Auras and warnings
People with tonic clonic seizures may or may not experience a warning. Some people experience a sensation called an aura before a seizure starts.
The aura may occur far enough in advance to give people time to lie down and prevent injury from falling.
The type of aura experienced varies from person to person, as auras are in fact a simple partial seizure, for example: 
a change in body temperature, a feeling of tension or anxiety, a strange taste or smell, even musical sounds or visual disturbance. Auras are not necessarily followed by a tonic clonic seizure. Where this does happen, it is known as a secondary generalised seizure.
Some people report a sense of heaviness, depression or general feeling of not being quite right in themselves before a seizure. This experience can happen for hours or days before they have a seizure. Doctors call this a prodrome and, if a person can learn to recognise it, it can be a useful guide.
When a person has no warning, this obviously has its drawbacks as the person does not have a chance to ensure their safety beforehand. Unfortunately, it is this lack of warning that can result in accidents or injury. People who have this type of seizure need to be a little more safety conscious than others.
Further information can be obtained from Epilepsy Action by using the Email Helpline or if you live in the UK, by phoning the Freephone Helpline on 0808 800 5050.
Information checked Monday 18 July 2005
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Comments
Hi, i have never been the type of person to expose my thoughts and feelins to compleate strangers. however reading this page(the page that relates to me most, closely followed by the stress page) i have decided to talk to you guys, people that will understand. I had menigitis when i was 17, after that i devolped epilepsy . i have no memory of being in hospital with menigitis. I am now 22 i was diagnosed in jan 2007, i was living in newmarket with the job i had always wante working with horses. when my boss found out i was goin to start taking drugs he decided not to renew my contract. tegrotol was the 1st drug i was put on and it made me very ill i had more fits and all i could was lie on my mums sofa day in and day out for 6 months.i have been put onto to lamotrogine, i was told this was the best drug for women of my age as there are not alot of side affects, i sitll have fits on these drugs and came out of hospital yesterday for havin 2fits at work which lasted 2 hours. it is not the fits themselves that are the problem it is the build up, these "auras"or warnings. i feel like there is a huge river behind a dam, in my body and the river is goin to break through the dam then there will be carnage. the only problem is the river takes so long to break the dam and i am left with this stuck feelin. i cant talk or see properly, nor stand my legs just gently twitch over and over again. people around me are tryin to talk to me to find out if there is anything thay can or do they need to call someone i can hear everything goin on around me i jus cant respond. then eventually the dam will break and i will have my fit then everythin feels better.calmer then all i want to rest i dont want people to ask me questions or get me a drink. the issue with my warnings or auras is that they are happenin more now i have taken on a higer pressured role at my current job. i was a yard girl at the local ridin school then i became a riding instructor, i have recently had 2 fits in the arena whilst teachin payin customors, i am so afraid im goin to loose my dream job again,now that the fits are hapening alot, i hadnt had any since nov, in the past 2 months ive had 4 and now three in the space of 3days. how do i stop this feeling of being stuck? how can i get rid of the river and the dam before i loose another job? i would love to talk to some of you guys out there who have auras or warnings as these to me are the most stressfull part of my epilepsy. my wonderful boyfriend, mum and friends try their hardest to understand and make me feel comfortable when im havin my build up but i dont know how to help them help me.
I understand exactly what you are saying about the feeling and tension that you get knowing an aura is taking over your mind,life and capability to do things. The reason I felt and still do feel that way is due to the fact that when I have a seizure I am unconscious and therefore incapable to try and prevent things happening. Whereas when I have an aura it is so frustrating as I am still aware of my surroundings but try to calm myself down or think of a way to get rid of the tension.
I once had a specialist who told me to begin to pretend to play a piano with my fingers and also count to five so that it takes my mind off what is happening - i tried this and it did calm the aura down to a certain degree. Also I play music - classical as that is a known way of calming a brain.
I began having fits 29 years ago and since then I have not been able to drive which really drives me bonkers but I have been able to have a child - son,which is my way of thinking epilepsy will never rule my life.
I have been known to have tonic - clonic seizures after my aura's but for the past 18months - touch wood I haven't had any major seizures. I must admit though if I had to chose between still having these aura's or having tonic clonic I know which I would prefer - the latter.
I went into the Chalfont Centre and it was amazing and the amount of experiments/tests available there are amazing and since I stayed there to enable me to try various types of medication my seizures have improved against the degree that they use to be.
There is light at the end of the tunnelxx
Don't feel strange! Believe me, with 55-million people around this world of ours who have epilepsy, the majority of us know exactly how you feel. I have had my versions (many) of seizures for most of my life, and am now a middle-age man. And I've learned from people who see me going through a seizure that they don't last as long or are as intense as I once imagined them. But...those days and hours that build up to a seizure are quite a challenge. In some ways, I guess we're "lucky" because Mother Nature makes it possible for us to foresee, in a sense, that one might be coming on. I have trouble sleeping on the nights before a seizure. I get ongoing headaches. I'm short of temper. And all this even though I'm on two top anti-seizure pills (Keppra and Depakote). It takes getting used to, sometimes years. But please, please remember that millions of us out there know what you're going through!
I have a bit of an unusual situation, 7 months ago I had a hypoglaecemic attack due to type 1 diabetes and this caused a swelling in the rear right area of my brain which resulted in symptoms of stroke (loss of proper control of my left arm and leg) and I also had 2 seizures whilst in hospital. The doctors reassured me that I wasn't epileptic and had not infact had a stroke but my symptoms were caused by the swelling, which rapidly went down. I made a full recovery and assumed that it was a problem caused only because of the pressure on my brain when swollen. Recently I had what I assume was an aura when I had a slightly anxious feeling that reminded of being in hospital in what I can only describe as a memory link and a feeling that something wasn't right in my head. Less than an hour later I passed out and have to assume I had a seizure ( no witnesses). This morning I had exactly the same 'aura' and passed out minutes later with no memory of what happened. I was only out for a minute and suffered no injury or incontenance. I am concerned that I have epilepsy or some brain problem and am awaiting a followup appointment to see the neurologist. I don't know what's wrong with me but have experienced these auras along with a more active 'memory' where smells especially bring back previously forgotten memory and feelings. Sorry to ramble on without being able to describe things very clearly but having been told I am not epileptic I find these 'auras' quite a cause for concern (despite being thankful for the warning I now feel I have!) next time I plan to sit on the sofa and video what happens!
Hello Nick this is a common thing for me and I am sure for alot of people who experience seizures like I do. I have had the most horrible time before I was diagnosed with a cavernous angioma two years ago. I kept having auras and seizures not realizing what they were. At first I though I was crazy. How do you explain this kind of thing to family members or friends. People see your face and think you are normal but this stuff is going on inside your brain. I have had two mini strokes not realizing what they were. Take the auras seriously they are a warning to let you know a seizure or stroke type symptom may be comming. I can honestly say after over 2 years of seizures I have grown to appreciate them. They let me know stay in a safe place. If I am in the kitchen they help me to keep myself away from potential danger. One time I was cutting my grandsons birthday cake holding a kitchen knife the aura gave me a signal to redirect myself to a safer place. Having the seizures is an awful thing for anyone to experience but have a warning like the auras you and I experience are a blessing in disguise. Some people have seizures and have no warning at all. I often smell something rotten before a seizure or have a fear that so overwhelming it can be explained in words. Just take things one day at a time. Dont think you are going crazy because your not. Hopefully your primary care physican recommended an MRI. This is how my brain malformation was diagnosed. The neurologist will give you a better idea of what is going on in your brain when you see him or her and give you the best advise as to correct or controll what is going on. Take Care