Epilepsy

Hi
I have heard that before epileptic people have a fit they feel really happy, happier than any person who doesn't have epilepsy could imagine, I was wondering if this is true?
and if so why?
Thankyou :smile:

Reply 1

Sunshine =]

Epilepsy's all to do with the electric pulses in your brain, so if you get excited, these increase/become irregular and can bring on a fit.
It does depend on the type that a person has as to what brings it on, but it is possible ofr emotions of any kind to bring on seizures.

Reply 2

Katyyyy

oh right, thankyou! :smile:

Reply 3

nmt_oli

I have to say, thats an interestig statement indeed, one i have not heard before.

I can say for definate though, it does not hold true for me, although it may well do for others- there are so many causes of epilepsy.

In fact i get the opposite, as i know about 30 seconds before a fit that im going to have one, i feel intense fear. Its a horrible experience.

Reply 4

FireDeuce

What does it feel like to have a fit? Like...are you conscious of what is happening?
Just curious

Reply 5

poetic_harriyot

FireDeuce

What does it feel like to have a fit? Like...are you conscious of what is happening?
Just curious

I can sometimes sense it and know to move to somewhere where I won't cause any damage to myself or anything else. And yes, the happy feeling is pretty accurate.

Reply 6

Sunshine =]

My younger brother's epileptic, he doesn't have full blown fits in the way that lots of people think of them, but gets what I can only call 'mini' ones. But they do happen if he gets really happy, or over excited..

Reply 7

TessVW

the things people feel before having a seizure are called Auras.

I know of people who can smell roses before they have seizures

Reply 8

k0932741

i've actually never heard of this either. I'm epileptic and i study it as part of my degree - there are things called auras that occur (for some people) before a seizure, a sort of warning if you will but these normally consist of some sort of smell or a taste in your mouth (normally metallic), a sense of dread or a rising feeling in your abdomen. I'm not sure if i'm fortunate or unfortunate is saying i don't have an aura before a seizure, i just have them unexpectedly. Where is it you heard such information from...?

Reply 9

k0932741

FireDeuce

What does it feel like to have a fit? Like...are you conscious of what is happening?
Just curious

there are a lot of different types of seizures but all involve an unconscious behavioural trait. I have grand mal seizures which is the type most commonly associated with epilepsy. I have no idea it's happening until i come around and i'm lying on the floor with a fair few observers. As i said it's unconscious so i have no idea how it feels during the seizure but afterwards is horrible. Firstly i'm normally a bit embarrassed about having caused such a scene (i've overcome this now), have a splitting headache from having hit my head on the floor, my muscles and general body feels absolutely exhausted and i generally have a feeling that something isn't right (if that makes sense). When i come around i usually make little to no sense and find it impossibly hard to formulate sentences for a good ten minutes.

Other seizures such as absence or petit mal seizures aren't so bad, the person will seem as if they've just been day dreaming or similar and so when they come around they won't know they haven't been responding and will generally feel fine.

As someone has pointed out, epilepsy is different from person to person so i can only tell you my experience and text book knowledge but it is quite scary!

Reply 10

Ice_Queen

It does not hold true for me! A lot of people experience strange feelings before a seizure though, this is called an aura.

Reply 11

iainmacn

There's a huge ammoutn of variation - I can just about believe it might hold true for some - if the relevant part of the brain was affected, but I don't think it's true for most.

My experience was the feeling of fear. I've had the taste/smell thing too, and also the deja vu.

I think a lot of people "come round", either from unconscious or just being a bit out of it - and feel absolutely exhausted

It's all now well controlled by drugs - woohoo!

Reply 12

Spacecam

I can assure you I've never know anyone have the euphoric "aura" - which is the medical word for this form of feeling, usually before the "classic fit" that you would associate with the word epilepsy.

Depending on the focal point of the discharge in the brain, and whether it is local or general (across both parts of the brain or focused on one side/one lobe), the results can vary from purely motor (temporal lobe), visual hallucinations (occipital lobe), to generalised seizure - "the fit".

If you really want to know more and what it's really like, and to dispel rumours on how to treat an epileptic fit, go to www.epilepsy.org.uk/

For those who aren't going to follow the link I'd just like to point out for your general knowledge that if someone has a seizure:

NEVER put anything in their mouths, NEVER. Especially not a spoon, you will damage them and yourself
Do NOT try to stop the fit, it will stop of its own accord
Keep them safe and move items out of the way. Keep them out of danger
If the fit lasts more than 2 minutes, if it is the individual's first fit, or if there is another fit without the person fully coming round, call an ambulnce.
It is common for a person suffering a fit to be doubly incontinent - try and be discreet about this and conceal it
Keep onlookers away
The person will need alot of reassurance whilst coming around, will often be very tired, confused, and want to sleep

If in doubt call an ambulance

Sorry about the spiel, but its pretty important and this is the only thread I've seen on epilepsy in a long time :smile:

Reply 13

SMW

scariest disease i know, my best friend died of it at the age of 18 in his sleep, and my sis has it, she isnt even aloud to drive and things, terrible disease!

Reply 14

fireworks

I was diagnosed with epilepsy recently - hardest part for me was giving up driving for a year fit-free (longer if it's not fit-free :frown:

) - however, I am at university most of the year (I live in Northern Ireland, but do law in Liverpool!). All is going well with the medication though!

Was told to knock the drink on the head or drink 1-2 units in an evening if I so wished so have been pretty much off it completely.

Gonna be harder when back at uni tho - Liverpool is flowing with drink! But, I won't be touching it - will be mighty tempting, but it's the health + driving that I need.