Auras

[rhonda23]

I have had 2 gran mal seizures in my sleep. I keep hearing people talk about auras. What are they and how do I know what to look for (clues) if I am having these seizures in my sleep? Thanks:e:

 

[epileric]

An aura is the unusual sensation, smell, or vision some people get before a seizure. Medically it is actually considered to be a partial seizure that gains momentum.

An aura is a perceptual disturbance experienced by some migraine sufferers before a migraine headache, and the telltale sensation experienced by some people with epilepsy before a seizure. It often manifests as the perception of a strange light, an unpleasant smell or confusing thoughts or experiences. Some people experience aura without a subsequent migraine or seizure (see silent migraine).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aura_%28symptom%29

It's very possible you had one but if you were asleep then you may not be aware of it.

 

[Endless]

Rhonda,

I agree with what Eric said.

Do you have anything that wakes you up, like fear or a strange smell, or just feeling weird? Do you have anything that happens that day that is out of the ordinary? Some folks in here feel "weird" during the day before a seizure.

Not everybody gets a warning. If everyone did, no one would ever get injured by a seizure. They'd be sitting nice and safe on the floor or in bed.

 

[SeizetheNight]

I have had the majority of my seizures while I was asleep also. I did have one when I was awake though, and it was preceded by an aura. Unfortunately, I really can't explain it to you, but I can say that (for me) it was very distinct. I did not know what it was at first, but knew something was wrong enough that I told someone (who then caught me when I went down). I had that same sensation again months later, and immediately made my way to a couch, but that time it was not followed by a seizure.

 

[rhonda23]

If you have an aura do you have a seziure right away or what? Thank you all for all the info!

 

[epileric]

Check out the link I posted - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aura_%28symptom%29

When occurring, auras allow epileptics time to prevent injury to themselves and/or others. The time between the appearance of the aura and the migraine lasts from a few seconds up to an hour. The aura can stay with a migraine sufferer for the duration of the migraine, depending on the type of aura this can leave the person disoriented and confused. It is not uncommon for migraine sufferers to experience more than one type of aura during the migraine. Most people who have auras have the same type of aura every time.

 

[Nakamova]

For some people, the aura is the seizure (a simple partial). For others, it's the start of a seizure that may eventually generalize (i.e. spread to the rest of the brain) and lead to loss of consciousness.

 

[Endless]

Sometimes I feel weird the whole day before I have a seizure, then it gets super-intense right before. Sometimes it's for just about 10-15 minutes before the seizure. It's a strange feeling - I can't describe it.

 

[rhonda23]

Hi everyone! Well I have been reading everybody post and I think you for them. This is what's going on now when I am trying to go to sleep. When I close my eyes to go to sleep it is pitch black and then I start seeing pictures or things floating around. This used to happen many years ago. I would close my eyes and it would be pitch black and all of a sudden a flower, hearts, squares, numbers and letters would just show up and start floating around. Now my arm or my hands will get the tingly or numbness feeling when I am trying to go to sleep also. I am really getting scared cause I do not now what to make up for the numbness. Is it a sign or is it because the blood flow got cut off. Also for the first I had a major headache last night. I didn't stop taking my medicine like I wanted to, but instead I take one instead of two pills. I am going to clinic on Monday to talk to them about the side effects of keppra. Should I tell them about all of this other stuff thats going on or what untill I see my doctor for the first time and that's in Feb.? (the neurologist) Any suggestions welcome and thanks again and have a great day!

 

[Nakamova]

It never hurts to give the docs all the info you have -- it's their job to decide what's relevant or not.

The tingling/numbness is a fairly common seizure aura. It's not blood flow getting cut off, it's the nerves misfiring. But if you're concerned about it, mention to the docs and your neuro too.

 

[sixyearsold]

I know t5hat for me(even if I am asleep), I wake and will have an "off-feeling" then I will begin to see a slight black hole in my upper-right eyes vision. This progressively gets worse and worse and then I begin to keep very uncomfortable and repeatedly swallow and become more and more dis-oriented then I 'go down'.

Don't know if that makes any sense but that is what happens to me and I am asleep and sometimes I wake up.. other times I don't. I just wake up really disoriented or with signs that I seizured.

 

[slayersophie]

I have auras quite a bit throughout the day. I did not know quartet were until I had my first tonic clinic Dec. Of 2011. I get the tingling in my hands and a numb feeling all around my head. It is usually started business nauseous feeling in my stomach. I would tell your doctor because it may be a clue as to what's going on and it may help him to better treat you and if it's seen as irrelevant than you no longer have to worry. Best of luck.

 

[BritishGuy]

I have JME, so can't talk from the side of a general seizure, but even with my partial seizures, I sometimes even smaller partial seizures in my neck which I have now come to understand are some type of aura. I feel my neck tingle, and it's almost like it feels full of a static charge, or it crinkles like a plastic bag does when you crumple it up. That was my sign to loosen my grip on the wheel of the car if I was driving so I didn't jerk the car, or let go of my cutlery so I didn't throw it across the table!

Just a different view of it for you. Hope it's somewhat useful to someone.