Brought Back To Life

Hi.  In 2018 at age 47 I had my first ever grand mal.  It hit me so hard, that at the same moment, it threw me into cardiac arrest.  I was in a store, by myself.  The workers called paramedics, and it took them 20 minutes to restart my heart.  I lost oxygen to my brain and have an anoxic brain injury now.  This all seems too crazy and random.  I now take Vimpat, Depakote, Lyrica and Phenytoin every day.  What happened to me?   My neurologist has no answers.  They say my brain, heart and lungs are healthy.   Can someone please give me some insight?

Hi Rick:Sorry you feel so lost. Can't blame you given the tests all look normal. With Epilepsy many of us undergo EEGs MRIs etc that comeback normal. And that's because with Epilepsy, some patients do display abnormal EEGs regardless. For many others, myself included, results only show up if a seizure is also occurring during the EEG.How long ago did your recall your first grand mal? Also, have you seen any other seizure activity since?Make sure  you take notes of date and time should any seizure occur. Neurologists sometimes get a  more concrete idea with the more they know. If you have recorded seizures since, try to revise the dates to see if there is any rough estimate between seizures. Estimate as in time. For example, every month or every 3 weeks etc.Sometimes when a rough pattern can be established they may be interested in performing a 72-hour EEG or maybe a video EEG. The video EEG requires that you be admitted. The 72-hour doesn't. They just set up the wires and send you home telling you what to do should you sense any abnormal feeling.If you are in the United States and you are interested in finding another neurologist with much knowledge in Epilepsy, here is a link that outlines hospitals in neurology and neurosurgery.https://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/rankings/neurology-and-neurosurgeryIf you see one that's in your state, give them a call, click on it because the link to that hospital will also be attached. Give them a call and find out if they have any neurologist who specialize in Epilepsy who accepting new patients. Sometimes the hospital site displays that.It will take time to find out more Rick. But it starts with a good neurological team who know more about Epilepsy. Best Regards

My only seizure was that one time.  It's going to be one year, in a few days.   I have never had a grand mal before or since.  I have bad myclonis now, as a result and I get auras throughout the day.  That's all that's happened since that one and only seizure