Nocturnal Seizures and Sleep Apnea

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Endless

Endless

Even Keel
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I've been trying to unravel the time patterns in my nocturnal seizures, and I learned something new today. Sleep apnea events tend to peak out at 2am to 7am. My nocturnal seizures also seem to be in the 2am to 7am time period. I'm wondering if there is a relationship.

From the reading, sleep apnea can cause seizures. And seizures can cause apnea. I'm guessing the fact that blood levels of the meds are at their lowest at that time also plays a part. Any thoughts on all this?


My nighttime seizures seem to be almost all fear seizures, where during the day they are all kinds of simple and complex partials. Anybody else have predominately one kind of seizure at night? Have any theories on why?
 
There is a good chance that as u get ramped up on the trileptal u will start taking a night time does as well. You might then find that you have fewer episodes at night as your levels even out. My other neuro would start my meds at night and work in a daytime dose eventually because of my "functionality" issues. THe neuro I'm with now did a similar thing with the topomax...higher dose at night, lower during the day utnil both were the same. Now, when anything changes it is the same for both day and night dosages.
 
Right now I'm on 300 mg at night, then will take 600 mg at night, then 600 at night and 300 in the morning, then to 600 night and morning.

The first couple of days my nocturnal seizures didn't stop - quite the opposite, they got worse. But the last 2 days I haven't had ANY. Wow. I'd forgotten what it was like to have a good night's sleep. It might just be normal random variation, so I'm trying not to get to excited. I've gotten excited in the past just to have my hopes dashed when the seizures started in again. But then again I've never gotten up to theraputic doses - had to stop drugs due to rashes.
 
ANy night of good sleep is something to be happy about and it is great to hear that you have had a couple of days free of nocturnals :) That is what I like about trileptal...the good nights sleep and no dreams that I can remember. I had a period of insomnia for a few months when everythings started going wrong...the triletpal wasn't knowcking me out, I was dreaming...it was horrible. I just hope once the take it away I will still be able to sink into lala land on the lamictal, lol.
 
Question for you all:

I had a sleep study (a test of air pressures to see what will cure apnea), and I had a simple partial after two weeks seizure free (on new meds). Darn. I think oxygen deprivation was a trigger for me.

I also bit my tongue 3 times, and drooled all over my pillow. My tongue is pretty chewed up - painful, bruised, and bloody. It woke me up 3 times during the night with an "ouch!" I've never bitten my tongue in my sleep before.

This doesn't necessary mean more seizures during my sleep, does it? I'm thinking maybe I was just breathing through my mouth? Anybody else do this?
 
New experience,
Ever since I was weaned off Keppra and put on Neurontin and am still on Topamax, I have started having seizures in my sleep. I am awake enough to know I am having the seizure, but they are not bad enough to awaken me fully. It is disturbing and really frightens me. My heaviest doses of both medications are at night and I would think that might hold back the seizures but apparently not. Does anyone else have these types of nightime seizures. They start out like a dream and then stop to become reality. I usually end up dizzy and a little nauseated, but finally fall back to sleep. I have not had a peaceful night sleep in a long time. My days are not so great anymore either as a result. Sleep deprivation!
 
 
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Thanks Robin for the important information. I most relate to Adrenal fatigue. I think this is a possibility. I will discuss it with my Neurologist. I am dealing with a a serious disease that is incurable and there is no treatment for. I Also have RA and so the stress I am sure has much to do with my night time seizures now that I have read the possibilities for their cause. it has been about 2 1/2 years since an actual debilitating seizures so I am thankful for that. I deal with the side affects from the medications the best I can, but that too is stressful. All in all I am surprised I function at all. I should be grateful the seizures I am having are at night and in my sleep. I do appreciate your help and will look further into the possibility of some way to control them. I recently was hospitalized and they did a complete checkup with what they refered to as good results. But as you said some of these factors are not detectable. I have a Physician who deals in Holistic treatments and so I will see her. Thank you again for the info.
 
