My husband had a seizure while driving

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I can't sleep! I keep getting flashbacks of what happened yesterday when my husband had a seizure while driving. He was diagnosed with epilepsy, grand mal, at the age of 15 years, but he hasn't had any seizures since 2012. We got married three years ago. Everything was going just fine, no health issues, we both lead a healthy lifestyle, he is a CrossFit athlete... You know everything was ok. He had a recent EEG and a brain MRI; everything looked good, so the neurologist decided to take him off one of his 2 medications. We stopped the Topamax in January and repeated the EEG, again everything was fine. Yesterday we went out for a drive in the car. On our way back home, we were listening to music, suddenly my husband raised his right hand. I honestly thought he was dancing to the beat! He kept his arm hanging in the air, and he was just staring. I called his name, but he did not blink, and the car started to drift. I did not realize that he was seizing. I began to shout his name and scream. The car was accelerating! His foot was still pressing on the gas pedal, we were in the middle of the main street. I thought, is this how we are going to die? Really? I immediately grabbed the steering wheel. I heard him making that awful sound, gasping for air, he was salivating, his eyes rolled back, his head was shaking, his hand was still hanging in the air and shaking. My heart shattered... I was screaming and praying. I could not reach the breaks, so I took out the car key and tried my best to control the wheel. The car eventually stopped. I don't know how it stopped without hitting anyone or anything. I was so grateful to the Corona precaution instructions because people stayed home, there were unusually only a few cars out there. I called 911. His seizure stopped. I think it lasted for a few minutes. His breathing was forceful and not very regular. He was so confused. He wet himself and seemed very uncomfortable. A police officer approached me, he had no idea what epilepsy was! I called my brother who came before the ambulance. I decided to take him home. I couldn't speak, my eyes were pouring. When we got home, I changed his clothes and put him to bed. He then asked me what had happened. I told him he had a seizure and that everything is ok. I sat down, trying to grasp what just happened. I felt grateful that we managed to get home literally in one piece. The following day he asked about what happened in detail. I tried to lighten the story, but it was not light. I tried to act as if everything was ok, but it was not. He asked me if I got scared, and I said yes. For the rest of the day, I felt that he was acting apologetically. It broke my heart. Because it was not his fault, it is no one's fault. We agreed that he wouldn't drive for a few months. Good thing that he is currently working from home because of the Corona situation. He will see his neurologist tomorrow. But I'm scared. I don't know if I'm in shock because I saw him seizing for the first time or because it happened while driving or both! I love him so much, I don’t want to share my fears with him or make him feel bad about it. I’m thinking of talking to his sister, who knows his seizures very well but I don’t think he would appreciate this. He is a very private person. I'm reaching out to you guys to vent. I hope someone could give me advice on how to deal with my husband after this, I'm trying to act normal but I’m not feeling ok. How can I show him support? How can I help? Are there any signs before a seizure? He told me that he felt a bit confused that morning as if his memory/ reality was skipping some parts. Thank you all for reading this. Whoever you are, your support means a lot to me. Love Jada

Comments

Hi, Thank you for sharing

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 2020-03-23 - 09:40

Hi, Thank you for sharing your story. We understand this must have been very scary and upsetting for you all to experience. It’s important remember that you are not alone, we are here to help support you. It’s common for those who are in caregiver role to feel overwhelmed. It’s also important that you’re and making your health and overall well-being a priority. https://www.epilepsy.com/sites/core/files/atoms/files/Caregivers%20factsheet.pdf. Sometimes it’s helpful to connect others who care for individuals living with epilepsy, to better help support you and your important role. The Epilepsy Foundation has many resources available that can help you find and build upon your support network. Contact your local Epilepsy Foundation, here: https://www.epilepsy.com/affiliates or contact our 24/7 Helpline: 1-800-332-1000, contactus@efa.org, where trained information specialists are available to answer your questions, offer help, hope, support,guidance, and access to national and local resources, epilepsy.com/helpline .We are glad to hear that you all are following up with his neurologist to discuss your concerns and if he continues to experience any changes in seizure types/ frequency, side effects, symptoms, moods or behaviors, to determine what individual treatment plan is best for him. We know this can feel overwhelming, but there are many ways you can help your husband manage his epilepsy, in addition to the wonderful advice and suggestions that Michael, Gianna & Irma have all shared with you. Learn how to administer seizure first aid, identify potential risks and review safety tips, here: https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/seizure-first-aid-and-safety/staying-safe . Consider keeping a journal or a diary. My Seizure Diary: https://www.epilepsy.com/living-epilepsy/epilepsy-foundation-my-seizure-diary , is a great tool to that can be used to track seizures, triggers, organize his medical history, managing medications, develop seizure response plans and more, which can be shared with his healthcare team. Seizure action/response plans are used to help those who are closest to your husband understand how to respond appropriately, if he were to have a seizure and what constitutes as a seizure emergency for him: https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/managing-your-epilepsy/seizure-response-plans-101 . Additionally, there are many different devices that can help detect seizures and notify someone to help respond. Review our seizure alert device factsheet, with his doctor's to see if an alert device is an option for him: https://www.epilepsy.com/sites/core/files/atoms/files/DAS100_Seizure_Alert_Devices_09-2018_FINAL2.pdf

