{Current issue is below in red.}
Patter was diagnosed with epilepsy when she was just over a year old. She's now 6.5yo.
She's only ever had focal seizures, but they began lasting for over a minute and up to 10x a day by the time she was put on meds.
They have been fairly well-controlled since 2018. (She was 4yo) She still has them once in a while, but they are brief and I can usually bring her back by touching her and talking to her.
Six months ago, I saw her have a "staring seizure." After that first "episode" went on for over an hour, I asked our vet for some diazepam, "just in case." She needed some twice in the first month, not at all since.
I have noticed the stares off and on. There seems to be more recently, but that could be that I'm on alert for them. They're not brief 2 - 3 second things. She stares, comes back for a second or two and then stares more, totally unaware, for minutes at a time. They seem to affect her harder than the focals do. Maybe cuz they're newer and so scarier?? IDK.
now, my concern/questions
Patter usually sleeps snuggled against me for at least part of the night. I sleep with a pillow between my knees, she sleeps on the rest of the pillow, in the crook of my legs, and uses my thigh as a pillow. It's a nice little nest.
When Patter is ready for bed, she. is. ready.
She picks her spot, plops down + that's it. No messing around.
Except last night. I turned the light off and she came + jumped into bed, on her part of the pillow. Then she started to kind of squirm around, kneading, squirm, flopped herself over, squirm, knead, flop. flop.
The first "squirm flop" I thought she was telling me I hadn't fixed her pillow adequately. But she kept doing it. Over and over. It was too dark to see her and I couldn't reach the light switch, so I lay there thinking WHAT is happening?! and WHAT do I do ... if anything??
I reached my hand down to pat her like I do with her focal/staring seizures and she forcefully shoved my hand away with a back foot. But she didn't stop "squirm flopping."
This went on for prob'ly around a minute. (aka forever) Then she went to sleep.
Today she's acted like she does after a long focal or staring seizure. Kind of weirded out. Sleeping more than usual. Wants extra attention. Starving. She prob'ly ate 3x what she normally does.
Seizure, right? But was it a convulsion? Was she in danger? What should I do if it happens again? The part where she pushed my hand away has me confused ...
I know this is most likely a "keep a close eye on her" thing. But it's got me really weirded out and a bit worried. Is her epilepsy worsening??
Moving the light switch closer to the bed!
eta: she's on zonisamide, 50mg 3x/daily and keppra 125mg 3x/daily
Last edited:
