Sleep seizure? Video included
 

OK I just realized that I can upload video links here. Symptoms include a month and a half straight of these jerks every time I fall asleep as well as my head shaking back and forth like it is saying "no" very forcefully and violently. More scary for me is that now I have daytime tremors and small muscle twitches when resting.



Since a picture is worth a thousand words, thoughts and/or advice would be welcome. The jerks start around 4:35 -

Thanks!
Matt

What I saw in the video (I sat through the whole thing) conforms to the hypnic jerks I described that I get.

(emphasis mine)

I don't mean to discount you—only to help; are you under any unusual stress (work, domestic, financial, emotional, other health—including obsessing/preoccupied with these jerks)? In my own case, I'm very familiar with the snowballing/vicious cycle effect of anxiety/stress, insomnia, pain, depression, and other factors can have, and the sometimes weird symptoms that can manifest. I can see how hypnic jerks could spill over into wakefulness.

This doesn't mean I think it's not worth pursuing medically. We're not doctors here—just folks who've been through some things (some more than others) and a lot of sharing/reading/learning.

Doc

I am under quite a bit of stress - just graduated college and am living with fiancé's parents. I am not upset with the assumption that it could be stress related - I too have considered this.

And super thank you for watching the video!!:) To be frank, you are the one person who has helped more than any (although many other have too, and I deeply appreciate them all), so my sincere and heartfelt thanks. You are also exactly right about the snowball effect - what started as bad sleep stressed me out, which then made the jerks worse, which then led to less sleep and more stress.

If you wouldn't mind, could you tell me what your symptoms are and how they manifest? I know everyone jerks and twitches in their sleep to some extent, yet I am fairly convinced that these movements are more severe than others. This is one reason that I made the video - to show doctors and those who could help what happens every time I fall asleep and to see if others have had similar experiences.

I also read on a different reply of yours that you'd seen several neuros. Was it for these symptoms? I kind of hope you have had some success in the past with overcoming these symptoms, or even better getting an explanation (although I did just see the part about them happening randomly in healthy people). Honestly, not knowing what is causing them IS A MAJOR part of the stress now. Second to this is not knowing if I do have a medical condition that I should take care of, or if I am searching for an answer in vain.

I've said thanks many times, but once more THANK YOU!

Matt

It's common (normal?) to perceive things more severe/serious when they affect us personally.

My experiences have been pretty textbook, and I never really thought—much less worried—much about them before now. On the occasions it happens, when I'm dropping off to sleep (doesn't matter if I'm prone or sitting), I get a sensation of falling that causes me to jerk awake. Sometimes I grab at something to try to catch myself. I think it's only natural to get a little shot of adrenaline when falling. Sometimes there's a feeling of nausea; I don't know if that's a response to the adrenaline or some other brain chemistry, or just tied to the fight or flight response to the falling sensation. This can happen several times in succession. When I'm sitting up (falling asleep in front of the tube) I get up and go to bed. When I'm in bed, it's often tied to my apnea, so I make sure I get comfortable & adjust the cpap mask. If I have to, I'll get up for 20 min - an hour.

I watched several other videos of people who either said they were having myoclonic seizures or asking if they were. I've got no expertise/training in this, but in the majority of the videos I watched, I couldn't see anything different than the typical jerking/movement one does when (falling) asleep.

I'm not saying this is what's going on with you, but I'd like you to think about/consider it, then decide for yourself (if you haven't already). Most of the folks who find their way here (myself included) are understandably freaked out by whatever is going wrong, but some also become obsessed to the point of their fear/obsession becoming worse than the underlying cause/symptoms. It's difficult to think about things logically/rationally when you can't get enough good sleep to balance/normalize brain chemistry. ;)

The neuros I've seen have not been for sleep issues, though I have had a sleep study; I have obstructive apnea and use a cpap machine. I also get insomnia quite often. The neuros I've seen have been for chronic headaches/migraines, and later on for peripheral neuropathy.

Doc

Hi Matt,
Check out your messages.

Sue