-
Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!
My wife had her first seizure
- Thread starter user8503492
- Start date
- Status
killer rin
Member
GraveHorizon
poop meter feature creep
My friend's sister has seizures every now and then, and she'll fall on the ground, scream and convulse, and sometimes hurts herself in the process. She almost never remembers them afterward, but right before they happen she gets real quiet and seems to be spacing out (not too far off from her normal behavior, so hard to catch immediately). Her two toddlers are always greatly distressed when they witness it, and it's tough to see no matter how lame she normally is. I can't even imagine how you must feel, but I hope it all works out for you guys. It sounds like you have a real close family.
Scary shit man, hope all will be well.
What the hell? Where do you live, if you don't mind me asking? That sounds ridiculous.
Its cool, I could use a laugh even at my own expense
My nerves are shot right about now so anything helps rather then dwelling on the replay of the days events.
Weekends in a hospitalBasically nobody could help us cause both hospitals they sent us too were a skeleton crew it looked like. First hospital the ambulance took her too took an X-ray and said they thought she had pneumonia after her chest X-ray showed fluid. They then had her shuttled to another hospital cause that hospital was heart and lung with an emergency room but no neurologist. Then at the hospital with the neurologist he met with her for 10 min and said basically "schedule an appointment for more test" then the doctor attending her said she couldnt bring up the X-rays from the other hospital and wanted to take more and at different angles.
4 hours of waiting after X-Rays the doctor comes back and tells us "Oh our radiologist is off today so I couldnt find one to review them BUT me and 3 other doctors looked at them and dont think its pneumonia but maybe some fluid she swallowed during covulsing or maybe fatty tissue or a shadow of some type"..
My wife was ready to sign herself out and her dad and uncle were ready to fight people lol
What the hell? Where do you live, if you don't mind me asking? That sounds ridiculous.
Anticitizen One
Banned
Hope everything is alright. That does sound scary and your reaction is the same as anyone else would be in that situation.
what i learned about helping people having seizures is to lay them on the floor and let them shake...you can't help them...never put anything in their mouth because, like you witnessed it yourself, you just end up hurting yourself and probably the person having the seizure...lay them on the floor and make sure that they don't choke...you can't really do anything else
is this still state of the art? anyone here knowing this?
i hope your wiife gets well soon
is this still state of the art? anyone here knowing this?
i hope your wiife gets well soon
The Internet
Member
http://www.cdc.gov/epilepsy/basics/first_aid.htm
So ease them to the floor on their side if possible, put something behind their head that's soft, and try to clear any hazards out of the way. Also be calm and reassuring when they start coming to.
Zeouterlimits
Member
OP, I'm very glad she's okay.
This may be obvious and I saw you address it above, but right now could be critical for your son.
When I was 14 I .. experienced my dad having a siezure for the first time. It was horrible. His scream of pain echoes through my head even now, as I frantically called 112. It's an incredibly challenging thing, especially for a kid who thinks of his parents as the most stable rocks of his life.
I hope your kid isn't as freaked / affected as I was, but I hope it's something he can talk about to you or maybe even a counsellor about.
This may be obvious and I saw you address it above, but right now could be critical for your son.
When I was 14 I .. experienced my dad having a siezure for the first time. It was horrible. His scream of pain echoes through my head even now, as I frantically called 112. It's an incredibly challenging thing, especially for a kid who thinks of his parents as the most stable rocks of his life.
I hope your kid isn't as freaked / affected as I was, but I hope it's something he can talk about to you or maybe even a counsellor about.
dude that is horrible... Hang in there, man. Like many others have said, the meds work amazingly well for most people. My sister had one once and was on meds for years. Never had another one. Luckily she was already at the hospital, and it was at night after we had gone home so none of us saw it. She was in a major car accident - airlifted with brain damage and a head injury, comatose for a month and in the hospital for months. She randomly had the seizure a few months into her hospital stay, but hasn't had one since. That was 20 years ago.
My dog used to have them all the time, and we quickly learned that the best thing to do was sit by her, reassure her, make sure she's comfortable and safe. She would usually be distant beforehand, so once she had enough for us to pick up on the patterns, we had some warning. I watched her fall off a huge retaining wall once when I was 10. :/ I still don't know how she survived. After she came out of it, she was a nervous wreck but only because I was so upset. She was still shaking but trying to lick my face.
