Hello,

I was first diagnosed with petit mal seizures when I was five years old. I was having them VERY frequently (at one point it was at least three an hour). I seemed to grow out of them when I was in the fifth grade and was taken off of medication.

When I was in the sixth grade, my dad and I were rear ended. My seizures returned after the car accident and took another three years to go away again. I was seizure free for another two and a half years.

My dad and I were once again rear ended a few months ago by a drunk driver. I was diagnosed with a concussion, bruised ribs, and muscle damage to the neck and back at the hospital emergency room.

I haven't noticed any petit mal seizures since the accident, however something strange has been happening. Nearly every night I will be sleeping, then suddenly wake up feeling like I can't breathe with my heart pounding, my arms and legs jerking and shaking all over the place for a bit and I become very dizzy. Soon, the jerking slows down and stops and I am so exhausted that I go back to sleep, completely confused. I wake up with a clenched jaw and my tongue is often sore a few hours later. Is this normal after concussions, or could I be having seizures in my sleep? I hate to make a big deal out of nothing, but I'm a bit scared by it happening.