Auras without seizures, or seizures themselves?

[Alexis]

The past couple months, I've been having some intense auras, without the following tonic clonic seizures. I feel dizzy, have a sort of out of body feeling, pretty confused, and thinking and talking is pretty weird... They last between 15-60 minutes, which is normal. Usually I lose most of my memory before the seizure, although I so remember the aura. The auras without seizures are exactly that, and it's a few times a day at most, although I'll go without one every couple days. I'm currently on 200mg of lamictal/lamotrogine, and have been since December. These auras are starting to interfere with my everyday life a lot, and it's making me feel limited in life too! Really need some help, anyone else experience/ed this, and maybe got answers??

 

[masterjen]

Hey they, fellow British Columbian! Auras can sometimes be helped by a medication adjustment. So if I were you I would report these auras to your neurologist.

 

[valeriedl]

There are three types of seizures. Semi partials, complex partials and tonic colonic.

A semi partials, which some call auras, you may get dizzy, a body part will tingle, have trouble thinking right, confused and you don't black out. Many of the same things that happen to you happen to me. Mine last a few minutes and I don't loose any memory. This is what happens to me but different things happen to different people.

A complex partial you usually blank out during and may loose some memory. I don't know anything that went on during this seizure. I might be one room when the seizure starts and come to in another not knowing how I got there. I'll loose anywhere from a few minutes to a few days worth of memory during these. Mine last between 5 to 10 minutes, sometimes longer. Many times I don't even know that I've had it unless there was someone there to see it happen.

A tonic colonic are the type of seizures that you shake during. I loose memory during these and they last on average 5 minutes. I usually only have two of these a year. I don't know if I have any type of partial before it because I've lost a ton of memory when I come out of it. I don't even know that the seizure was a tonic colonic unless there was someone there to see me shaking during it.

Sometimes I'll have a semi that doesn't lead into any other type of seizure. There have been times that I'll have a semi before I have the complex so I know it's coming on. Most of the time though I'll just go right into the complex with no warning.

I'd give your neuro a call and let him know what's happening. You may need some sort of adjustment with your meds.

 

[Belinda5000]

I don't have auras and my seizures just hit.the worst are when I have my simple partials, but also have tonic clonic.

 

[arnie]

Hi Alexis, and welcome!
If a partial seizure (simple or complex) is followed by a tonic clonic seizure, it is considered to be an aura. If the partial seizure (partial because it's only in a part of your brain) does not generalize to your whole brain then it is just considered a seizure. I find this to be a good explanation of seizure types.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seizure_types

As for your situation, that seems like an awful lot of really long seizures. I have complex partial seizures but they only last for maybe 30 to 45 seconds. Sometimes not even that long. It sounds like you could be having complex partial seizures, which are very tiring and really do interfere with your life. I have had several hundred a year for the past 32 years, so believe me, I know how not fun they are!
You said you are on 200 mg. of lamictal. That's not a very high dose, really. How often do you see your doctor, and what does he or she say about this? Finally, speaking of doctors, I would REALLY urge you, if at all possible, to see an epileptologist and not just a regular neurologist. Epilepsy is far too complex and specialized to be competently treated by most neurologists. Here is a link to a thread I started which has a little more in-depth discussion of that.

http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f23/get-thee-epileptologist-23319/

Ask all the questions you want, and vent if you need to as well, OK? Please keep us posted on how things go for you. This is a very good place to be.
Cheers!

 

[Cint]

Hi and Welcome Alexis,

It sounds to me like you are having simple partial seizures, which an aura actually is. If it lasts for up to 60 minutes, it is time for you to call your neurologist or go to someone who specializes in epilepsy in cases like yours, an Epileptologist. And as arnie said, 200 mgs. of Lamictal is a very low dose, so no wonder you're having super-long auras that could go into seizures that could cause you to go status, so you do need to see a specialist. Believe me, I have been there and it isn't fun. For more reliable info, check out this website:
http://www.epilepsy.com/learn/types-seizures/simple-partial-seizures
http://www.epilepsy.com/learn/types-seizures/complex-partial-seizures

 

[N Sperlo]

Hey Alexis.

When I was getting my seizures under control, I would often have simple partial seizures. They were always quick and lead to nothing else. After a few seconds, I would usually feel normal, but shaken up. I would always let the doctor know, so he could review my case and adjust as needed. These could always lead into worse, so make sure you do something about it.

Welcome and good luck.

 

[Matthew74]

Alexis: You really need to get these stopped. I have been living with "auras" or simple partials for almost ten years. Mine are just feelings, like a fuzzy feeling in my cheek, but they go on almost constantly and make me feel terrible. My doctors didn't treat me for them when they came on and they never went away. Don't be surprised if your doctor doesn't listen to you right away, but make it clear that you are having seizures, and if necessary see another doctor. The simple partials might not show up on EEG, it happens. I expect that your complex partials would show up. You might have to up your meds, or try something new, but it's worth doing that for a while, rather than to be sick for a very long time.

Also, think if there might be something bringing them on like stress, caffeine, not enough sleep, etc.

 

[Janus]

I have had that kind of seizure for years before my Tonic Clonic seizures started. I would always feel like vertigo strongly and my somach knots up and i have an out of body experience. i do not blank out but i suddenly have total awareness of everything around me, sound,smells, feelings of the air on my skin etc. And i can not talk and only stare forward. Some say they know that vacant stare i get. But that all stopped when i started having meds for the Tonic Clonics. Oh, and i would feel deeply despondent and hopeless totally. A weird total grief. now i would take that back for my Tonic Clonics. So I hope you can treat it.

 

[qtowngirl]

They last between 15-60 minutes, which is normal. Usually I lose most of my memory before the seizure, although I so remember the aura.

welcome
firstly, an aura whether it turns into something more or not, is a simple partial seizure. some refer to it as an aura but medically it's term is simple partial. it has the widest range of signs and symptoms than any seizure type, but the one thing that every s.p. shares is that consciousness stays intact.
they do not last near that long, and as they are the only thing you remember this means you had a short simple partial (they last 10 to 40 seconds) that furthered into a complex partial (partly unconscious which explains no memory of it or the events during).
it is abnormal for a complex to last near this long either, they're not usually more than a few minutes give or take.
in both my educated and personal opinion alexis the fact that these haven't turned into tonic clonic seizures is astounding - be very thankful and get to your doctor immediately. i'm on lamotrigine as well, and as others say the doseage is low, and painfully clear it's not working.

huge :hugs: and pls, pls get this dealt with before it gets worse, as when the meds aren't working, it always does.