After that I always was strong for her and was as calm as possible, and she came out of them much easier. Obviously not the same thing as your wife (although my 10 year old self would've disagreed lol - that dog was my best friend for another 16 years after that), but if, god forbid, it ever happens again, remaining calm will only help the situation.Sorry to hear what happened.
You did a great job putting her in the recovery position, the loud 'snoring' you heard when she stopped fitting was most likely her having trouble breathing because her tongue had fallen back into her throat, recovery position negates this, that's why it's so important and taught even to children.
You did a great job putting her in the recovery position, the loud 'snoring' you heard when she stopped fitting was most likely her having trouble breathing because her tongue had fallen back into her throat, recovery position negates this, that's why it's so important and taught even to children.
GraveRobberX
Platinum Trophy: Learned to Shit While Upright Again.
Does your wife's family side have a history of it?
I read the whole post and felt bad for you and especially your son =/
Take care man
I read the whole post and felt bad for you and especially your son =/
Take care man
Race to be King
Banned
So sorry to hear that. I hope she's okay. You did a great job looking after her.
I have epilepsy and it's not much fun. My advice to her would be: if you feel unwell, get on the floor. It doesn't matter where you are, you don't want to hit the deck from a standing position. It really hurts.
I'm guessing they probably put her on Lamictal or Keppra. Lamictal tastes gross.
I have epilepsy and it's not much fun. My advice to her would be: if you feel unwell, get on the floor. It doesn't matter where you are, you don't want to hit the deck from a standing position. It really hurts.
I'm guessing they probably put her on Lamictal or Keppra. Lamictal tastes gross.
Impeccable
Member
Seeing someone have a seizure is possibly one of the scariest things to witness.
One of the worst days of my life was seeing my one year old having a seizure at 5 am. Got woken out of my bed to my wife shrieking to come into my baby's room. Luckily my wife's mother had seizure so she knew what to do but I was so scared.
They do get easier to see if they have more when you realize that they aren't as dangerous as they look (obviously unless they drop and hit themselves or they last a real long time) but it doesn't make it any easier.
I hope everything turns out okay and she gets them under control as soon as possible!
One of the worst days of my life was seeing my one year old having a seizure at 5 am. Got woken out of my bed to my wife shrieking to come into my baby's room. Luckily my wife's mother had seizure so she knew what to do but I was so scared.
They do get easier to see if they have more when you realize that they aren't as dangerous as they look (obviously unless they drop and hit themselves or they last a real long time) but it doesn't make it any easier.
I hope everything turns out okay and she gets them under control as soon as possible!
user8503492
Banned
Thanks everyone, shes much better today. Oddly enough she has a cold now! She came home last night with her nose stuffy and this morning when she woke up she had sinus pressure, a stuffed up nose, and body aches (she attributes that to the seizure plus the fight she put up) First thing I did this morning was get her 2 boxes of tissues, her prescription for Keppra, and some Sudafed (Pharmacist said it would conflict with seizure meds)
It was impossible to sleep last night, constant replay of the episode as well as me laying in bed listening to every breathe she made or questioning every movement she made in her sleep. I'm guessing I passed out at 4am but by 8 I was back up and following her like a hawk.
We spent the day going over info we found on the net as well as talking to my son about seizures as well as having him watch some instructional videos on what to do if by some chance I am not around. Tomorrow we just have to call the neurologist first thing when we wake up and try to get the EEG and other test done ASAP.
Thanks, yes shes doing much better, aside from the cold she suddenly has that is.
And yep, they gave her Keppra. Not sure if it will do the trick or if she will stay on it just yet, all up to the neurologist I guess.
One thing I brought up too her, something she swears has no influence on her seizure, is about a year ago she would have feelings of Deja Vu and start to feel as she was close to a panic attack (nervous feeling, cold sweat etc..) She attribute that to stress and even saw a psychologist, they to said it was stress related. I secretly told the attending doctor behidn her back about these episodes she was having last year, they said they would note it on her chart but no doctor or anyone brought it up again. I dont care tho, when we are in the neurologist office...I'm telling them if she likes it or not. I've read these exact feelings have been linked to seizures but she swears to god I'm over reacting.