NeeLee said:
New experience,
Ever since I was weaned off Keppra and put on Neurontin and am still on Topamax, I have started having seizures in my sleep. I am awake enough to know I am having the seizure, but they are not bad enough to awaken me fully. It is disturbing and really frightens me. My heaviest doses of both medications are at night and I would think that might hold back the seizures but apparently not. Does anyone else have these types of nightime seizures. They start out like a dream and then stop to become reality. I usually end up dizzy and a little nauseated, but finally fall back to sleep. I have not had a peaceful night sleep in a long time. My days are not so great anymore either as a result. Sleep deprivation!
Click to expand...
Such seizures have been my life for many years.
I would wake up with eyes , face swollen , confused , talking to myself for a short time after wake up thinking dream was reality....It was crazy...I thought I was going crazy at times.
I was so tired due to lack of night sleep day naps were needed which were also a nightmare of sorts.
When I closed my eyes to nap I would start to partial seizure then wake up real fast didn't go fully under into dream state which brought on major major headaches also epilepsy spells that lasted 5- 12 seconds a couple time a day.


The good news

I added Topamax into my med mix 4 weeks ago & no more sleep seizures , epilepsy spells etc have been had since.

Phil-
 
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Phil,
I think the combination of topamax and neurontin for me is what is the trigger for the seizures at night. When I was on Topamax and keppra that never happened. I did not have any seizures for almost three years. I also did not have more then three migraines during that time. Before taking the topamax I suffered with almost five migraines a week since I was 8 years old. Topamax gave me a new life. I think the new combination is my downfall, but I can't live with the side effects i suffer with most other anti-comvulsants. I am dealing with serious side effects from the topamax and I have to deal with that. I have decided to try and cope with the night seizures. Phil, I have other health complications. An incuraable disease that has new symptoms everyday. I can only spare so much time on each problem. The night seizure has taken enough of my mental energy. It is what it is. I can't let it stress me anymore. I vented, I did get some valuable information and I thank everyone for that. Now I am on to the next problem and I already have one.
 
Sleep apnea at 2am and 7am and seizures

Hi there,

where did you learn that sleep apnea events peak at 2 and 7am? My husband and I are meeting a new neurologist for alternate insights into how to deal with his tonic clonic seizures and I want to go armed with a lot of information so he can't blow it off. I can't find anything online that mentions the peak times of sleep apnea, but my husband's seizures happen (all but 1) at 2 and 7am and he does have sleep apnea. Can you provide your source for this information please?

Thanks so much!
Maire



Endless said:
I've been trying to unravel the time patterns in my nocturnal seizures, and I learned something new today. Sleep apnea events tend to peak out at 2am to 7am. My nocturnal seizures also seem to be in the 2am to 7am time period. I'm wondering if there is a relationship.

From the reading, sleep apnea can cause seizures. And seizures can cause apnea. I'm guessing the fact that blood levels of the meds are at their lowest at that time also plays a part. Any thoughts on all this?


My nighttime seizures seem to be almost all fear seizures, where during the day they are all kinds of simple and complex partials. Anybody else have predominately one kind of seizure at night? Have any theories on why?
Click to expand...
 
MaireVail said:
Hi there,

where did you learn that sleep apnea events peak at 2 and 7am? My husband and I are meeting a new neurologist for alternate insights into how to deal with his tonic clonic seizures and I want to go armed with a lot of information so he can't blow it off. I can't find anything online that mentions the peak times of sleep apnea, but my husband's seizures happen (all but 1) at 2 and 7am and he does have sleep apnea. Can you provide your source for this information please?

Thanks so much!
Maire
Click to expand...

I'm curious what you plan to accomplish by linking the apnea and epilepsy. I looked up the peak time, and I can't find anything. I would imagine that it's different depending on the person (and when you go to bed). Is your husband on a CPAP? If not, regardless of seizures stemming from the apnea or not, he should ask his doctor about it. Sleep apnea is dangerous on it's own.

As for my experience, my seizures are when my sleep apnea is aggravated. Like being sleep deprived. Whether they are linked, I don't know, because sleep deprivation can cause seizures. Because the same symptoms can aggravate both, it's hard to tell if one getting worse causes the other, or if they are independent.
The best way to determine if it is linked, is to pursue apnea treatment while following the orders of the neurologist with meds and such. That way, even if it isn't the apnea, it's taken care of and gives you all one less worry.

Also - a helpful hint with the CPAP. If you get a cpap with a smartcard, then get a smartcard reader, you can see periods of apnea events. Compare to the time of seizures...and take the information as you will. Of course, you shouldn't do that because you're not a licensed professional. Or without the advice of your doctor.

By the way, this thread is quite old. If you start your own thread instead of inquiring on old ones, you can get replies, and help, a lot faster.
 
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