Pre-ictal effects

Do you feel differently when pre-ictal

  • I never thought of it

    Votes: 4 9.8%
  • I don't know, it's hard to tell

    Votes: 5 12.2%
  • No

    Votes: 6 14.6%
  • Yes, emotionally

    Votes: 2 4.9%
  • Yes, physically

    Votes: 2 4.9%
  • Yes, Physically & Emotionally

    Votes: 22 53.7%

  • Total voters
    41

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epileric

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This morning somebody sent me a very cute e-mail about a certain program they use that I'm always asking questions about. It answered my questions but I interpreted it as them telling me they were tired of me asking all the time. Very soon after replying I had a seizure. It wasn't until I told them how I was feeling when replying to their e-mail & that I had a seizure right after that I had to wonder if maybe my moodiness (which I often get) was due to a pre-ictal period.

Has anyone noticed a frequent change in moods before their seizures?
 
I ticked "physical and emotional" but had to think a bit about the "emotional". In the end, I decided that being too tired and unmotivated to do stuff fell into that basket, so ticked that box.

My pre-ictal symptoms (as I'm feeling now!): dyslexic, trouble speaking, can't handwrite, cognitive problems, tired, can't be bothered tackling my 'to do' list (procrastinating), facial muscles tensing, heat on top of head. Some minor uncontrolled jerking. I think that's about it.
 
I dony really knoe. Posdt ictal o can ytell the diferenct but pre is normyl
 
I did not vote because I am not sure about my son's seizures. He has absence seizures and I have noticed that if he is irritable, hitting, banging his head, etc, I will probably see an absence seizure shortly. Sometimes his ears and face get red and his breathing changes and I wonder if there is some abnormal brain activity going on even if I don't see any absence episode.
 
I forgot to mention that one of the ways I know I"m likely to have a seizure is when I wake up feeling energetic & mentally alert. I usually put on some upbeat music & almost always feel the need to sing along. That's when I usually have a larger than normal seizure.

I thought it was so ironic when I figured that out because I feel so good it feels like I'd be less likely to have a seizure but that's not the case.
 
The first thing I feel is a stiff neck, that can last for a day or 2 before the seizure. Right before it happens I get very tearful & terrified, I guess the fight or flight is kicking in...well no fight lol, just flight.
Epileric, I used to get that happy, blissfull feeling shortly after a seizure, before I started taking medicine, I miss that.:woot:
 
My above post is a perfect example of pre-ictal. I can be pre-ictal for hours. Though today was a dual TC day, so that could have been post-ictal. Had one around noon-one and one at like 730. Both while napping, so I dropped my 1 month TC streak but not while awake.
 
My above post is a perfect example of pre-ictal.

I was going to ask, Rae, but thought it more appropriate to wait for you to catch up with it and tell us. I don't have tonic clonics, but if I was about to have a complex partial, your first post is something like what I would type - full-on dyslexic. I don't drive, and try not to work, on those days.

ETA: hope you're feeling better soon.
 
Yup. I never have any idea when I'm pre-ictal. I guess technically I have a physical feeling. But like Eric, I feel okay and it just doesn't click that it could be pre-ictal feelings. My brain goes into deny, deny, deny.

Eric and Meetz have my back though. Anytime my speling is rough they message me. Of course I usually say I'm fine. Once I called Eric Dad!!!! He was cool with it though. But just goes to show how off my brain is sometimes.
 
I put that I feel different physically and emotionally. I feel... weird. Like... it's hard to explain other than to say I feel like like my head and body are suddenly polar opposites. I feel this horrible dread, and, depending where I am, the last thought through my head is usually "Aw, not here!"
 
It felt good to read that Eric -- Scott gets moods before as well.

It's something we initially though was just a post-ictal effect, because of a very clear incident where he had a terrible mood after what appeared to be a partial seizure.

Our thoughts on that changed a few weeks ago, when he had a terrible mood and low energy for much of the day, and then had what appeared to be a complex partial, after which his mood completely vanished.
 
All of my tc's are nocturnal, so apart from having auras during the day pre-ictal effects are hard to judge. Sometimes though I will quickly become extremely tired before bed, much more than I would expect.

My tc's happen at different times during the night. According to my wife, on a regular 11-7 sleep schedule, they will mostly occur around 1:00 or 4:00. I don't know why this happens though.
 
Mine are nocturnal and around 3 to 4 am. Sometimes I will cough for about 20 minutes before hand. I never know it, but have been told by the hubby. I do seem to notice some changes during the day before as well. Fumbling with words, slow overall.
 
:e:

Hi All!

Can some one please explain the term, 'pre-ictal' I know it means before the seizure happens. Is it as same as an aura/warning? Or is it something entirely different? Hoping I don't sound stupid for not knowing the above!

Haven't voted on the poll as of yet because of not knowing what pre-ictal is!!! Once I do know I will vote because then I will know what it is!!!

Susan

Miss Choccy

:e:
 
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an aura is considered to be pre-ictal but the term itself refers to anything that happens before a seizure, not necessarily immediately before.

I know Rae gets her pre-ictal period as much as 2 hours before & I've felt "good" and energetic for hours before my seizures.

What I'm curious about is anything that regularly happens before a seizure, it can be for any length of time beforehand and any sensation, emotion, spiritual experience or anything else I might have left out.
 
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:e:

Hi All!

Thanks Epileric!

I voted in the poll and voted for 'Never really thought about it'. I do know immediately before I have a seizure I have an aura/buzzing in my ears beforehand. This is literally a few seconds before I have the seizure.

There been times when I have felt dizzy/'floaty/light-headed a hour to a few hours before I have a seizure but other times nothing at all. There all been times when I have felt dizzy/'floaty'/light-headed and haven't have any seizure at all. I've been putting the dizzy/'floaty'/light-headed down side-effects to my AEDs!!!

I do wonder if side-effects from medication can be worse before a seizure? Could that be possible? Hm, food for thought I say!

Miss Choccy

Susan

:e:
 
I get this weird feeling in my body - sort of electric but that's not it. Kind of buzzing, but that's not it either. And a feeling in my head. All very hard to describe. Also get a feeling that something is really wrong - doom. This can go on all day, on and off. Also can happen right before a seizure, or sometimes not at all before a seizure. Almost always happens before a CP but I block it out and just keep going. I think I'm the queen of ignoring things.
 
I get this weird feeling in my body - sort of electric but that's not it. Kind of buzzing, but that's not it either. And a feeling in my head. All very hard to describe. Also get a feeling that something is really wrong - doom.

Yes, that's a better way of describing mine... buzzing-ish. A strange... feeling in my head. And the doom, yes. Something wrong, panic, and then realisation right before it's too late.
 
I get this weird feeling in my body - sort of electric but that's not it. Kind of buzzing, but that's not it either. And a feeling in my head. All very hard to describe. Also get a feeling that something is really wrong - doom. This can go on all day, on and off. Also can happen right before a seizure, or sometimes not at all before a seizure. Almost always happens before a CP but I block it out and just keep going. I think I'm the queen of ignoring things.

This sounds so much like me! Apart from feeling 'weird' and that something bad is going to happen, I also can't speak coherently. I struggle to find the right words to express what I think. But sometimes I get those 'weird' feelings and nothing else happens. And at other times I seem to feel normal and things happen when I don't expect them to!

And when typing I also get 'dyslexic'.
 
IDK how unusual this is but , I hallucinate wildly before most of my seizures, my mind get's crystal clear and the thoughts execute perfectly about 3 times the speed they normally would. I started a topic on Auras (which is what i have been told they are called) to talk about it.
 
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