Arm Seizures, Doesn't Add Up! Posted: 08-09-05 21:09pm
This is my frist time posting on this
site. I will spare you the lengthy
description of my issue ( it is long and
doesn't make much sence ) and get right to
it.
I have been having seizures in my left arm
for about 5 years now. I have had 4
grand mals in the past all of which began
with my arm seizing. Basically it's a
clonic seizure that feels like it begins
in my left sholder. My arm stiffens for a
couple seconds then begins to jerk quick
to start and slows down to a stop.
Afterward I am unable to use my arm for
about 5 seconds. I don't lose
conciousness, I feel mostly normal during
it although it is a bit painful, I can
speak and everything else is fine.
Here is the strange part. My seizures
aren't random. I have them every night
when I go to sleep but it has nothing to
do with sleep. Basically I lie down and
if I concentrate I will not have a
seizure, but as soon as I relax i'll have
one. Very predictable usually. It
appears to be triggered by lying down! At
first it seems like it's a nerve issue or
some kind of twitch but I have had grand
mals that begin with my arm doing the
exact same thing but it then spreads over
my body and results in a very unpleasant
experiance.
I am taking dilantin and carbatrol which
has prevented a grand mal but I still have
these arm seizures a lot.
Anyone herd of this or have a similar
experiance?
Another question I am very curious about
is what are your grand mals like? Do you
just pass out and wake up tired and
confused? For me I feel like I loose the
ability to see and hear and experiance the
seizure for a short while still concious
in darkness then wake up later all messed
up..
I appreciate you reading all this
thanks
|
pianist995
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 17 Oct 2005 Posts: 9 Location: Idaho
Re: Arm Seizures, Doesn't Add Up! Posted: 10-17-05 13:59pm
logike30
wrote:
i have been having seizures
in my left arm for about 5 years now. I
have had 4 grand mals in the past all of
which began with my arm seizing.
Basically it's a clonic seizure that feels
like it begins in my left sholder. My
arm stiffens for a couple seconds then
begins to jerk quick to start and slows
down to a stop. Afterward I am unable to
use my arm for about 5 seconds. I don't
lose conciousness, I feel mostly normal
during it although it is a bit painful, I
can speak and everything else is fine.
Here is the strange part. My seizures
aren't random. I have them every night
when I go to sleep but it has nothing to
do with sleep. Basically I lie down and
if I concentrate I will not have a
seizure, but as soon as I relax i'll have
one. Very predictable usually. It
appears to be triggered by lying down!
At first it seems like it's a nerve issue
or some kind of twitch but I have had
grand mals that begin with my arm doing
the exact same thing but it then spreads
over my body and results in a very
unpleasant experiance.
I am taking dilantin and carbatrol which
has prevented a grand mal but I still have
these arm seizures a lot.
Anyone herd of this or have a similar
experiance?
Another question I am very curious about
is what are your grand mals like? Do you
just pass out and wake up tired and
confused? For me I feel like I loose the
ability to see and hear and experiance the
seizure for a short while still concious
in darkness then wake up later all messed
up..
well, I have had two seizures is all, the
first I believe was a grand mal, though I
don't remember either seizure, I was
unconscious during them, and wasn't really
entirely conscious on that first one for a
good 10 or 15 minutes, apparently. My
second one was what's called complex
partial - I don't remember it, but
apparently it was only my arm jerking.
Mine aren't an every night thing, but I
can tell you that when I woke up from
them, I was very tired and confused for a
little while afterward, and for about a
week or so afterward I would have trouble
with my short term memory. So I don't
remember either of mine, but the effects
stuck with me for about a week. I'm sorry
I can't help more, but that's my
experience.
|
HennieSnyman
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 30 Oct 2005 Posts: 24 Location: Arusha, Tanzania
Posted: 10-30-05 16:04pm
I never have a "grand mal" out of the
blue, I always know i'm going to have one.
At least now that i'm older I do, i've
learnt to read the signs by now.
I suppose as a child I didn't have the
experience to realise what's happening to
me.
My seizures have always been multiple
petit mals, an aura, and then teh grand
mal.
For instance: i'd be studying or typing
(always concentration-related) and i'd
have a momentary lapse of conscioussness
together with a twitch of the hands, face
muscles or a quick kick of one of my feet.
Or all of the above together. Never for
longer than a second or two though.
When this happens I know I have to slow
down, relax, maybe go for a walk, sing a
little (singing calms me down, strangely
enough).
If I don;t stop what i;m doing and relax,
i'd experience an aura, a sudden feeling
of surrealness, of not really sitting
where i'm sitting or not really doing what
i'm doing.
When this "aura" happens it's usually a
matter of minutes before I lose
consciousness and convulse.
My convulsions last anyting from 1 to 8
minutes. A seizure on an empty stomach is
always worse than on a full one. I don't
drink anymore as I once had a seizure when
drunk (in the army) and that was really
really hectic. Took me three days to
recover enough to get up and walk
around.
Usually when I regain consciousness after
the convulsions, the best description that
I can give is that i'm unable to
distinguish my thoughts. I always have a
throbbing headache that's so bad i'm not
able to speak or concentrate on even the
simplest of task, such as walking to my
room.
I have difficulty answering people when
they ask me questions. I hear them fine
but i'm unable to make up my mind on what
to ay or do.
I think this is merely my brain that's
still firing in a non orderly fashion.
I almost always start crying. I think I
do that because it's so frustrating.
Then I go to sleep for a solid day and
wake up feeling tired, stiff, sore and
hungry.
