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first seizure?

Sun, 06/07/2015 - 16:15

Hello everyone

I wasn't sure where to post this as I've been told it could be just about anything, but just over a week ago I had a tonic clonic like event that was witnessed by my partner.  I would normally put it down to one of those things but last spring I had what I've been describing as 3 funny turns over the course of a few days so I'm a little concerned.

I guess i wanted to know if this is familiar to anyone personally or anyone witnessing their seizures, as I'm going to post what my partner described.

We were in the cinema about quarter way through a film when I started to feel really strange/funny, found it harder to concentrate and the film seemed to be getting blurry and visually further away. It also felt like i was being physical smothered until i blacked out, after that i have no memory until vaguely sitting outside the screen room being verbally aggressive to everyone around me and even at the hospital later is still a bit hazy looking back. The following is my partners account

 "She turned round in her cinema seat to face me on her left and was making loud, low grunting noises, similar to someone reacting to something they don't like is the best I can describe it. I looked at the cinema screen, believing her to have been reacting to something on it. When I turned back her arms were shaking jointly at the same pace as one another, and her eyes were closed tightly. Her arms were held quite high towards her throat, leading me to believe she was choking. As I patted her back, she suddenly slumped over towards her knees and fell to the ground, hitting the top of her head on the seat in front. The period for which she was shaking before falling was no more than 30 seconds.

Several people helped lift her out into the aisle and a lady passed her bag to me which was covered in drool. At this point, a man who worked for St Johns ambulance entered from a neighbouring screen to assess the situation. He checked her eyes, after initially struggling to open her eye lids which were still clenched tight, he announced that her pupils were “at 8”. From here, he inspected her mouth to look for a blockage and noted her jaw was clenched tightly shut.

As I was walking the paramedics towards the screen, she emerged being supported by two men either side of her, walking slowly and gingerly out and sat on the floor just outside. She had been unconscious inside the cinema screen for approximately 10 minutes and was clearly still dazed and confused, believing nothing to have occurred. She could not understand why people were crowding around her and wanted to re-enter the cinema screen. The manager got a chair, which she sat on.


The male paramedic asked her name, what year we were in and where we were but she couldn't answer any of these questions. Instead insisted nothing had happened and that she wanted “to see what had happened to the truck”, in reference to the film. At this point, as the paramedics attempted to check her blood pressure and ask further questions, she became verbally hostile towards them, the manger and myself.  The female paramedic attempted to carry out a blood pressure test but was pushed away and sworn at. she looked directly at me and claimed she didn’t know who I was but I should go away and attempted to leave twice, the second time I had to intervene and tell her I'd driven us and she couldn't leave. She mumbled under her breath and returned to her seat, continuing to refuse any help or medical checks and swore frequently at everyone around her, making little sense. Once she realised I had rang her mum she became verbally aggressive towards myself, stating that I’d ruined everything and made her Mum worry for no good reason. However, at this point it seemed she could recognise what was going on more clearly, referring to me by name."

I'm having trouble remembering any of this despite my mother telling me that I seemed completely aware and lucid when she got there, it's also taken me about a week to feel 'right'. I felt drained and a bit headachey after but not sleepy tired like i was with the funny turns. I'd bit the sides of my tongue and right cheek which started to swell and ulcerate the day after. I slept on/off the next day and 10+ hours that following night. For a few days after my head felt like I'd stuffed it with cotton wool and I felt unsteady on my feet. My partner commented that I was obviously not myself and kept doing things like randomly rubbing my forehead without realising it, he's also noticed my short term memory has suffered a bit since the event. Also I had little red dots on and around my left eyelid, cheek and neck that are thankfully gone now but any ideas? looked like I'd gone crazy with a fine tip pen.

I've also been told by my mother/partner that I looked pale and quite ill in the days proceeding, I don't recall being unwell but I had little appetite, was having trouble sleeping and was especially anxious/snappy with people. I've witnessed a tonic clonic seizure before and remember a few things being different from what happened to me but I know everyones different and I'm scared of it happening again so pretty desperate for answers. Neurology referral can't come soon enough! in the meantime if anyone has any ideas or similar stories I'd really appreciate it, Thanks!!  

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