My husband was diagnosed with epilepsy about 5 years ago. It started out with him having grand mal seizures in his sleep. He only had a few and seemed fine once he started taking seizure medication (Tegretol). Things have been going good until recently he has been having what we believe are simple partial seizures. He will wake up in the morning feeling dizzy, nauseous and after awhile he will start smacking his lips and rubbing his fingers together. He is fully conscious while this is happening and will answer me when I speak to him. This usually lasts for a few seconds to a few minutes. Afterwards for almost a whole day he will feel terrible. It seems like these episodes are happening more and more frequently. I've been trying to keep a diary to find out what may be causing them but I can't seem to figure anything out and the doctors are not very much help either. If any of you have something similar and have any advice or known triggers please let me know. Thanks!!
Simple Partial Seizures
- Thread starter Faith1
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It sounds like he could be having simple partial seizures.
During those you are completely aware of what's going on. I have had complex partials a few times though when I'm aware of everything that's going on but I'm doing things that I do during a complex and don't realize that I'm doing them.
Is this happening right after he wakes up? I'm wondering if he could have had the seizure in his sleep then is coming out of it and waking up and that's why he's doing that. Sometimes when I start to come out of a complex I'll still be doing the things that I have during them but I know what's going on and I'm really not aware that I'm doing what I'm doing. I don't know if that made sense or not?
Everyone has different before and after effects from a seizure. Sometimes before ones I'll get confused and dizzy or I'll just go right into the seizure with no warning. Usually after mine I'll have a really bad headache and sleep forever. I know there are people who feel sick before and after a seizure too.
It's very good that you are keeping a diary of what's happening. Keep track of when they happen, how long they lasted, what he did during them and if he had any after effects. This helps the drs figure things out a little easier. Is he seeing a neuro or another type of dr for this?
I hope you will find a lot of help on here. It's nice to meet you.
During those you are completely aware of what's going on. I have had complex partials a few times though when I'm aware of everything that's going on but I'm doing things that I do during a complex and don't realize that I'm doing them.
Is this happening right after he wakes up? I'm wondering if he could have had the seizure in his sleep then is coming out of it and waking up and that's why he's doing that. Sometimes when I start to come out of a complex I'll still be doing the things that I have during them but I know what's going on and I'm really not aware that I'm doing what I'm doing. I don't know if that made sense or not?
Everyone has different before and after effects from a seizure. Sometimes before ones I'll get confused and dizzy or I'll just go right into the seizure with no warning. Usually after mine I'll have a really bad headache and sleep forever. I know there are people who feel sick before and after a seizure too.
It's very good that you are keeping a diary of what's happening. Keep track of when they happen, how long they lasted, what he did during them and if he had any after effects. This helps the drs figure things out a little easier. Is he seeing a neuro or another type of dr for this?
I hope you will find a lot of help on here. It's nice to meet you.
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I have my seizures during the day but they are usually earlier in the day.
I had a simple-partial seizure on Friday morning. All day long I felt like I wanted to throw up; I ate a little bit of chicken noodle soup for lunch and a couple grilled cheese around 7pm. Today, Saturday, I am tired and in a lot of pain but my appetite is back.
Now I'm just looking for somebody to come to my house to clean it.
I had a simple-partial seizure on Friday morning. All day long I felt like I wanted to throw up; I ate a little bit of chicken noodle soup for lunch and a couple grilled cheese around 7pm. Today, Saturday, I am tired and in a lot of pain but my appetite is back.
Now I'm just looking for somebody to come to my house to clean it.
arnie
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Hi Faith, that sounds like the complex partial seizures I had. I had many thousands of them over the past 30ish years, and had thought they were simple partials because I was aware of things during the seizures. (no "alteration of consciousness".) I decided they were complex partials because I was never aware of the lip smacking that I did, which indicated the alteration of consciousness that made it a complex partial.
In any case, the designation is less important than finding a way to stop the seizures. It's a good thing to keep a diary of the seizures, but you need to go a step further and put those numbers where they will actually help you see patterns in the seizures. Go to Seizure Tracker https://seizuretracker.com/ and enter the times and dates of the events. You can then create reports and see graphically what is going on with him. It's a big help and it's what started me on the way to being seizure free for over 3 months now! Keep us posted, ok?
Onward!
In any case, the designation is less important than finding a way to stop the seizures. It's a good thing to keep a diary of the seizures, but you need to go a step further and put those numbers where they will actually help you see patterns in the seizures. Go to Seizure Tracker https://seizuretracker.com/ and enter the times and dates of the events. You can then create reports and see graphically what is going on with him. It's a big help and it's what started me on the way to being seizure free for over 3 months now! Keep us posted, ok?
Onward!
N Sperlo
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While we were getting things under control for me, I would wake up often having simple partial seizures. They are hard to remember. It was very important to me that we got THEM under control. Adjusting my medicine took care of this. Unfortunately, it can be hard knocking these things into your doctors noggin.
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Hi Faith - welcome to CWE
As you can see, there are some great people here to offer advice and support. A lot of us have had trouble with doctors that just don't seem bothered, or cannot grasp the many subtleties of epilepsy, or simply just don't know much about it.
You're doing the right thing with a seizure diary- it's very important for not only presenting information to your doctors, but also in working out triggers, even though it can be difficult as you say.
As well as recording the effects during them and post seizure side effects, also try to record anything different that may have happened prior to them, including stress levels, types of food etc
Here's a link to some basic known seizure triggers.
What could be useful for your husband is an EEG test over a few days, involving a sleep over at the hospital- so they can record activity just prior to his waking. Keep pushing the doctor to get something done. If they don't meet your needs, then look around for someone else that can.
Good luck
As you can see, there are some great people here to offer advice and support. A lot of us have had trouble with doctors that just don't seem bothered, or cannot grasp the many subtleties of epilepsy, or simply just don't know much about it.
You're doing the right thing with a seizure diary- it's very important for not only presenting information to your doctors, but also in working out triggers, even though it can be difficult as you say.
As well as recording the effects during them and post seizure side effects, also try to record anything different that may have happened prior to them, including stress levels, types of food etc
Here's a link to some basic known seizure triggers.
What could be useful for your husband is an EEG test over a few days, involving a sleep over at the hospital- so they can record activity just prior to his waking. Keep pushing the doctor to get something done. If they don't meet your needs, then look around for someone else that can.
Good luck