Complex Partial Seizures / Epilepsy

[nightfighter]

Hi Kelly,

Which medication is it?

[TexasMommy]

I get an aura of my smell senses go haywire. I smell everything like burn rubber when we are in the car and no one has peeled out, I can smell someones deodorant (or not eww), ect. Then I get real dizzy, I have about 2 minutes to gather my thoughts and get somewhere safe and ask for help. I pass out, but i don't remember much for a couple of seconds, but then I can hear people, but I can't move anything, open my eyes, move my mouth, nothing for about 1 min. Then people say that I have a blank stare for a min or two. Then I am back to normal... I guess if you can call me normal lol

[Dirt_in_the_ground]

Mine are poorly controlled and I feel they ruined some of my life.
I don't want to describe them to be honest.
But lots of my friends know I have epilepsy,but when they think of epilepsy,they think of what they seen in films and tv.
A big dramatic Tonic Clonic seizure.
Not someone starting off into the distance,getting up and walking around or grabbing at their clothes or rocking back and forth.
I can't talk even though I can hear what people are saying.

I feel like they ruined my life as I stopped going out and socializing.I became afraid of going outside because I was embarrassed of what people would think if I had one.

[karenb68]

My daughter's neurologist said she has partial complex seizures. After reading up on them, I am a little confused how she arrived at this. Our first indication she had anything going on for sure was a T/C when she nearly drowned in April. Thinking back, I can recognize what I'd call absence seizures of just a few seconds. And she's had four of what I see as T/Cs. I have not seen anything yet that fits the descriptions of appearing alert (or not) compulsive actions, automatisms. I am really grateful for that because at her age (12) she is already having a time dealing with this diagnosis. During the second seizure, she slumped to her side on the couch, was unresponsive, with one arm raised, elbow bent so that would seem one-sided but she was laying on the other arm, so...? Her eyes are fixed and the convulsive part lasts 30 sec to 2 minutes and the timing seems consistent. Maybe she's had one or several that I just didn't recognize yet that didn't end with a tonic clonic?

[Ruth]

Mine are poorly controlled and I feel they ruined some of my life.
I feel like they ruined my life as I stopped going out and socializing.I became afraid of going outside because I was embarrassed of what people would think if I had one.

I felt like that for a while. You need to get out and live. Think positive and have a good attitude. Tell people what your seizures are like. We need to educate other people.

[Endless]

Hi, Karen,

Your daughter may be having more than one type of seizure. It might be helpful to the neurologist if you write down a description of each type of seizure your daughter has. Then ask him to identify what type they are. If what he says doesn't agree with what you've read, ask him what things made him identify it as that type.

Correctly identifying the type is important. It effects what type of medication is prescribed.

[carolyn]

I still keep getting complex partials almost every day. However, I much prefer them to the tonic clonic seizures.. From September to December last year my seizures weren't controlled at all and I would be getting a few tonic clonic seizures a day. So now, not having any generalised seizures and only some complex partials feels great... but I still hope they will be gone soon

My first complex partial was a 'wandering' episode with some undressing going on... I am really happy that I don't remember any of that!!! I had a few 'wandering' episodes last year when I just went outside in my underwear... and walked in the rain but it happened only three times. Most of the time I 'stare' in one place, keep swallowing and do some repetitive movements with my hand or/and leg. And when someone tries to move my arm for instance, it feels stiff. Is it normal for complex partials or is it just me?

[jemsister]

My complex partials are very distinct and memorable because they are always preceded by a simple partial (is that true of everyone?). When in the seizure, Hubby says I just sit there, get really stiff, squish up my face/squint, hold out my arms in some way (usually making my hands like lobster claws). They usually last 15-30 seconds. I have at least one per month, often more. I've taken 7 different medications, and I am told I have intractable seizures. I'm to the point of considering surgery.

I wouldn't say epilepsy has ruined my life. It's just made it complicated. Gotta think positive!

[toro]

I seem to get complex partials a couple times every three/four weeks. Wife says I usually stop breathing and start licking my lips while staring wide eyed with an intense stare. I also become completely unresponsive.

About 25% - 50% of the time I stand up or sit up and start wandering, moving things and gulping really loudly.

In the latter case I fall into a deep sleep. In the former, I just get really confused with the same symptoms as auras.

It really sucks...

:^/

[Belinda5000]

I'm having more seizures at home and I know why.

Our A/C is busted and living in Georgia without an A/C that works..
My apartments don't care.

[Garbo]

I felt like that for a while. You need to get out and live. Think positive and have a good attitude. Tell people what your seizures are like. We need to educate other people.

I agree with this, although I wrote up an incredibly long response that I should probably save for another conversation. Anyway, I do agree with this for various reasons.

Staying on topic-- my complex partials sometimes exist on their own, meaning I'm not sure if a simple complex precedes it and it's too fast or it's a solitary incident and I do have complex partials preceded by a simple complex. So, I sometimes have weird simple complex seizures prior to partial complex seizures. I feel like the left side of my body is getting bigger. It's very weird feeling, and often extremely annoying. It almost exclusively happens at home, so I feel that's positive, but I talked with my epileptologist and he said it's a seizure. Apparently these types of seizures inspired Alice in Wonderland. They're extremely bizarre to experience and for a period I had them constantly.

I don't know how I feel about them.