Typically a person with a seizure disorder may experience warning signs that indicate a seizure is beginning:

• Light headedness
• Strange taste in mouth
• Abnormal smells
• Déjà vu
• Nausea
• Numbness

Examples of the symptoms that may occur during a seizure include:

• Blackout
• Confusion
• Deafness
• Electric shock
• Loss of feeling
• Loss of consciousness
• Visual blurring/loss of sight
• Grinding or chewing movements
• Convulsion
• Difficulty talking
• Rolling eyes
• Inability to move
• Stiffening
• Staring
• Sweating
• Teeth clenching
• Tongue biting
• Tremors
• Twitching movements
• Heart racing
  

The time period after the seizure has completed is called the postictal period. Some of the symptoms of the postictal phase are:

• Confusion
• Fear
• Memory loss
• Depression
• Difficulty talking
• Difficulty writing
• Headache
• Nausea
• Pain
• Frustration
• Exhaustion
  

If a seizure is witnessed it is important to pay close attention to all of the symptoms and events that occur during the phases of the seizure. In addition to the symptoms, it is important to keep track of how long the seizure occurs. The person who experienced the seizure will frequently experience memory loss and not remember anything about the seizure. Keeping track of the symptoms and timing will help the physician understand the seizure episodes better.