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"Post-ictal" confusion
Wed, 01/07/2009 - 00:06Hey all,
Most of you don't know me, but, as I stated in my introductory thread, I'm new to all of this (Holy pleonasm, Batman!).
The first time I ever witnessed a seizure was during my video EEG in November. Naturally, I saw quite a number of them over the next few nights.
What has stuck with me wasn't necessarily the seizures themselves. It was the period afterwards. The doctors and nurses would begin asking a series of question to the teenager in the bed next to me. I'm sure some of you are familiar with the routine:
"What's your name?"
"David." He got that one right.
"Do you know where you are?"
"September...19th. Or 20th. I think."
So David was capable of responding to verbal cues, but he wasn't actually able to comprehend them. He knew he was being asked general questions, but he didn't know what he was being asked.
Essentially -- I think -- his brain wasn't really functioning, at least not at anything resembling a normal level for him. While it was in the process of recovering, David's brain had created a limited level of awareness. He wasn't in a seizure state, he wasn't back to normal, he was sort of in the middle somewhere, almost as if it was a survivalistic instinct. His brain had developed a third state.
The mere fact that some of you have gone through this so many times that your brain reacts this way is heart breaking. It was by far the most devastating realization of my four day stay in the hospital.
I hope this is not a breach of etiqutte as, again, I'm new to this and only suffer from absence seizures, but is this what it's really like for a lot of you? What is that recovery period like? How does all of that compare to the seizures themselves?
Comments
Re: "Post-ictal" confusion
Submitted by skillefer on Wed, 2009-01-21 - 12:54
Re: "Post-ictal" confusion
Submitted by tlh64 on Sun, 2009-08-09 - 23:25
I know how all of you feel. I have complex partials. I remember nothing about the seizure itself. I know that I do have some confusion afterwards, but have no memory of most of it. I am greatful that I have no memory of this time period and all the odd things I do. While I can laugh at some of the things I have been told I did during this time period, I think that actually remembering doing these things would be painful.
Almost 3 years ago, I had a seizure while cooking some pasta for my lunch. Based on my wounds, I figured that I was probably just about to take the pot off of the stove when the seizur happened. In my confused state, I must have grabbed the pot itself and not the handle. I then must have poured the boiling water down my left arm,with the water soaking into my clothes. I came to with my hand hurting and could not figure out why. Then my arm started hurting and then my left abdomin. It took a little while to figure out why. After I did make figure out what had happened, I called 911. I had 1st and 2nd degree burns on my arm and right hand and 2nd degree burns on my left abdomin. I was in the hospital for 3 days.
I have noticed that a lot of people compare the post-ictal period to a computer rebooting after a breakdown . I think this is a great comparasion. You have some basic functions, but the higher ones are not up to full speed yet.
Ever since I have been on my current dose of medication, the post ictal periods have been milder and shorter. Thankfully, I have gone about 5 months without a complex partial.
I know how all of you feel. I have complex partials. I remember nothing about the seizure itself. I know that I do have some confusion afterwards, but have no memory of most of it. I am greatful that I have no memory of this time period and all the odd things I do. While I can laugh at some of the things I have been told I did during this time period, I think that actually remembering doing these things would be painful.
Almost 3 years ago, I had a seizure while cooking some pasta for my lunch. Based on my wounds, I figured that I was probably just about to take the pot off of the stove when the seizur happened. In my confused state, I must have grabbed the pot itself and not the handle. I then must have poured the boiling water down my left arm,with the water soaking into my clothes. I came to with my hand hurting and could not figure out why. Then my arm started hurting and then my left abdomin. It took a little while to figure out why. After I did make figure out what had happened, I called 911. I had 1st and 2nd degree burns on my arm and right hand and 2nd degree burns on my left abdomin. I was in the hospital for 3 days.
I have noticed that a lot of people compare the post-ictal period to a computer rebooting after a breakdown . I think this is a great comparasion. You have some basic functions, but the higher ones are not up to full speed yet.
Ever since I have been on my current dose of medication, the post ictal periods have been milder and shorter. Thankfully, I have gone about 5 months without a complex partial.
Re: "Post-ictal" confusion
Submitted by bunnydog on Sun, 2009-08-09 - 16:43
Hi, meshee - I am new here and am just checking out the site. I am 42 with grand-mal seizures from a brain tumor & multiple surgeries. I am curious: how did it go with your law suit with the police? Years ago I had a seizure while I was driving and crashed my van (not badly, thank god). Somebody called an ambulance. When I came to I was being slapped & bashed by the police who apparently thought I was on drugs. I never did anything about it because I had worse things to worry about, but I have always thought that I should have taken legal action. How did yours turn out? Where do you live?
thanks
-bunnydog
Hi, meshee - I am new here and am just checking out the site. I am 42 with grand-mal seizures from a brain tumor & multiple surgeries. I am curious: how did it go with your law suit with the police? Years ago I had a seizure while I was driving and crashed my van (not badly, thank god). Somebody called an ambulance. When I came to I was being slapped & bashed by the police who apparently thought I was on drugs. I never did anything about it because I had worse things to worry about, but I have always thought that I should have taken legal action. How did yours turn out? Where do you live?
thanks
-bunnydog