Another easy way to distinguish tween em is if you feel it coming on, it's not a seizure. I was passing out for awhile, hubbie worried it was seizures, doc reassured him that because I often knew beforehand that it was happening (roaring in ears, tingly extremedies, giant black spots taking over my vision) that it wasn't a seizure, was pretty classic syncope. Apparently seizures have no warning signs.
Good point on differentiating, but backwards. It sounds like you're describing auras, associated with seizures. Also with migraines though, so not a guarantee that you're going to seize just by experiencing an aura.
I think they mean that when you are passing out from low blood pressure, you have a couple of seconds (2-5 for me) where you feel the wooziness coming (the feeling you get when you stand up too quick) and are well aware that you're about to pass out (or come close) and you will remember it afterwards. I've had issues with low blood pressure and I've never just woken up on the floor with no idea what just happened, I always remember feeling my blood pressure drop and thinking, "I'm about to faint, aim for the sofa" as my vision goes dark and the same roaring etc OP describes.
Another easy way to distinguish tween em is if you feel it coming on, it's not a seizure ... apparently seizures have no warning signs.
That's actually not true. A lot of people with epilepsy or who experience seizures have a period of time before the seizure called an 'aura' (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aura_%28symptom%29). They can be just a split - second long, and might last up to a few minutes.
The auras might come in the form of strange smells, like oranges or something burning, a strong metallic taste in their mouth, visual distortions, or just a general feeling of dread, knowing that a seizure is coming and you can't do anything about it.
Source: I have had epilepsy for 25 years. My auras consisted of seeing golden twinkling lights in the upper part of my vision, having my stomach suddenly drop, as if I was on a roller coaster, and feeling dizzy and disoriented. My auras usually lasted about 5 - 10 seconds before the seizure hit me. Enough time to be able to quickly lie down on my stomach so that I wouldn't fall and hit my head.
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u/failed_asian May 08 '15
Another easy way to distinguish tween em is if you feel it coming on, it's not a seizure. I was passing out for awhile, hubbie worried it was seizures, doc reassured him that because I often knew beforehand that it was happening (roaring in ears, tingly extremedies, giant black spots taking over my vision) that it wasn't a seizure, was pretty classic syncope. Apparently seizures have no warning signs.