Seizures in my sleep.

[behlen]

I wonder in I am having seizures in my sleep and how would I know. I often wake up at night very sweaty and cloudy headed. Afterwards I cannot go back to sleep. My mind wonders constantly. I have been diagnosed with complex partial epilespy for serveral months. Now that I am on lamictal (keppra did not work) I am still having approx 3 to 4 a week during the day. I am not sure how many or if any at night. During my sleep study the Dr. said I had a few while sleeping. Does this happen to anyone else? Also I have noticed after having a seizure that I am very irritable and the slightest thing gets me upset not to mention I feel really run down. Very depressed and dissapointed every time I have one. I often wonder if they will ever go away and will I ever be able to drive.

[Texasirish]

I haven't had a sleep study yet, but the doctor mentioned it last time I was there. About a week ago, I woke up knowing that I just had a seizure (first time I have ever done that) and I was sweating and on my stomach (unusual for me). Before being diagnosed for simple complex partials in March, I was having sleepless nights, sweating, and felt like I was burning up. I would wake up feeling exhausted! I think a sleep study is in order for me. I have about 2-4 partials a week during the day as well.

[RanMan]

behlen,
Sounds like you have a form of Sleep Apnea.


I have been dx'd with Chronic Obstructive Sleep Apnia.
After my sleep disorders test the Dr. showed me the EEG from one night, I would stop breathing up to 50 times/hour and had 3 seizures and that I was waking up "post ictal" (moody and spaced out)
I have recently purchased a CPAP machine which provides constant air pressure and have noticed a vast improvement.
No more snoring (the whole family sleeps better now), more energy when I wake up, better REM sleep, improved memory (less short term memory loss), and most of all ~ NO MORE NIGHT SEIZURES.
Now maybe my Neurologist can reduce my meds.
I'm surprised that finally after 28 years I finally get an answer.

Randy
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[RanMan]

I was diagnosed with Epilepsy in 1979.
I was diagnosed with chronic sleep apnea in 2007.

My sleep apnea is mostly from weight gain.
I was told that the added weight on your airway causes a blockage of oxygen to the lungs.
When I was first diagnosed with E, my weight was 129 lbs, in 2007 I was 196 lbs.
In my case the E came first, nothing to do with the SA.
Randy
__________________

[Endless]

Behlen,

Nocturnal seizres are very common. Most of my seizures are at night. It's because transitioning between states of consciousness or types of sleep are seizure triggers. There may also be other triggers affecting you at night, like apnea, blood sugar, etc.

When I have mine the aura wakes me up, then the seizure hits. Ugh. Hate it.

Complex partials are tough. Sometimes there is no good way to know you've had them, unless you go walking around and break things or break yourself, or go outside or somewhere else that clues you in to the fact that you've had a seizure. Sometimes someone else can tell you that you've been walking around or doing other strange stuff, too.

Me, I've changed the type of lock on my front door so I can't get out at night unless I'm CONSCIOUS, just in case. I think my complex partials are under control, but the few times I've ended up outside in the middle of the night scared me.

[Cint]

Behlen,

I've had epilepsy for 30 years now and have also had seizures during my sleep, most of them being tonic clonic, but sometimes complex partial also, although now I seem to wake just before the complex partial seizure.

Here is a useful link explaining sleep and epilepsy:
http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/sleep_disorders

[SunshineArtist]

Hi Behlen,
I have Complex Partials as well and since I started taking gabapentin, the night seizure activity has changed. I used to feel myself going into one as I was going to sleep and I would come to still having elecriric type jolts on my right side.
Now, I wake up with my classic post seizure headache with sore limbs and confusion. I sometimes am in aura when I lay down as well but the headache is what tells me I probably had the seizure.
With day seizures, after the headache is gone, Im euphoric (I really love that part) but after a night seizure I need complete quiet as my ears become very sensitive. I don't feel grumpy...but I'm in such a daze that I prefer to be alone.
Good luck to you and please keep us posted on your progress!
Sunshine

[behlen]

Well since my nuerologist went on indefite medical leave I was referred to one of her colleges who is a epileptologist. After having no success with lamicatal of keppra he is sugesting that I begin the process to see if I am canidate for epilepsy surgery. First I have to have my pacemaker removed that was unessaraly placed after my misdiagnosis of empilepsy 1 yr ago. (another story). Any way so kinda of nervous about the surgeries. Removal of pacemaker makes me the most nevous. Lead have to lasered out all the way to heart. So has anyone else had the surgery? Did it work? and how was the recovery? So at end of month I am going to be in hospital for 5 days to capture more seizures to try and pinpoint exactly were they are coming from.

[huskymom]

I haven't had the surgeries, but want to let you know that you will be in my thoughts. Hang in there, you will be just fine!

