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What's your postictal state like?

Fri, 07/26/2013 - 11:02

Hi everyone!

A few years ago, I was diagnosed with epilepsy--complex partial seizures. To cope, I wrote a novel about someone who suffers fom epilepsy. Now, I'm trying to revise said novel, and I need some help. My character has grand mal (tonic-clonic) seizures from time to time, and I want to make sure I got his postictal state just right. I want this to be realistic because I would like to get it published one day. After all, how can we spread awareness if we don't spread the truth?

I have postictal states that consist of a small bit of confusion, nausea, and a headache. However, those are after seizures that are only about ten seconds long. I would like to know what YOUR postictal state is like. If you have grand mals, are you able to function afterward? Are you sleepy? Do you have to take a nap or are you able to continue about your day? Do you know what happened as soon as you wake up? Do any of you need assistance after a grand mal? These are the questions I would like to have answered.

Thanks so much for all of your help! Take care of yourselves. 

Lina

Comments

Re: What's your postictal state like?

Submitted by Allina on Fri, 2013-07-26 - 21:05

Haha, I suppose I'm more of a fiction gal.

I was told once that you can think of a complex partial like an absence seizure (petit mal) for adults. I suppose once you pass 18 and you are still having petit mal, they turn to complex partials. 

I get auras too. Sometimes I get a really crazy deja vu, other times it's just a "feeling" like I will just "know" it's going to happen. Pretty interesting stuff!

Thanks for all of your help! :)

Haha, I suppose I'm more of a fiction gal.

I was told once that you can think of a complex partial like an absence seizure (petit mal) for adults. I suppose once you pass 18 and you are still having petit mal, they turn to complex partials. 

I get auras too. Sometimes I get a really crazy deja vu, other times it's just a "feeling" like I will just "know" it's going to happen. Pretty interesting stuff!

Thanks for all of your help! :)

Re: What's your postictal state like?

Submitted by just_joe on Fri, 2013-08-02 - 09:15

fiction is good    I like good fiction

petit mals can be auras or deja vu they are kinda like a space in time. I have had those most of my life and my complex partial are more like focal motor that don't go into the convulsion which I have had since day one. The complex partials I have start in my hand and it won't do what I want I have no control. Now back in the 1960's those were there but if my are went up to shoulder level I went into a convulsion which once it started would go to m complete body and they looked like grand mal but in those I could see, hear, and knew what was going on around me.

 I have more of your I just konw seizures. They last split seconds to a few but I focus really fast and many people would not know I had one if I was even talking to them. I worked in a call center and I have had those while ttalking to someone of the phone.  The ones I watch the most are the ones that effect my hand because those are the ones that can go into a full blown convulaion

Believe me they aren't fun. Especially when your young and you hear one of your friend say "EWWWW I  don't wanna be around him anymore"

Everytime I saw Jake coming my way I went another and I did that for a few days. Then he spun me around becasue he came up behind me. His questions was "Why are you avoiding me" My answer was "You are the person that doesn't want to be around me" He asked where I had gotten that" I told him I heard it when I was in the seizure. He stated he didn't mean it. I told him he did when he said it. I explained that epilepsy is a handicap that can't be seen and memntiond several people that were handicaped that he knew ans was friends with and told him the only difference was you could see their glasses,wheel chair hearing aid. We talked several times with him asking questions and I answered them the best I could. I then had the freind and kinda protector. He would clear people away tell one to get the nurse and was a great friend.

fiction is good    I like good fiction

petit mals can be auras or deja vu they are kinda like a space in time. I have had those most of my life and my complex partial are more like focal motor that don't go into the convulsion which I have had since day one. The complex partials I have start in my hand and it won't do what I want I have no control. Now back in the 1960's those were there but if my are went up to shoulder level I went into a convulsion which once it started would go to m complete body and they looked like grand mal but in those I could see, hear, and knew what was going on around me.

 I have more of your I just konw seizures. They last split seconds to a few but I focus really fast and many people would not know I had one if I was even talking to them. I worked in a call center and I have had those while ttalking to someone of the phone.  The ones I watch the most are the ones that effect my hand because those are the ones that can go into a full blown convulaion

Believe me they aren't fun. Especially when your young and you hear one of your friend say "EWWWW I  don't wanna be around him anymore"

Everytime I saw Jake coming my way I went another and I did that for a few days. Then he spun me around becasue he came up behind me. His questions was "Why are you avoiding me" My answer was "You are the person that doesn't want to be around me" He asked where I had gotten that" I told him I heard it when I was in the seizure. He stated he didn't mean it. I told him he did when he said it. I explained that epilepsy is a handicap that can't be seen and memntiond several people that were handicaped that he knew ans was friends with and told him the only difference was you could see their glasses,wheel chair hearing aid. We talked several times with him asking questions and I answered them the best I could. I then had the freind and kinda protector. He would clear people away tell one to get the nurse and was a great friend.

Re: What's your postictal state like?

Submitted by MDenise on Thu, 2013-08-01 - 23:59
I'll be happy to describe mine.  I have grand mal seizures, and after one, I would be unconscious so that someone witnessing the seizure has difficulty waking me up.  I would be out like this for several minutes, and appearing to be dying because I won't respond.  I may be confused at first when I wake up.  I recover quickly.  I just had a seizure a few days ago, witnessed by my sister.  My first seizure was in April 2008 at the age of 29, and they couldn't find a cause for it.  I have been on medication for seizures.

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