Stretching and Yawning?

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MaeDae

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I couldn't remember how to get here (meaning) because it has been so long since I have visited. I posted this on some web site and suddenly remembered CWP. How is everyone? There's been a lot going on with me but that is not why I am posting here.

Here's why....
I have been having the electric shock feeling first, then the inability to move and concentrate. This last I guess about 5 min maybe longer, maybe shorter Im not sure. Then the stretching, uncontrollable when standing. My whole entire body, fingers and toes included stretch, even my face. Afterwards, it feels like I have been swimming and am wearing a wet blanket, I can hardly move, extremely tired and the yawning begins. I am totally exhausted and even lethargic at times. I've been having these episodes regurlary for the last 2 weeks. They happen around the same time in the morning and differ in the evening, but happen just the same. I read above that someone else is triggered by food, so am I. I don't know what exactly it is with food. I've been mindful when eating and it doesn't seem to matter, meaning if it's sugar, meet, veggies etc.. The only difference after eating is that I get extremely nauceous. (spelling sorry). I have other little nuances with my simple partial seizure, but this is new to me. I do plan on telling my neuro doc when I see her next year.

Question: Could these episodes be the precurser to a tonic-clonic seizure? Getting kind of worried as my medicine keeps changing but the new symptoms/episodes are changing as well.

Current Meds, Trileptal 900mg. Lamictal 200mg
 
Hi MaeDae --

What you describe does sound like they could be seizure-related symptoms.

Did anything else change two or more weeks ago that might be contributing? More stress, problems with sleep, change in medication or dose, etc.? The time change occurred about two weeks ago, could that be a factor?
 
The lamicatal was increased about 6 weeks ago. Yea, stress is an everyday thing for me. Since my last visit hear ( don't know how long it's been) but the last two years I've been dealing with manic depression and bipolar. Could it be the celexa? I thought this to and it could well be stress. I'm trying to be more aware of what I am doing when it happens, so far this week only one episode, late evening. Maybe it was just stress. The yawning is un-real tho. It feels like my jaw is going to dislocate because the yawn is so intense. I yawn continueously for atleast a half hour or longer.

thanks so much Nakamova for helping me with this.
 
Have you reminded doc if on anti depression meds.blimmy anti depression meds and e can have odd effects see doc get full work up
 
Thank you Seagull, you're probably right.

The neuro doc increased the lamictal in September, she also added celexa to help with my depression which at that time was really out of control. My pdoc suggested that I give her a call as well. He thought that these episodes sound like seizures. I will try to get in to see her. Yea, I'm feeling pretty bad right now. I haven't had episodes of what I called/described as being unplugged and sinking (roller-coaster dive) in a long time, maybe 7 months. I've had aura's (smells, starring and taste but nothing more than that. One other thing I forgot to mention, sometimes my limbs when rigid can be really painful, like being stabbed.
 
The Epilepsy Foundation has a thread about stretching and yawning.

I have been yawning more myself lately, and the stretching does (sometimes) accompany it. My lung capacity has been waning, and I use a compressor (with a regulator/modulator) to force air into my lungs to capacity (at about 30 PSi), stretching my lungs, moving surfactants. It can also dislodge (move) mucus in the lining the lungs. Yawning (greater oxygenation to the brain) has been a consequence, and my breathing is temporarily improved. This is why I think we wake up and yawn and stretch.

I am suffering from adrenal exhaustion (too much stress for far too long), and the flight or flight response has all but disappeared. Lightheadedness (inadequate oxygen to the brain) have resulted. I shut down in response to stress, as there are no armies to respond to the threats anymore.

The adrenals (part of the hormonal system) are in the stomach above the kidneys, which give an explanation to the "rising in the stomach" feeling that precede seizures for some of us who have E. (The technical term for rising in the stomach escapes me.) They function to release adrenalin into our systems to provide greater oxygen to the brain, heart, and muscles (to help us survive) in response to stress. They are part of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) axis.

Greater oxygen to the brain can result in greater activity/reactivity and oxidation (an increase in action potentials), resulting in the chemical/electrical changes that trigger seizures for some of us. (Not enough oxygen to the brain can also have a similar effect in provoking seizures, as in those of us who have sleep apnea.)
 
Thanks for the info. I've learned alot reading your response. I have sleep apnea and have not been using my cpap. I have terrible episodes of waking in my sleep because it feels like I have stopped breathing. My stress level is beyond the roof, so maybe this is a reaction to stress and not seizure activity. The stretching and stiffning of my muscles actually feel good, but the constant yawning scares me because it feels like I'm going to dislocate my jaw. I noticed today that when I am stretching, sometimes I yawn, no matter how hard I try to control it. If I am standing and the stretching starts, I tend to get a cramp my calve, thigh and toes. After these little episodes I am so very, very exhausted.

I think I will try sleeping with my cpap again although I hate that machine with every ounce of my being. It wouldn't hurt and it would save a trip to the doctors.
 
Thought dawn on me,my daughter did lot yawning in her young e days,I was told it air hunger which effects blood gases you could try the paper bag when it gets bad breath in and out of paper bag for few breaths
 
Michael
Do you have a link to the epilepsy foundation's thread on stretching and yawning? I sometimes go through bouts of yawning that seem like they won't stop.

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