Are they complex partials?

[Stinkpot]

I have catamenial epilepsy. I have generalized grandmal convulsions, a hybrid convulsion(convulsion when I'm concious(sorry for bad grammar) simple partials, and complex partials and I haven't had any complex partials in a long time since taking depakote(for about 3 years now, I think I had only 1 or 2 but they were very mild and more simple partial like, who knows, they probably were just simple partials).

But info I've read, my complex partials didn't seem to match. So out of interrest, I decided to watch some videos of people who have complex partials to see if mine matched - none of them did.

My "complex partials" occure at the end of a simple partial session and also occure right before a convulsion. They last about 12 seconds. During my "complex partial" it's starts out like a simple partial with stuttering, but lasting longer and linked. The stutter soon stops, and all I can hear is me breathing heavy and gasping for air. My head tilts back, my mouth hangs to the side, my eyes are rolled up in my head, and for some reason, I tend to stand on my toes. My head may flicker at the end of the episode with a few stutters. I am confused afterwards and cannot respond. I sometimes smile and laugh for no reason. The after effect can last around 10-20 minutes.

My mom said it looks like I was going into a stroke. It is pretty creepy looking, I saw me have part of one in the mirror. The mouth turning to the side with hanging bottom lip is pretty weird looking. I can't make that movement myself!

So, what could those be?

 

[Wobblez]

Hey Stinkpot! Cool name!

That actually sounds pretty typical of a CP to me. Standing on your toes might be because your muscles stiffen. I think epilepsy is a very individual thing too. Our brains are all different so we all react differently, but ultimately its still all neurological activity. I know what you mean about pulling faces that you can't do yourself! My mum can see the change in my lips. She says they go red and plump, or have a blue tinge if its a more severe seizure. I wish I could redden and plump up my lips myself. Oh and my eyes jump up and down and I certainly can't do that voluntarily!

 

[Nakamova]

I agree, sounds like complex partials, especially given that they occur as an escalation of your simple partials. Complex partials usually involve automatic behaviors like laughing, turning the head or mouth, eye rolling, confusion, etc.

 

[BIGMAN131307]

It does sound like complex partials.

Not all complex partials occur exactly the same between people.

Most complex partials involve automatic behaviors like laughing, turning the head or mouth, eye rolling, confusion, etc. But how they present themselves can be different.

Ex. During my complex partials I don't laugh, I tend to mumble. My muscles stiffen very tightly. Especially my hands and jaw. We've all seen the pregnant woman in labor holding her husbands hand. In the process she is crushing it. If I have anything in my hands during a complex partial you're not getting it out of my hands. You also don't dare to reach into my mouth. If you do you wont have any fingers.

 

[rakowskidp]

Last night, I watched several YouTube videos of complex partial and absence seizures. Each one was different than the last. One young lady posted several, and each time, she would freeze and her eyes would blink rythmically, and her mouth would remain open most of the time. Another video showed a little girl, head turning slowly from side to side while picking at her clothing.

 

[Stinkpot]

Thanks guys! I'm glad to know this is apart of my epilepsy and not another underlying issue!