Having Nocturnal Seizures

[walksalot]

I've had four pretty serious nocturnal tonic clonic's so far. I was in status for one of them. My question is, since these have all been nocturnal so far, what is the probability that all my future ones will be nocturnal?

It would be so nice to think that I might not have a seizure downtown or at Walmart, or in the grocery store. I'm just wondering what the chances might be that this is a good sign. What do you think?

[forward2007]

Do you have sleep apnea?

[Meetz1064]

once my E morphed from daytime to nighttime, it has stayed that way. All of my seizures, no matter what type they are, occur in my sleep.

Most of my tonic clonic's are pretty serious....I tend to break bones.

As to the likelihood of your future seizures being nocturnal, there's really no way to tell. I wish there were, but there isn't.

[Heather]

I don't think there's any way to tell. I think it's different for everyone.

I used to have nocturnal seizures. I didn't realize I was having them until my seizure control started getting better and I didn't feel so bad in the mornings and throughout the day. I felt extremely fatigued all the time. I'm guessing I had nocturnals for about 5 yrs, when my seizure control was horrible.

My former neurologist messed up my meds and got my seizures way out of control. At my worst I was having complex partial seizures and/or tonic clonic seizures every two weeks, countless simple partial seizures daily and nocturnals, probably at least a few times a week.

Now my complex partial seizures, tonic clonic seizures and nocturnals have been controlled for approx 5 yrs. I have approx 1-3 simple partial seizures daily.

[walksalot]

I don't have sleep apnea. My husband says I snore, but so does he. He keeps me awake enough that I don't get a lot of sleep unless I get up and go to another bedroom to sleep.

The thing is, the tonic clonic's I have been having, have during the late evening have been between 10:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m., and I was hoping they would stay that way.

[Meetz1064]

snoring is a sign/symptom of sleep apnea. If you haven't been tested, perhaps you really should consider it, and so should your husband.

[walksalot]

That's probably a good idea. I've suggested it to my husband because he snores constantly, but he doesn't think it's a serious problem. We have a friend that wears one of those masks every night. He says it's a real uncomfortable thing, but it's saved his life.

I wondered one night just how long my husband would snore before he would stop and sleep quietly,so I stood at the bedroom door and listened. He snored continually so long I finally gave up and went back to bed. I was in the other room and heard him for a long time after that.

[RanMan]

walksalot,

Have you had or your husband had a 24 hour EEG where they can monitor your brain waves during your sleep ?

Or been to a sleep clinic?

I was having the same thing as you for 28 years and found this study VERY interesting.

Re Having seizures during or just before you sleep: Could be due to lack of oxygen to the brain while you sleep from sleep aids such as certain anti-epileptic drugs, sleeping pills, severe snoring or some sort of restriction to the airway.

I have recently 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 (Constant Positive Air Pressure) 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

[walksalot]

Hi, Randy,

I had a 24-hour EEG several years ago, but it only caught a complex partial seizure. During my recent tonic clonic in the ER, the neurologist there asked if I had ever had a 24-hr EEG and I told her that it was a 24-hour video EEG and had been several years ago in the hospital. She said she would like to see an ambulatory EEG done for a longer period of time.

I have an appointment with a new neurologist on the 17th and I don't know if it is my place to ask for this or not, but I think I will.

By the way, I asked for a copy of that 24-hour video. They gave me a copy and I watched it on my VCR. I'm sorry I did that.

[IMgood1]

It took a little adjustment, but moving into the other bedroom really helped my sleep and seizures. My husband doesn't sleep at night and I couldn't get quality sleep. This was not good for my seizure control. The move was a good move for me. It took awhile for everyone to adjust to the change, but it has helped.

[walksalot]

I thought I'd let you know what my new doctor had to say about having tonic clonic seizures at night opposed to having them during the day. He said to me "Once you have established a kind of pattern, you will probably stay with it." I have found that to be true so far. It excites me to think he might be right.
I've gone almost two months without another seizure again, now. I had complex partial seizures for 35 years and since I had my first tonic clonic seizure, the complex partial seizures are almost non-existent. It's almost like a trade-off and that's not bad as far as I'm concerned.