Myoclonus vs. myoclonic seizures

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masterjen

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What is the difference between myoclonus and myoclonic seizures? How do you (or neurologists) determine which you have, besides via EEG?
 
They mean the same thing. "Myo" means muscle and "clonus" means rapid contraction and relaxation (jerking/twitching).

http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/seizure_myoclonic
Even people without epilepsy can experience myoclonus in hiccups or in a sudden jerk that may wake you up as you're just falling asleep. These things are normal.

In epilepsy, myoclonic seizures usually cause abnormal movements on both sides of the body at the same time.
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I didn't have anything useful to add but that was really useful to read thanks Cint!

Q
 
For me these muscle contractions occur in my left foot (or very occasionally my right), or in both arms or both shoulders. They tend to be most noticeable in the day or two before a seizure and the day after. The movements are always small and quick, and sometimes there is no visible movement of a limb but I feel a quick contraction and relaxation of the muscles, as you mention Cint. The epilepsy.com article seems to suggest the movements are quite large. Is this true?
I started having these 2 years ago when I started Tegretol, and keppra was added to control them. These have resurfaced since my Vimpat dose has been increased.
 
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masterjen said:
For me these muscle contractions occur in my left foot (or very occasionally my right), or in both arms or both shoulders. They tend to be most noticeable in the day or two before a seizure and the day after. The movements are always small and quick, and sometimes there is no visible movement of a limb but I feel a quick contraction and relaxation of the muscles, as you mention Cint. The epilepsy.com article seems to suggest the movements are quite large. Is this true?
I started having these 2 years ago when I started Tegretol, and keppra was added to control them. These have resurfaced since my Vimpat dose has been increased.
Click to expand...

I don't know if the movements are necessarily large, but I think from what you said that you need to discuss this with your dr. This could be a side effect from the drug itself. Tegretol can make these worse.

http://www.epilepsy.com/medications/b_tegretol_warnings
Tegretol may worsen absence seizures or myoclonic seizures. People who have seizures of those types should not use it.
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I have myoclonus. The movements can be large or small in my case.
 
Newbie

Hi

I am a Newbie to this forum. Due to spinal cord injury 4 years ago I was having propriospinal myoclonus seizures and put on medication (Keppra) for about 3 months, then taken off. Lately I've been having auras, sensations of (fear, and impending doom) as before, sometimes eyes blinking constantly. When I have these and recognize what may come, I wait-- but nothing happens like the nausea. twitches, muscles contractions and major spasms. Afterwards I feel weird and disassociated with my body. Could these auras actually be the seizure?
 
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