Connect with others who understand.

  •   Learn from expert-reviewed resources
  •   Real advice from people who’ve been there
  •   People who understand what you’re going through
Sign Up Log In
All Resources Treatments A-Z Personal Assistant Help Center Crisis
Powered By
Real members of MyEpilepsyTeam have posted questions and answers that support our community guidelines, and should not be taken as medical advice. Looking for the latest medically reviewed content by doctors and experts? Visit our resource section.

For those with focal seizures, if a focal seizure can be an aura, are there auras before the aura?

A MyEpilepsyTeam Member asked a question 💭
Atlanta, GA

I use epsy to log my patterns and my pattern has historically been: stomach drop, intense doom and deja vu but, now I am wondering could the historic focals be my auras now for when they generalize? Has anyone else experienced anything similar? Thanks and blessings to all.

March 28
 · 
Reactions
A MyEpilepsyTeam Member

When my seizures started at a young age they would always just be with no warning. This type activity took place for many years. Then suddenly the change occurred when there would be a certain scent or taste come about before the seizure in my case.
When aura activity did begin the seizure activity changed with it as they were more mellow and not as intense.

This took place a few times over the years with the seizure activity changes. It was similar to a roller coaster the best way to describe as all seemed to be improving then a change came along raising questions as the seizure activity increased as well as changed.

It wasn’t until the brain surgery in 1995 when the actual activity could be measured and seen for the first time. The activity was measured once again and determined to be on both sides not just one in 2011 for Deep Brain Stimulator device.

March 29
A MyEpilepsyTeam Member

Yes---
I have---

March 28
MyEpilepsyTeam

Can there be warning signs before an aura, and could your focal seizures now be auras for generalized seizures?

Yes, what you're experiencing makes sense. An aura is actually a focal aware seizure itself. When you remain aware during these episodes with the stomach drop, doom, and déjà vu, that's the focal aware seizure Show Full Answer

Can there be warning signs before an aura, and could your focal seizures now be auras for generalized seizures?

Yes, what you're experiencing makes sense. An aura is actually a focal aware seizure itself. When you remain aware during these episodes with the stomach drop, doom, and déjà vu, that's the focal aware seizure (aura). If these then progress into a more serious seizure where you lose awareness or have convulsions, the aura was the beginning of that larger seizure event.

Some people do experience prodromes before their auras—these are subjective feelings that can occur before a seizure starts. Common prodromes include:

* Confusion
* Irritability or anxiety
* Mood disturbances
* Headache
* Tremor

So yes, it's possible to have warning feelings before the aura itself begins. What you're describing is a common pattern

Your historic focal seizures could indeed now be serving as auras when they generalize. The focal aware seizure starts in one area of the brain, and if the electrical activity spreads throughout the brain, it becomes a generalized tonic-clonic seizure.

A MyEpilepsyTeam member described it similarly: experiencing "a rising feeling in their stomach" or sudden fear as their warning sign before the seizure progresses. Another member shared experiencing "a strong, out-of-body feeling that I've been here, done this before, followed by a feeling of foreboding and anxiety."

Your symptoms of stomach drop, intense doom, and déjà vu are classic aura experiences that many people report before their seizures progress.

March 28

Related Questions

View All

Does having an aura but not having a full seizure count as staying seizure free?

A MyEpilepsyTeam Member asked a question 💭
Huntington Beach, CA
July 12, 2023

Treatments for Focal Seizures
Types of Focal Seizures
Questions To Ask Your Doctor About Focal Seizures