Night Seizures

[t3hrabak]

I'm writing this for my boyfriend, who for the past 5 years has been experiencing seizures. He had his first when he was 18 at a military base and was sent to a military doctor who thought he had faked the seizure. He experienced another one, on base, a few months later, sent to more doctors, who either thought he was faking it or just couldn't find the cause (although one did note a ball of cholesterol in his brain, near his right ear, but said it wouldn't cause seizures). Many of his severe seizures have occured while he was serving on the military base and he describes the ones he has had off base as causing him to slur his speech or gag.
     This has all changed since I have known him though. During our first three months of dating I saw him have three minor seizures while sleeping. He went to serve on the military base a couple months later and had a grand mal that lasted nearly four minutes. This seizure prompted the military to investigate his disorder, launch a year long Medical Evaluation Board (during which he was not aloud serve), and nearly resulted in him being separated from the service. What concerns me is that after this grand mal he did not experience seizures for nearly 15 months. Then, one morning he had a grand mal during his sleep that lasted 3-5 minutes and had a very long post-dictal period. It was nothing like the minor ones I had seen and I called the ambulance because I was so frightened. As usual, doctors couldn't find anything wrong, but prescribed Depakote to him (2 pills, 3 times a day). He started taking the Depakote once a day, and two weeks later he had a similar shorter seizure. Again, one night, not long after, he jolted up in bed and stared straight into space for about 20 seconds. After he laid back down he began breathing heavily and I recognized it as similar to the breathing he has after his seizures. I made him get up and he was in a post-dictal stage and then became very sick (throwing up, etc).
     I've been growing increasingly concerned with these night seizures, and he won't seek any help, but I feel like he is developing a pattern of seizures in the very early morning (7AMish). I am currently on break, away from him and school, and when I called him a few days ago he complained that he had a terrible headache and was overwhelmingly cranky, when I asked if he thought he had a seizure he didn't think so, but once he got out of bed he noticed he had dried blood on his face and that he had bitten through his tongue (which he often does when he has his bad seizures). My question is, should I be worried about this and make him go to the doctor? What could be causing this shift? I feel like his seizures are changing from day occurences to night and it is terrifying to wake up to find him locked up in a seizure. Also, his cousin, who is 18 and recently joined the military had a seizure (his first, and they found a ball of cholesterol, similar to my boyfriend's behind his eye) while home and driving in a car. I can't find an literature on epilepsy and heredity, but I want to know if this could be something that can be passed down to our kids. Thanks for any help.

[mariehiscox25]

There is a 50/50 chance that your kids will have it so that is very high to what i think. however if you look at my daughter i am unsure if she has it yet. i have it and my husband has muscular dystrophy so we will find out soon she turns 1 next month.
she shakes her head and likes to bang it alot even when we say no and she rolles her eyes but i don't think that it is anything?

[Dyanelizabeth]

postictal

adjective
pertaining to the period following a seizure or convulsion; "postictal drowsiness"  

[oceangirl602]

what exactly is post dictal stage, i was seeing someone and they had a small seizure and was told he is now in a "post dictal" stage, can someone explain what this means to me???  Thank you.

[Godofredo MD]

Hi.

I am very sorry to hear about your boyfriend's condition and how it has been affecting both of you. I do hope his condition would improve soon.

Regarding your question, the probability that epilepsy will be passed down to your kids is very low. Majority of patients with epilepsy do not have the hereditary form of the disease.

It would appear that his seizure disorder is not adequately controlled. It may be advisable to consult a neurologist to develop a treatment plan to properly manage his condition.

Hope this helps.