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Did I have a seizure? Please help!

Thu, 02/26/2009 - 21:21

Hi everyone,

  This is my first visit to the site.  I was motivated to post here because I believe I may have had a seizure last night.  I'll first describe the symptoms of what I experienced last night and then go into the state of my body leading up to the incident.  

  Last night I was at the computer and my head started to feel  very odd, like I was light headed but different and a little more intense.  I had trouble reading the words on the screen so I figured I should to go bed.  I got up went to the bathroom and everything was normal.  After exiting the bathroom I got very cold suddenly and lost 95% control over my muscles as I was walking from the bathroom to my computer.  It felt like all the muscles in my body were trying to contract all at the same time, this was actually quite painful, I don't think I could tense my muscles that hard if I tried.  I was able to make it to my bed which is when I started to have muscle spasms and minor convulsions in my arms, legs and abdomen with shallow inconsistent breathing.  This lasted for about 5 minutes maybe a little longer and I was fully conscious during the whole episode and was trying to relax my muscles and control my breathing.  I wasn't disoriented at all, I was completely lucid, besides being rather freaked out.  No matter how hard I tried I couldn't gain control of my body, I just had to ride it out.

  I did a little research before I  found this site so here are some things that may have contributed to what happened...but I'm not sure.  I figure the more information I give you guys the more you might be able to tell me.  So prior to my incident I hadn't been sleeping very well, hadn't been drinking nearly enough water (chronic problem of mine), I am a smoker and I had had a couple of beers the night this happened to me.  I eat pretty well, I have always been in great physical health, I am 21 and have never been diagnosed with any neurological conditions.  I've also been under more stress than usual lately. 

Please, I would really appreciate some feedback, I'm kinda freaked out, and would really like to know if I have anything to worry about.  Should I be tested for epilepsy or could this just be a result of not taking care of myself in the last few weeks? 

 

Comments

Re: Did I have a seizure? Please help!

Submitted by cjstantz on Fri, 2009-02-27 - 09:30
That souds like a seizure to me.  I would tell your doctor.  It is definately more than just not taking care of yourself.  The doctor will be able to give you more answers and recommend a nuerologist if you need one.  Good luck and take care.

Re: Did I have a seizure? Please help!

Submitted by Ianbh87 on Sat, 2009-02-28 - 13:25

Hey guys, I really appreciate your replies!  I'll be going to the doctor as soon as I can, I hope its not going to be too expensive to have some tests done.  I simply can't afford to go to the doctor at the moment, is one seizure reason enough go and get a battery of tests? :/

Sorry for the disjointed nature of this post, its early and my mind is all over the place right now.  I just have so many questions, I really want to have a better understanding of what happened to me....before I consider a doctor.  I know, I know the doctor is the best place to get "definitive" answers, but who can afford one these days!?

  I have been reading some other posts about peoples first seizures, and have found a couple of warning signs that I may have exibited prior to my first seizure.  I'm just kinda throwin' these ideas out there, so if any of you think that any of this could be related please post.

  A couple of months prior to my first definable seizure I had a couple days that I had horrible dizzy spells that lasted for up 8 hours.  The dizzy spells just started happening out of the blue one morning and kept happening with varying degrees of severity for 2-3 days.  Then they just stopped happening, thank god!  

I was also starting to get a chest cold when I had my first seizure.  Which I have read in other posts may be a trigger for seizures in first timers.

Recently I have been FAR more sedentary then I ever have in my life.  I read on another post that lots of exercise can help control the severity and frequency of seizures. 

There have been a lot of posts with people reporting that they lost their drivers license due to their seizures.  Is this only with certain types of seizures or do they simply revoke your drivers license because you have had a seizure period.  Losing my license for having one seizure is a rather frightening prospect!  If I go for tests regarding seizures will I automatically have my license revoked!?

Thanks for reading!  Any feedback would be much appreciated. 

 

Hey guys, I really appreciate your replies!  I'll be going to the doctor as soon as I can, I hope its not going to be too expensive to have some tests done.  I simply can't afford to go to the doctor at the moment, is one seizure reason enough go and get a battery of tests? :/

Sorry for the disjointed nature of this post, its early and my mind is all over the place right now.  I just have so many questions, I really want to have a better understanding of what happened to me....before I consider a doctor.  I know, I know the doctor is the best place to get "definitive" answers, but who can afford one these days!?

  I have been reading some other posts about peoples first seizures, and have found a couple of warning signs that I may have exibited prior to my first seizure.  I'm just kinda throwin' these ideas out there, so if any of you think that any of this could be related please post.

  A couple of months prior to my first definable seizure I had a couple days that I had horrible dizzy spells that lasted for up 8 hours.  The dizzy spells just started happening out of the blue one morning and kept happening with varying degrees of severity for 2-3 days.  Then they just stopped happening, thank god!  

I was also starting to get a chest cold when I had my first seizure.  Which I have read in other posts may be a trigger for seizures in first timers.

Recently I have been FAR more sedentary then I ever have in my life.  I read on another post that lots of exercise can help control the severity and frequency of seizures. 

There have been a lot of posts with people reporting that they lost their drivers license due to their seizures.  Is this only with certain types of seizures or do they simply revoke your drivers license because you have had a seizure period.  Losing my license for having one seizure is a rather frightening prospect!  If I go for tests regarding seizures will I automatically have my license revoked!?

Thanks for reading!  Any feedback would be much appreciated. 

 

Re: Did I have a seizure? Please help!

Submitted by rikk on Fri, 2009-02-27 - 09:45
hi,  welcome to the forum.  there are enough questions, that could be some form of seizure. that tell me to suggest to you to go to the doctor.  there may be some testing involved before you find out what it is or is not.  hope it helps.  rikk

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