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I think I just had a seizure??!!??

Sun, 05/20/2012 - 20:56
Topic: Diagnostic Dilemmas and Testing
Okay so I'm 15 years old, I'm a girl, and I'm typically very healthy. I eat super healthy and I exercise a lot, I don't know if that makes a difference at all..I don't know what happened. And I'm so scared. So I get really frequent head rushes, or at least that's what I think they are...When I stand up sometimes my vision blacks out and my legs or my arms start to shake and I can't keep my balance. I have never fallen down before until now because usually I grab onto something to hold myself up. Today I got up to go to the bathroom and I was fine walking there. I don't remember if this happened before or after I went to the bathroom. It's kind of cloudy in my mind. My bathroom is really tiny, not the best place for this to happen. So I got there and then my vision went black and I felt like I was having a head rush, so I was really dizzy and my legs were shaking. But then my legs gave out and I fell on the ground and my whole body was shaking. I think I was sitting against the wall and then I jerked my head back (involuntarily) and slammed it into the wall. My arm whipped against the sink (I have a bruise now) and my legs were kicking the door. I still couldn't see anything when this happened. I don't really know how long this went on, it felt like a while but it might have just been a minute or so. When it finally ended and my vision came back I was trembling and I felt really weak. I got up and then everything was okay except that my head hurt and the places where I had hit the sink and the walls (like on my arms and my legs) hurt a little too. But other than that everything went back to normal. I don't remember it perfectly, but I remember the basics of what happened and what I hit and stuff. I just couldn't see anything. Was that a seizure? Or just some weird freak out moment? I also just thought maybe this had something to do with it, I dont know..But I also have an irregularly fast heartbeat, and sometimes it speeds up at random moments and then slows down. But other than that, mostly everything with me is normal, I think.

Comments

Re: I think I just had a seizure??!!??

Submitted by Nerak95 on Tue, 2012-05-22 - 22:39
My first thoughts that this could be something like hypotension or hypoglycemia rather than a seizure.  Since you mentioned that you have an irregular heartbeat, it could also be syncope.  A visit to your family physician would be in order as soon as possible to avoid injury should these episodes happen again and/or while driving.
Karen
My first thoughts that this could be something like hypotension or hypoglycemia rather than a seizure.  Since you mentioned that you have an irregular heartbeat, it could also be syncope.  A visit to your family physician would be in order as soon as possible to avoid injury should these episodes happen again and/or while driving.
Karen

Re: I think I just had a seizure??!!??

Submitted by jcroper on Wed, 2012-05-23 - 12:49

I second Nerak95, in that hypoglycemia and hypotension can be a factor in seizures (as can hypertension, which I would suspect more than hypotension if your heartbeat is generally irregularly fast).

However, your "head rushes" and instability when standing up sound a bit like Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). I've only known a couple of people with POTS, but the fact that this happens/happened after rising may be consistent with POTS. As I'm neither a doctor nor an expert on this, I can only suggest this as something you might consider.

Whatever the case, you're best not to jump to conclusions. With something like this you will definitely want to go see your doctor. Your doctor and other specialists if necessary can help you figure it out. In the meantime, you may want to limit things like driving, operating heavy machinery, standing on the edge of cliffs, etc. ;) And it couldn't hurt to have someone (family, friend) around whenever possible in case you have another episode that's more serious.

I second Nerak95, in that hypoglycemia and hypotension can be a factor in seizures (as can hypertension, which I would suspect more than hypotension if your heartbeat is generally irregularly fast).

However, your "head rushes" and instability when standing up sound a bit like Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). I've only known a couple of people with POTS, but the fact that this happens/happened after rising may be consistent with POTS. As I'm neither a doctor nor an expert on this, I can only suggest this as something you might consider.

Whatever the case, you're best not to jump to conclusions. With something like this you will definitely want to go see your doctor. Your doctor and other specialists if necessary can help you figure it out. In the meantime, you may want to limit things like driving, operating heavy machinery, standing on the edge of cliffs, etc. ;) And it couldn't hurt to have someone (family, friend) around whenever possible in case you have another episode that's more serious.

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