That sounds really frightening, and it makes complete sense to feel scared — especially waking up alone and not knowing what just happened. Take a breath. You're okay right now, and reaching out was absolutely the right thing to do.
What you're describing — the strange stomach feeling, unusual taste, dizziness, and feeling Show Full Answer
That sounds really frightening, and it makes complete sense to feel scared — especially waking up alone and not knowing what just happened. Take a breath. You're okay right now, and reaching out was absolutely the right thing to do.
What you're describing — the strange stomach feeling, unusual taste, dizziness, and feeling detached from yourself — can actually be signs of a nocturnal seizure or a seizure that happened as you were waking up. These are known as auras or focal aware seizures, and they're more common than many people realize.
Some clues that a nighttime seizure may have occurred include:
- Unusual taste or smell
- Stomach rising feeling (called a "rising epigastric sensation")
- Dizziness or confusion upon waking
- Feeling like you're not yourself (called dissociation)
- Morning tiredness, night sweats, or unexplained soreness It's really important to let your neurologist or healthcare team know what happened today, even if you're unsure whether it was a seizure. They may want to review your treatment plan or discuss monitoring options.
Since your husband isn't always home, it might be worth asking your doctor about nighttime seizure monitors. These can detect unusual movement during sleep and send alerts — giving both of you more peace of mind.
You're not alone in feeling this fear. A MyEpilepsyTeam member shared, "I am afraid to sleep because I am afraid I will shake while sleeping again. But I am gonna be strong and face my fears." That kind of courage is real, and so is yours. 💙
September 1
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