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Should I wake my partner when I see a nocturnal seizure beginning?

Sat, 10/26/2013 - 11:57
My partner is nocturnal epileptic and though infrequently, he does still suffer night-time seizures occasionally. The last but one time this happened I heard the initial stages of the seizure (rapid loud gulping) and I woke him up and made him drink a glass of water. He 'came to' then fell back to sleep and tho was a little groggy the next day he seemed ok and went to work. About 6 months later (2 nights ago) the same thing happened around 1am - I interrupted the seizure at the gulping stage. After water he went back to sleep seemingly fine - Then our toddler woke at 4am and I got her into bed with us. We fell back to sleep - then at 4.30am I was awoken by what I call stage 2 of a seizure - a loud barking animal like noise - I can only think that I must have slept through the gulping stage. Immediately I thought of the baby so I moved her to the edge of the bed (safely) so I was in the middle, then set to work waking my partner, it was much harder than at the gulping stage, but I did manage to before he got to the next stage (tonic clonic) I again made him drink water (i never force it on him he holds the glass himself) as there seems to be a strong link between dehydration and seizures. Once again he went back to sleep. The next day he did feel a bit 'hungover' (metaphorically he doesn't drink alcohol) but certainly not as bad as when he's had a full nocturnal seizure. My query is simply to ask if I'm doing the right thing by interrupting these seizures? I have scoured the internet but can find nothing about trying to halt a seizure only how to manage them (safety from injury etc). I am aware I probably shouldn't have got the baby In with us but was half asleep and had actually forgotten about the gulping earlier. Does anyone know anything about it? I am purely talking nocturnal seizures tho as he never has daytime seizures at all.

Comments

Re: Should I wake my partner when I see

Submitted by just_joe on Sat, 2013-10-26 - 14:37

Hi Emma

I understand your concern. Whay you might have failed to do is tell us how long this has been happening and what medications he is taking if any. As for waking him up that could go either way but understand that if he goes into a convulsion they aren't a pretty site.

If your mate has a neuro he should be contacted. Also knowing the time in hte seizure and time to get back to normal of back to sleep would also assist the neuro in procedures or medication that might help. As for only having seizures at night wellll I had a friend that only had seizures at night but later in his life he had some during the day too even tho he was asleep it was daytime.

I would suggest you talk to your mate and explain what has happened and discuss the issue with him and his neurologist. If he has a good relationship with the neuro sometimes it can be done on the phone.

I would also suggest you get the My Epilepsy Diary located at the top of this page and use it. If used  it diary can assist the doctor in possiable triggera to some seizures procedures and edications that might help control his seizure completely.

I hope this helps

Joe

Hi Emma

I understand your concern. Whay you might have failed to do is tell us how long this has been happening and what medications he is taking if any. As for waking him up that could go either way but understand that if he goes into a convulsion they aren't a pretty site.

If your mate has a neuro he should be contacted. Also knowing the time in hte seizure and time to get back to normal of back to sleep would also assist the neuro in procedures or medication that might help. As for only having seizures at night wellll I had a friend that only had seizures at night but later in his life he had some during the day too even tho he was asleep it was daytime.

I would suggest you talk to your mate and explain what has happened and discuss the issue with him and his neurologist. If he has a good relationship with the neuro sometimes it can be done on the phone.

I would also suggest you get the My Epilepsy Diary located at the top of this page and use it. If used  it diary can assist the doctor in possiable triggera to some seizures procedures and edications that might help control his seizure completely.

I hope this helps

Joe

Re: Should I wake my partner when I see

Submitted by emma coquet on Sat, 2013-10-26 - 16:15
thanks Joe - he has been on tegratol for over 20 years - he only has a few seizures a year and we can usually track it back to a combination of triggers so they are pretty much under control - i have discussed it with my partner and he's as baffled as me as to whether forcing him to wake up is safe and the right thing to do - he does see a specialist once a year but he's not especially useful em x

Re: Should I wake my partner when I see

Submitted by just_joe on Sat, 2013-10-26 - 16:42

OK

 Not that information does give me more information. After being on a medication for awhile (20 years is a long while) the body get used to that medication and at times it needs the dosage increased. I was on a medication for 30 years and had to be taken off of it due to getting toxic on it. Basically with years your body changes and the medications strength lessons because he has taken it for a long period of time.

You mgiht have him call the specialist (know some are well I won't say it) can be hard to deal with but they do have procedures and options along with medications that can be coupled together to resolve his issue. I was having an issue with my keppra and talked to my neuro about it. I had been in drug studies for new medications for elilepsy and my seizures were 1-2 a week and they were partial or complex partial. After the study I was having 2-3 a day 3-4 days a week so we discussed it. I thought it might have been the generic but he excussed himself and came back in a few minutes later. It wasn't the generic. I was informed that the study drug was what had been keeping my seizures down and we added another medication which took a month to get to the strength he wanted after 3 months the seizure count was down and we increased the dosage again and now they are 1 seizure every 6-10 days. We may increase it again which could get me seizure free.

If he has a good realtionship this isue may be handled on the phone.

I know I have a good one with mine but then I have been with the same group of neurologists since 1970 One retires and another one takes his place he specializes in ALZ so another takes his place. Oh and if I everr am short on funds I have been told to come in and we will deal with payment later since they get money for the drug study.

Basically what I am saying is the body getts amune to medications and they need the dosage increased from time to time. Tegratol is a good medication and I have used it. It was coupled with dilantin and phenobarb and for a 3+year period of time I was seizure free.

I hope this helps

Joe

OK

 Not that information does give me more information. After being on a medication for awhile (20 years is a long while) the body get used to that medication and at times it needs the dosage increased. I was on a medication for 30 years and had to be taken off of it due to getting toxic on it. Basically with years your body changes and the medications strength lessons because he has taken it for a long period of time.

You mgiht have him call the specialist (know some are well I won't say it) can be hard to deal with but they do have procedures and options along with medications that can be coupled together to resolve his issue. I was having an issue with my keppra and talked to my neuro about it. I had been in drug studies for new medications for elilepsy and my seizures were 1-2 a week and they were partial or complex partial. After the study I was having 2-3 a day 3-4 days a week so we discussed it. I thought it might have been the generic but he excussed himself and came back in a few minutes later. It wasn't the generic. I was informed that the study drug was what had been keeping my seizures down and we added another medication which took a month to get to the strength he wanted after 3 months the seizure count was down and we increased the dosage again and now they are 1 seizure every 6-10 days. We may increase it again which could get me seizure free.

If he has a good realtionship this isue may be handled on the phone.

I know I have a good one with mine but then I have been with the same group of neurologists since 1970 One retires and another one takes his place he specializes in ALZ so another takes his place. Oh and if I everr am short on funds I have been told to come in and we will deal with payment later since they get money for the drug study.

Basically what I am saying is the body getts amune to medications and they need the dosage increased from time to time. Tegratol is a good medication and I have used it. It was coupled with dilantin and phenobarb and for a 3+year period of time I was seizure free.

I hope this helps

Joe

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