Is it possible to remember having a seizure

The person may experience changes in sensation, mood or emotion leading up to the tonic-clonic seizure. If you are with someone who has a tonic-clonic seizure: Do not put anything in their mouth. Turn them onto their side. Make sure the area around their body is clear of objects that could hurt them. Time the seizure. Treatment for tonic-clonic seizures can involve medication, surgery, nerve stimulation, dietary therapy or a combination of these approaches.

The seizure may start with a simple or complex partial seizure known as an aura. The person may experience abnormal sensations such as a particular smell, vertigo, nausea, or anxiety. If the person is familiar with having seizures, they may recognize the warning signs of a seizure about to begin. When the tonic-clonic seizure begins, the person loses consciousness and may fall.

Strong tonic spasms of the muscles can force air out of the lungs, resulting in a cry or moan, even though the person is not aware of their surroundings. Throughout our lives, memories are being made, stored and found by our brain. Links made between our brain cells help us to remember the thoughts, skills, experiences and knowledge that make each of us unique.

Memory can be one of the key issues that affects people with epilepsy. Here's a selection of apps which you may find useful for helping to manage your epilepsy and other related issues.

Download the memory leaflet. Skip to content. Skip to navigation. Site Navigation About epilepsy About epilepsy What is epilepsy? Epileptic seizures Seizure types Diagnosing epilepsy Epilepsy treatment Anti-seizure medication Medication Sodium valproate First aid for epileptic seizures Information for carers Information for parents Teaching children with epilepsy Personal stories Living with epilepsy Living with epilepsy Travel and holidays What help is available?

How epilepsy can affect memory. Seizures Any type of epileptic seizure could potentially affect your memory, either during or after a seizure.

After a seizure You may have difficulty remembering information straight after a seizure. Do anti-epileptic drugs affect memory? Other things that can affect memory Mood and concentration Often the way you feel can affect how well you are able to remember information.

Lack of sleep Tiredness, lack of sleep or feeling unwell can affect concentration and memory. Age As we get older, storing and recalling information can be more difficult.

Surgery Memory problems are frequently reported following surgery for epilepsy. Memory assessments The NHS can provide memory assessments to people with memory problems. It's just a malfunction in that area of the brain. Anyhow, that's probably what's happening to him. They're probably originating in or close to fear area of his brain. If he's conscious during the seizure and is aware of what's going on, try to keep his focus on you by talking to him gently.

The mission of the Epilepsy Foundation is to lead the fight to overcome the challenges of living with epilepsy and to accelerate therapies to stop seizures, find cures, and save lives. Skip to main content. Chat and Community Forums Closed Due to the popularity of social media, we have seen decreasing engagement on our forums and chat.

See all Posts in This Topic. Connect Get Social! New to Epilepsy. Hi, My son is two and started having seizures at 5 months and was diagnosed with epilepsy at a year I am wondering if you can remember after having a seizure if you've had one.

Sometimes my son will have a seizure and it seems that he tries to mimic it after also there are times when they are happening and he seems quite scared during it Sometimes they can be triggered by something, such as feeling very tired. Read about what to do if someone has a seizure. These seizures are sometimes known as "warnings" or "auras" because they can be a sign that another type of seizure is about to happen. During a complex partial seizure, you lose your sense of awareness and make random body movements, such as:.

You will not be able to respond to anyone else during the seizure and you will not have any memory of it. A tonic-clonic seizure, previously known as a "grand mal", is what most people think of as a typical epileptic fit. They happen in 2 stages — an initial "tonic" stage, shortly followed by a second "clonic" stage:.

The seizure normally stops after a few minutes, but some last longer. Afterwards, you may have a headache or difficulty remembering what happened and feel tired or confused.

An absence seizure, which used to be called a "petit mal", is where you lose awareness of your surroundings for a short time. They mainly affect children, but can happen at any age. The seizures usually only last up to 15 seconds and you will not be able to remember them.