Again, thanks everyone for your kind words. For now I'm just gonna watch her like a hawk and try my best to take any stress off her that I can.
Worse part is I'm finally working again for the last 4 months after being laid off for over a year, and I'm praying that taking a few days off to care for her wont cause problems. I work for a school doing custodian/grounds work/maintenance and now there calling for snow tomorrow here in NJ...which means I should be on emergency snow removal call..if it snows I should be their from first snow flake to last, so for me too call out after being their only 4 months has me sick to my stomache worried about her AND my job. When it rains it pours troubles I guess, and in my case I guess when it snows it blizzards. My wife comes first of course so I hope they understand my situation and dont hold this against me as a some what new employee.
It was impossible to sleep last night, constant replay of the episode as well as me laying in bed listening to every breathe she made or questioning every movement she made in her sleep. I'm guessing I passed out at 4am but by 8 I was back up and following her like a hawk.
We spent the day going over info we found on the net as well as talking to my son about seizures as well as having him watch some instructional videos on what to do if by some chance I am not around. Tomorrow we just have to call the neurologist first thing when we wake up and try to get the EEG and other test done ASAP.
New Jersey, good old American health care at its finest :/
Only history she has is her Aunt, and her aunts on experience is one single episode 10 years ago. Her aunts a teacher and was just walkign down the hall of the school and just collapsed. Her aunts first and only seizure and that was 10 years ago.
Thanks, yes shes doing much better, aside from the cold she suddenly has that is.
And yep, they gave her Keppra. Not sure if it will do the trick or if she will stay on it just yet, all up to the neurologist I guess.
One thing I brought up too her, something she swears has no influence on her seizure, is about a year ago she would have feelings of Deja Vu and start to feel as she was close to a panic attack (nervous feeling, cold sweat etc..) She attribute that to stress and even saw a psychologist, they to said it was stress related. I secretly told the attending doctor behidn her back about these episodes she was having last year, they said they would note it on her chart but no doctor or anyone brought it up again. I dont care tho, when we are in the neurologist office...I'm telling them if she likes it or not. I've read these exact feelings have been linked to seizures but she swears to god I'm over reacting.
Again, thanks everyone for your kind words. For now I'm just gonna watch her like a hawk and try my best to take any stress off her that I can.
Worse part is I'm finally working again for the last 4 months after being laid off for over a year, and I'm praying that taking a few days off to care for her wont cause problems. I work for a school doing custodian/grounds work/maintenance and now there calling for snow tomorrow here in NJ...which means I should be on emergency snow removal call..if it snows I should be their from first snow flake to last, so for me too call out after being their only 4 months has me sick to my stomache worried about her AND my job. When it rains it pours troubles I guess, and in my case I guess when it snows it blizzards. My wife comes first of course so I hope they understand my situation and dont hold this against me as a some what new employee.
Glad. Everything calmed down, incredibly scary thing but it sounds like you did the right things.
I was at a flower garden taking photos one day and all of a sudden we heard women screaming for men. I went running to find a girl having a seizure. I rushed over and helped lay her down as she convulsed and holy cow she was probably 100lbs but she felt like 1000. One of the scariest moments of my life, she came out soon after and was so out of it that we called 911.
I was at a flower garden taking photos one day and all of a sudden we heard women screaming for men. I went running to find a girl having a seizure. I rushed over and helped lay her down as she convulsed and holy cow she was probably 100lbs but she felt like 1000. One of the scariest moments of my life, she came out soon after and was so out of it that we called 911.
Rhomega Beta
Member
Back in late 2003, my dad had a seizure. Didn't fling himself out of bed, but he was breathing funny. My mom was in a real panic. He was able to be woken up and walked out with the medics who came by. Nothing has happened since, but he lost memory of the following few weeks.
phosphor112
Banned
Sounds terrifying. I hope things work out.
Her violence is actually more common then you might think. I don't know the physiology behind it but postictal (post seizure) violence is something that does happen.