[douglas]

When I have mine the aura wakes me up, then the seizure hits.

the above is pretty much how i remember it when i had my seizure at night. i only recall having that one that was like that. others were during the day.

however, one of my neurologist's told me that its possible i have had many seizures at night and don't know it. beh..

[manda817]

I have had a few at night also. I "remember" them as dreaming, thinking I am throwing up or dry heaving in my dream. My husband says I make funny noises when I am doing this. Again, I remember the thoughts as a dream though. I wake up and my husband has the light on, saying my name. Coming out of it I am able to think clearly, but can't talk, only mumble. That lasts a few minutes and then I am able to talk again. I get an awful feeling in my stomach, and can relate to the smell that comes along with them. It is very unnerving, and I HATE the feeling that comes over me at times, that sick to my stomach, but not really, internal FEELING that comes along with them. Now that I know these are seizures also, it makes a little more sense. I am SO SORRY you are dealing with this. It is so scary!! I am starting meds tomorrow, first time ever, and very nervous about it, but the side effects of not being on the medicine is much worse. Good Luck, and you are in my thoughts.

[douglas]

I have had a few at night also. I "remember" them as dreaming, thinking I am throwing up or dry heaving in my dream. My husband says I make funny noises when I am doing this. Again, I remember the thoughts as a dream though. I wake up and my husband has the light on, saying my name. Coming out of it I am able to think clearly, but can't talk, only mumble. That lasts a few minutes and then I am able to talk again. I get an awful feeling in my stomach, and can relate to the smell that comes along with them. It is very unnerving, and I HATE the feeling that comes over me at times, that sick to my stomach, but not really, internal FEELING that comes along with them. Now that I know these are seizures also, it makes a little more sense. I am SO SORRY you are dealing with this. It is so scary!! I am starting meds tomorrow, first time ever, and very nervous about it, but the side effects of not being on the medicine is much worse. Good Luck, and you are in my thoughts.

I also sometimes get the smell thing associated with seizures. it's a strange smell of rotten grass. very hard to describe.. i assume it means the seizure is close to the part of brain that contols sense of smell.

re: meds. which meds are you going to get on. dont thin about it too much otherwise it willl drive you nuts. just remain calm and carry on. also ask the pharma person if there are any vitamins you should take to counter side effects of the meds. those will help.

[Mike]

Mine happen in my sleep period too! Seizures last a few minutes but what follows is a nightmare! Postical confusion for about 40 minutes afterwards. My wife cant stop me fron trying to climb out the window. Are there any injectable drug that would help her to stop me? An Ativan injection would work perfect.

[SeizetheNight]

I have been recently been wondering if I have night seizures. My T/C's where while I was asleep, and I know about those. But sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night feeling really 'off'. I don't know if this is just because I woke up, or if it is some sort of seizure activity. Sometimes it feels like coming out of a post-ictal, but I am not sure. I usually fall back asleep easy, and wake up normal. I am sure that I am not having t/c's these times, because those would wake up my wife.

SeizetheNight

[Endless]

Hey, Seizethenight,

I often have auras that wake me up at night. It feels like a weird electrical feeling, plus a feeling of doom/forboding. I definitely feel "off" during those. They vary in intensity. Sometimes I can go back to sleep after that, sometimes not. sometimes it lasts just a couple of minutes, sometimes it's on and off all night.

Do you think you might be having some type of aura?

[JoeP]

Ran Man,

Has the doctor told you that if you lose weight you will not have the sleep apnea? I have spent the past 3 years in another bedroom due to my snoring. After reading your and other posts, wondering if this could be part of my memory issue as well as my other problem I spoke about in another post?

[SeizetheNight]

Hey Endless,

I have wondered about it maybe being 'aura's, but as far as I am aware, I have never had one... It's always possible that I did, and just didn't know it. When I was younger, I had some pretty bad anxiety problems, and maybe those could have been aura's... I guess there is never any way to know for sure. The aura that I had before my awake t/c lasted only about 10 seconds, so I can't really base anything on that. Anyway, I have always fallen back asleep after I wake up with these feelings. Usually I just wake up to use the bathroom anyway...

Thanks,
SeizeTheNight

[Endless]

I thought I was waking up with nightmares all these years, but couldn't remember the dream, just an intense feeling of fear. I've come to learn I was having fear seizures. It conditioned me to be afraid of waking up at night, period, for whatever reason. Now that my seizures are being somewhat successfully treated, I'm learning to quit being afraid if I wake up at night - no more fear seizures. Now it's usually just to go to the bathroom. yahoo! I'm almost back to normal.

[Aubrey]

Sometimes I wake up and I have bit the edges of my tongue (not the tip). I never used to have night seizures (that I know of). This started shortly after I after I started taking Vimpat. Connection?

[Mike]

I need an answer to this postical confusion state that happens right after the seizure. My wife usally finds me trying to climb out a window. She calls 911 and the medics try to hold me down. We all get beat up during this period because Im trying to escape for some reason. We need an answer.