I could have recorded the conversation just so I could listen again and fully comprehend every details but the jist of it is this: There is a stage of sleep where you dream (obviously) and dreaming helps your brain deal with overload of thoughts and basically helps it vent. In some people, mostly children, this process can turn into an "event" that is or mimics a seizure. Most people grow out of them and my son could easily still grow out of them. These problems happen more frequently in people who are always overthinking things and worrying and also people who have migraines (my son used to have frequent migraines). He was absolutely confident that these "events" do not affect one during waking hours and signed the DMV papers on the spot, stating there is no reason on earth why my son should not be allowed to drive. He dropped his Keppra down to 750mg once a day at bedtime only and will see him again in 3 months and will possibly remove it all together. In addition, contrary to what other doctors told him, there is no brain damage done unless a seizure lasts more than 30 minutes. One doctor had told my son that he would have brain damage each time he had the 1-2 minute events! We are ecstatic! We feel like this is a new beginning after a year of errors from hell. He will be okay, and has his future open again to whatever he wants to do for a career. I really hope this helps others. One doctor can know so much when so many others don't! (message me if you would like the doctor's name). Thank you to Nakamova and Endless and any others who have answered my posts here before!
I have posted here only a few times. My 20 year old son has had 4 sleep seizures in the past year, only in his sleep in the mornings. His girlfriend who shares a bed with him has been the one to discover them. With everything we have thought of and know, he never had one previous to Nov. 26, 2009. Anyway, he has been to 3 neurologists and changed primary care doctors 3 times, complaints needed to be made, that's how bad things were. No one could figure anything out, no one even cared other then to throw high dosages of Keppra (3000mg a day) at him and tell him he cant drive until he hasnt had a (nocturnal) seizure for over 3 years. Screwed him over with the DMV. As I said, no reduced consciousness of any kind while awake - ever! After fighting the health plan for a different neurologist and being told we had already been to too many different neurologists and then fighting back again, the health plan finally set us up with a well known, veteran pediatric neurologist here where we live. He agreed to see my son although he is 20. I was skeptical at first as we have been disappointed so many times. You wouldn't believe what happened. This neurologist knew what was going on. I guess sometimes, 40 years of experience can make a difference. He reviewed everything and asked many pertinent questions, most of which no one had ever asked. He went on to explain how many severe cases he sees and that my sons case was boring but he was leading up to the answer. I wish I could have recorded the conversation just so I could listen again and fully comprehend every details but the jist of it is this: There is a stage of sleep where you dream (obviously) and dreaming helps your brain deal with overload of thoughts and basically helps it vent. In some people, mostly children, this process can turn into an "event" that is or mimics a seizure. Most people grow out of them and my son could easily still grow out of them. These problems happen more frequently in people who are always overthinking things and worrying and also people who have migraines (my son used to have frequent migraines). He was absolutely confident that these "events" do not affect one during waking hours and signed the DMV papers on the spot, stating there is no reason on earth why my son should not be allowed to drive. He dropped his Keppra down to 750mg once a day at bedtime only and will see him again in 3 months and will possibly remove it all together. In addition, contrary to what other doctors told him, there is no brain damage done unless a seizure lasts more than 30 minutes. One doctor had told my son that he would have brain damage each time he had the 1-2 minute events! We are ecstatic! We feel like this is a new beginning after a year of errors from hell. He will be okay, and has his future open again to whatever he wants to do for a career. I really hope this helps others. One doctor can know so much when so many others don't! (message me if you would like the doctor's name). Thank you to Nakamova and Endless and any others who have answered my posts here before!