You can probably ask the attending/resident about it and see if it's something that'll pass and how to cope with it, because it can get pretty severe.
Her violence is actually more common then you might think. I don't know the physiology behind it but postictal (post seizure) violence is something that does happen.
You can probably ask the attending/resident about it and see if it's something that'll pass and how to cope with it, because it can get pretty severe.
user8503492
Banned
Thats one of my biggest worries, my son and I went over the steps on what to do if I'm not home (making sure she on on her side, timign the seizure etc..) but the combative behavior is far to much for him to deal with. When she was going ballistic with me and the EMT's he ran and locked himself in his room out of fear of her, he said "I thought she would throw me across the room!"
They say only call 911 is its the person first seizure or an injury occurs, I told him no matter what if its just him and her alone he is to call 911 as soon as he can after doing what he can to help, and if he has to and if he feels threatened he is to lock him self in a room if need be.
Times like this I'm glad I went against the naysayers and got him his own cell phone for his 10th birthday, I did it cause he his home alone for 45min every day after school but people sure did give me a lot of "your a bad parent!" for buying him a phone at 10...now I'm happy I did! That phone was the actual one that made the 911 call yesterday morning!
RoryDropkick
Member
In December of 2010 I had my first seizure. I was at work and had gone to the bathroom, coming back to my desk I felt really strange and I felt like I had a halo around my head. I sat down at my desk and felt my leg hurt and next thing I knew I was waking up on the floor, surrounded by EMT and my boss telling me I had a seizure. They called my wife and I had to be sent to the emergency room ASAP. I got put on some meds but I stopped because it made me feel too crappy, after that in late January I had my second one, late at night in bed with my wife, and she saw it firsthand for the first time.
To this day they haven't figured out what caused it, I suspect I actually drank too many energy drinks and it freaked my brain out, but I'm no doctor. Also the new medicine has really screwed with my body, I was already big to begin with, about 230, and I'm up to 265 now
To this day they haven't figured out what caused it, I suspect I actually drank too many energy drinks and it freaked my brain out, but I'm no doctor. Also the new medicine has really screwed with my body, I was already big to begin with, about 230, and I'm up to 265 now
Sneaky Gato
Member
Seizures are scary things. When my sister was six months old she contracted bacterial meningitis and had a seizure. She was very lucky to survive since the doctors said that a few more hours and she would have been dead. Anyway for the next four years we had to keep her on anti-seizure medicine and even then she still had a few episodes.
speculawyer
Member
Holy smokes. You can see how people used to think that meant the person was possessed.
matt360
Member
Glad she's ok. That's quite an ordeal to go through. I don't have any kids but the thought of losing my wife scares me to death.
From your initial post talking about your son sleeping in the bed with you guys and being a trooper for calling 911, I was thinking he was like 4 or 5, so I kinda chuckled when you mentioned later that he's 11. But I imagine him seeing his mom like that at an age where he can comprehend what's going on to be all the more frightening. How's he coping?
From your initial post talking about your son sleeping in the bed with you guys and being a trooper for calling 911, I was thinking he was like 4 or 5, so I kinda chuckled when you mentioned later that he's 11. But I imagine him seeing his mom like that at an age where he can comprehend what's going on to be all the more frightening. How's he coping?
Deus Ex Machina
Member
My wife has seizures.. It started with puberty. She was on all type of drugs until her neurologist tried the drug "Keppra". This worked great.
She still have Seizures but they are manageable now.. regulated to blank stares, She use to have grand mal seizures. Those are scary. It sounds like you wife had a grand mal.
One thing I notice with my wife is her seizures happens around her time of the month.. from what I found online researching this., it means its hormonal seizures and most likely Catamenial Epilepsy
She still have Seizures but they are manageable now.. regulated to blank stares, She use to have grand mal seizures. Those are scary. It sounds like you wife had a grand mal.
One thing I notice with my wife is her seizures happens around her time of the month.. from what I found online researching this., it means its hormonal seizures and most likely Catamenial Epilepsy
BlastProcessing
Member
My best to you and your wife. That sounds horrible. Don't accept the doctors "stress" diagnosis as gospel. When Doctors don't have an answer they like to blame the patient. You probably already will, but follow up with neurologists who know what they are doing.
