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"Post-ictal" confusion

Wed, 01/07/2009 - 00:06

Hey 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 Azari on Fri, 2009-11-27 - 04:24

Apparently after a tonic-clonic seizure, my brain kind of stops functioning for a bit. My parents told me that for about 3 hours I asked them "what happened?" and they would tell me I had a seizure, then about two seconds later I'd ask what had happened again. At one point I seemed to have grasped this fact and got pissed off for about a minute (I vaguely remember that, lol), and then after 3 hours I suddenly "snapped back" and was aware of what was going on around me.

The seizure lasted about a minute or two, but the fact that I was out of it for 3 hours kind of scares me. Sometimes I'm just tired, other times I fall asleep, but other than that nothing seems to come of it. I don't get stiff 'til the next day, though =D In relation to the seizure...? Recovery was worse, because I had 3 hours of missing time =p

Apparently after a tonic-clonic seizure, my brain kind of stops functioning for a bit. My parents told me that for about 3 hours I asked them "what happened?" and they would tell me I had a seizure, then about two seconds later I'd ask what had happened again. At one point I seemed to have grasped this fact and got pissed off for about a minute (I vaguely remember that, lol), and then after 3 hours I suddenly "snapped back" and was aware of what was going on around me.

The seizure lasted about a minute or two, but the fact that I was out of it for 3 hours kind of scares me. Sometimes I'm just tired, other times I fall asleep, but other than that nothing seems to come of it. I don't get stiff 'til the next day, though =D In relation to the seizure...? Recovery was worse, because I had 3 hours of missing time =p

Re: "Post-ictal" confusion

Submitted by maBenzi on Fri, 2009-11-27 - 05:18

Perfectly normal. What ?  OK say you break or sprain an ankle...You can go boogeing whole night ? It needs to recover before you can do the moonwalk!

So will the medics stop being unbelievably stupid about the damn recovery phase.

They actually make it worse and all Brain is doing is asking for some damn peace and quiet.

I normally want to say Fuck off. I am not ready to speak yet. Come back later if you are looking for conversation.

The vouyerism is unbearable. There was nothing wrong with David. The humane thing is to fill him in!

Believe me, he will know if he has missed out on something. I had status epilepticus. I woke up in ICU and asked the questions first! What day is it? Monday...I had lost Sunday and most of Saturday. Wow, clever brain me.

There are no alternative states....merely recovery....and we are not to be made fun of.

In my recovered state I will decimate you with my intelligence.

And don't tell me my condition breaks your heart. No pity needed. Empathy, yes. You don't know when you can take a turn for the worse. I speak from experience.

Perfectly normal. What ?  OK say you break or sprain an ankle...You can go boogeing whole night ? It needs to recover before you can do the moonwalk!

So will the medics stop being unbelievably stupid about the damn recovery phase.

They actually make it worse and all Brain is doing is asking for some damn peace and quiet.

I normally want to say Fuck off. I am not ready to speak yet. Come back later if you are looking for conversation.

The vouyerism is unbearable. There was nothing wrong with David. The humane thing is to fill him in!

Believe me, he will know if he has missed out on something. I had status epilepticus. I woke up in ICU and asked the questions first! What day is it? Monday...I had lost Sunday and most of Saturday. Wow, clever brain me.

There are no alternative states....merely recovery....and we are not to be made fun of.

In my recovered state I will decimate you with my intelligence.

And don't tell me my condition breaks your heart. No pity needed. Empathy, yes. You don't know when you can take a turn for the worse. I speak from experience.

Re: "Post-ictal" confusion

Submitted by iastein on Sun, 2010-08-29 - 19:41
I am changing seizure types, I think, maybe,is possible. Fri am fell backward and now we are again trying to figure if seizure or something else. This time I was confused for several hours. Thurs night was doing crossword and then was doing crosswords with wet pants and bruises. Must have been a rough crossword. first diagnosis in 92, another last year. Am told that seizure types don't change. This one seems to be, or perhaps has finally driven me crazy and I am making it up. Used to be that I would come around quickly. Don't know, don't remember. Was told this. Is twice that I was confused for a long time. Used to be 5 min max. past seizure choice was simple partial with a few complex tossed in. Now no fun little simples but is complex and I pass out. Might be a different kind, don't know, don't remember.(teehee) Maybe we could get island somewhere and no questions asked? anytime, about anything. My favorite is when neuros ask 'What happens during amnesia?'

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