Hi, Thank you for sharing your story. We understand this must have been very scary and upsetting for you all to experience. It’s important remember that you are not alone, we are here to help support you. It’s common for those who are in caregiver role to feel overwhelmed. It’s also important that you’re and making your health and overall well-being a priority. https://www.epilepsy.com/sites/core/files/atoms/files/Caregivers%20factsheet.pdf. Sometimes it’s helpful to connect others who care for individuals living with epilepsy, to better help support you and your important role. The Epilepsy Foundation has many resources available that can help you find and build upon your support network. Contact your local Epilepsy Foundation, here: https://www.epilepsy.com/affiliates or contact our 24/7 Helpline: 1-800-332-1000, contactus@efa.org, where trained information specialists are available to answer your questions, offer help, hope, support,guidance, and access to national and local resources, epilepsy.com/helpline .We are glad to hear that you all are following up with his neurologist to discuss your concerns and if he continues to experience any changes in seizure types/ frequency, side effects, symptoms, moods or behaviors, to determine what individual treatment plan is best for him. We know this can feel overwhelming, but there are many ways you can help your husband manage his epilepsy, in addition to the wonderful advice and suggestions that Michael, Gianna & Irma have all shared with you. Learn how to administer seizure first aid, identify potential risks and review safety tips, here: https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/seizure-first-aid-and-safety/staying-safe . Consider keeping a journal or a diary. My Seizure Diary: https://www.epilepsy.com/living-epilepsy/epilepsy-foundation-my-seizure-diary , is a great tool to that can be used to track seizures, triggers, organize his medical history, managing medications, develop seizure response plans and more, which can be shared with his healthcare team. Seizure action/response plans are used to help those who are closest to your husband understand how to respond appropriately, if he were to have a seizure and what constitutes as a seizure emergency for him: https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/managing-your-epilepsy/seizure-response-plans-101 . Additionally, there are many different devices that can help detect seizures and notify someone to help respond. Review our seizure alert device factsheet, with his doctor's to see if an alert device is an option for him: https://www.epilepsy.com/sites/core/files/atoms/files/DAS100_Seizure_Alert_Devices_09-2018_FINAL2.pdf 

Hi, Thank you for sharing your story. We understand this must have been very scary and upsetting for you all to experience. It’s important remember that you are not alone, we are here to help support you. It’s common for those who are in caregiver role to feel overwhelmed. It’s also important that you’re and making your health and overall well-being a priority. https://www.epilepsy.com/sites/core/files/atoms/files/Caregivers%20factsheet.pdf. Sometimes it’s helpful to connect others who care for individuals living with epilepsy, to better help support you and your important role. The Epilepsy Foundation has many resources available that can help you find and build upon your support network. Contact your local Epilepsy Foundation, here: https://www.epilepsy.com/affiliates or contact our 24/7 Helpline: 1-800-332-1000, contactus@efa.org, where trained information specialists are available to answer your questions, offer help, hope, support,guidance, and access to national and local resources, epilepsy.com/helpline .We are glad to hear that you all are following up with his neurologist to discuss your concerns and if he continues to experience any changes in seizure types/ frequency, side effects, symptoms, moods or behaviors, to determine what individual treatment plan is best for him. We know this can feel overwhelming, but there are many ways you can help your husband manage his epilepsy, in addition to the wonderful advice and suggestions that Michael, Gianna & Irma have all shared with you. Learn how to administer seizure first aid, identify potential risks and review safety tips, here: https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/seizure-first-aid-and-safety/staying-safe . Consider keeping a journal or a diary. My Seizure Diary: https://www.epilepsy.com/living-epilepsy/epilepsy-foundation-my-seizure-diary , is a great tool to that can be used to track seizures, triggers, organize his medical history, managing medications, develop seizure response plans and more, which can be shared with his healthcare team. Seizure action/response plans are used to help those who are closest to your husband understand how to respond appropriately, if he were to have a seizure and what constitutes as a seizure emergency for him: https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/managing-your-epilepsy/seizure-response-plans-101 . Additionally, there are many different devices that can help detect seizures and notify someone to help respond. Review our seizure alert device factsheet, with his doctor's to see if an alert device is an option for him: https://www.epilepsy.com/sites/core/files/atoms/files/DAS100_Seizure_Alert_Devices_09-2018_FINAL2.pdf

Hi Jada,I hope you and your

Submitted by Patriotrehab on Tue, 2020-03-24 - 01:14

Hi Jada,I hope you and your husband are doing well since following up with the doctor today. While I do believe that our personal experiences are helpful, the danger is that there are things that mimic seizures, but are not actually seizures at all, such as psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) and a person has been misdiagnosed with epilepsy or holds a strong belief that they have epilepsy that may participate in discussions and offer advice that is not based on epilepsy. Additionally, even if a person does have epilepsy, their experience with seizures is very unique and specific to them and should never be taken as a substitute for communication for understanding your husband’s experience or your observation of your husband’s experience. Therefore, I advise you to check the information that you receive here with three sources, which includes the treating neurologist (possibly an epilepsy specialist also known as an epileptologist), articles from the Epilepsy Foundation or International League Against Epilepsy, and professional literature specific to the topic (e.g. medication, ADHD & epilepsy, diet, triggers, etc.). This may sound like a hard task, but actually if you search Google, you can find articles easily on these topics and both organizations for epilepsy have lots of information on their website too. I agree with the neurologist that he probably had the seizure because the Topamax was no longer part of his treatment. There’s a lot of reason to believe and hope that his seizures will be controlled again with medication.

Hiit is understandable that

Submitted by Allisonrunnergirl_5a3c6155d8ea8 on Wed, 2020-03-25 - 19:44

Hiit is understandable that you want to talk to him but it is also understandable that he does not want to talk about it. As a person who had had epilepsy from the day she w as born I know that talking about it can be hard but I also know that I need to talk about it eventuallu I just need to not be rushed and need to take things at my own pace, however the best outlet is my family it the place I can be the most open and if he is going to talk to someone it should be you or someone else in his family or both he just needs to take it has his own pace. Just dont disapear he may not show it or tell you but he most likely needs you to be there at all times just so he can tell you whenever he is ready. This may not make sence and i am sorry for that im young best of luch to you Jada.