That said, I hope it was a one time thing and never happens to her again. I cared for an Uncle with a brain tumor and seizures are terrifying and you feel helpless while they are happening.
That said, I hope it was a one time thing and never happens to her again. I cared for an Uncle with a brain tumor and seizures are terrifying and you feel helpless while they are happening.
StopMakingSense
Member
Yeah, Keppra was an absolute life saver for my epileptic cat. At her worst, she was having seizures nearly daily, and she's completely seizure-free on Keppra. Watching our cat have grand mal-like seizures was beyond heartbreaking. Just have to be incredibly on wrt giving her her Keppra, as missing a dose will trigger a seizure within a few hours.
user8503492
Banned
He's coping really well, he had a crying breakdown last night when we first got home after being a rock all day. We sat with him and talked it out as well as today reviewing info on seizures and such. Yeah, little monster is 11 and still finds his way into my bed from time to time. That night was the USMNT game so he passed out watching the game with my wife, plus me working 4pm-12am leaves my side of the bed open for quite a few hours, so some times he will find his way into my spot to watch some TV with my wife before bed. I dont move him tho even at 11 cause its nice some nights to cuddle him, its a great change from the day to day pre-teen angst of "dont hug/kiss/say you love me in public!". I'm on the last few months/years of him being my "little guy" and being able to cuddle him...pretty soon I'll have a full blown teen then a man and I'll never get these chances again.
peanutbutterlatte
Member
I had no idea seizures made people act out that way, is that common? Absolutely terrifying. Definitely talk it over with your son, it's important he knows she didn't choose to act that way.
FalconSabre
Member
Very glad to hear your wife was alright. I can't even imagine going through that as it happens. Hopefully it was a one time thing and never happens again.
phosphor112
Banned
Don't worry about people judging you. I mean.. lol don't spoil your kid, but it sounds like you're a good parent (and husband) so don't sweat it. ;].
Anyway, sudden onset seizures happens in some.. low percentage, like 3% of people. It's often not identified in testing because so many things can trigger it. Hopefully this was just a rare occasion.
I hope things get better. If you want, there are... thousands of things you can look up online that can trigger seizures. Try noting any change of diet or anything or sleeping patterns. You know the most apparent things. Has she had a flu recently? Etc. Take note of these changes.
I'm really, really sorry I didn't read the full OP, but there's someone with seizures in my life, though it's not a full-blown epileptic disorder; they just kind of happen randomly. But it's been controlled with medication. They don't have seizures anymore as long as they take their medication, so your wife's case may be the same way and you won't have to worry about it anymore. It's definitely very scary the first time it happens though. I know that feel.
Edit: I read it now. The violence is unique, I think, but in general, I know what you're going through. It's extremely scary. You all will get through this though.
Edit: I read it now. The violence is unique, I think, but in general, I know what you're going through. It's extremely scary. You all will get through this though.
GungHo
Single-handedly caused Exxon-Mobil to sue FOX, start World War 3
I have seen the post-seizure violence. I've even been injured during it when a friend of mine seized in high school during a camping/hiking expedition (laceration on rocks). We ended up injuring him in return (dislocated his shoulder) when we were trying to restrain him. I've seen some crazy shit since then, but nothing so... animalistic. I really thought he was going to kill us or we were gonna kill him. Turns out he knew he had the seizures but his family never told anyone.
IAmtheFMan
Member
This could absolutely be a seizure aura. Mention this to your neurologist. Auras can be warning signs of an incoming seizure since they are basically extremely focal seizures themselves which may or may not spread to more parts of the brain that can manifest itself as events such as staring episodes (complex partials) or a generalized tonic-clonic which is what you witnessed. De ja vu is an extremely common aura, but other ones can be butterflies in the stomach, smells, numbness or tingling, or visual symptoms too.
The post-ictal agitation is somewhat common. Usually patients are just very fatigued and just need to rest which can last a few minutes to hours, to days with older patients. The thing is, don't forcefully restrain when this happens as this can make the agitation worse.
- Status