ER visit

[xenome]

So I just barely got home from spending 5 hours in the ER. I had 2 seizures sunday, one sitting in front of my computer playing games and one while taking a shower, which sucked because I fell out of of the shower and the curtain fell down and I hit my head on something.

During that seizure I had what felt like a dream where I was drowning and I kept trying to get up because I knew I was going to die if I couldnt. The scary thing is it probably wasnt a dream because I *was* getting water on my face and when I woke up I had a hard time getting back up because I was so drained of energy.

So after I almost cracked my head open on the toilet or sink I had a rancid headache. Worst headache ever. It was so painful it almost brought *me*, a big and strong, tough, manly guy to tears. I recently got approved for medicaid (which is the only good thing that has happened to me lately), so I went to the ER. I got my blood tested, my med levels were good, got a CT scan, it was good.

But I have a question, sleep deprivation can trigger seizures, and saturday night I stayed up until 6am partying. Because I went to bed at 6, I slept until 4pm sunday which is plenty of sleep but I still had 2 seizures at 6 and 8pm. So even though my med levels were good and I did sleep for 10 hours, could my seizures sunday be triggered by staying up so late saturday?

[Georgiagirl88]

Hey there!

Oh..I hope you are feeling better!! How's your head? Ouch! Poor guy! I have definitely had bad ones after being out of a semi-normal sleep/bed time. I can sometimes feel them coming on also..if I am really overtired or up too late. Hopefully, you can catch some rest earlier today and try to get back into a regular sleep tonight! I hope you are feeling much better!!

Take good care!!
Michelle : ))))

[pmcdonald8]

My son does seem to be affected by altering the schedule...granted he is 16 so we can pretty much decide the regular bedtime and waking time....

Question about your headache...did it hurt in the spot where you hit your head or primarily where your seizure "source" is located...if that makes since... bare with me new to all this.

Pam

[Bernard]

... Because I went to bed at 6, I slept until 4pm sunday which is plenty of sleep but I still had 2 seizures at 6 and 8pm. So even though my med levels were good and I did sleep for 10 hours, could my seizures sunday be triggered by staying up so late saturday?

Time change - Problems with disruptions to sleep patterns

I would say that your experience shows establishing a regular sleep schedule would be a good idea.

[skillefer]

Hi Xenome! Sorry to hear about your two seizures. I hope the headache eased up. My last one caused a black eye. Needless to say, my hubby got dirty looks whenever we went out together....ah well. As for the sleep deprivation....I'd probably chalk the seizures up to sleep deprivation. Sleeping in the day is not as restful as sleeping at night. I think it has to do with sunlight disrupting your brains ability to actually rest.

[epileric]

I've found that sleep deprivation & disruptions in my sleep schedule are a majour trigger for me. Oversleeping afterwards doesn't help either, it just seems to delay putting my sleep schedule back to normal. Often I've wished sleeping were like a bank where I could just take out a few hours sleep here & put them back in the next day lol.

Meanwhile hope your head feels better.

[RobinN]

Xenome - gosh you have had a rough time. Sure hope that you are feeling a little better.
There was just a special on TV last night about sleep. Seems like it is rather important.
Put it on your schedule of pleasurable things to do.

[CQ:)]

Sorry to hear about the seizures Xenome. The really bad headaches are the things I hate the most after I have a seizures. I hope your headache goes away soon & you are getting some rest.

You could quite posibly have had a dream when you had the seizure in the shower.
I have strange dreams when I take partial seizures but I can only remember what the dreams are about when I take a seizure. As soon as I have one of these strange dreams I know I'm having a seizure, it's weird I know. The strange dream is usualy an aura & the seizure usualy continues for a couple of minutes afterwards (sometimes I don't realise what happens after the aura & rely on what my friend & family tell me).

[xenome]

I just got out of bed, I had to sleep late again, I dont want to have another seizure. Thanks for all your support and responses. I still have a headache but they gave me some samples of hydrocodone, so Ill recover.

My son does seem to be affected by altering the schedule...granted he is 16 so we can pretty much decide the regular bedtime and waking time....

Question about your headache...did it hurt in the spot where you hit your head or primarily where your seizure "source" is located...if that makes since... bare with me new to all this.

Pam

Im not even sure I hit my head. There are no visible wounds on my head, but I assume I did cause I woke up on the floor with a powerful headache, it seemed like it was localized in the right/middle part of my brain. Ive woke up with wounds on my face and head (which are visible because I have no hair) or black eyes, but I had nothing this time.

You know whats ironic Robin? I actually watched that sleep thing. Was it on 60 minutes?

I was planning on going to the bar tonight, cause its St. Patricks day. My neurologist says alcohol is not good to have with my meds, but that alcohol is not a seizure trigger. Does that sound right to you all? Should I even go out tonight? Im nervous.

[xenome]

Im kinda pissed off though. Over the past few years my doctor has increased my Depakote dosage, changed it to Depakote ER, added Keppra and kept on increasing the dosage on that, and Ive had the VNS installed in my chest. The VNS has made my seizures less frequent, but whenever I see her all she does is adjust the settings on it. Why wont she try something else! Like other kinds of meds!? Keppra seems like its useless. Put me on something else!

The last time I went in for my appointment with her, they told me I have a $2500 bill in collections. $2500, for her to just mess with the settings on my VNS. At that price, I feel like I should be getting some tail from her.

Sorry, I just needed to vent because my seizures are still uncontrolled but I feel like Im doing everything right, and it doesnt seem like my neurologist is helping me. Its frustrating.

[brain]

Xenome:

Sorry to hear about the seizures!
But yeah - being whacked out and
sleep deprived puts you at a risk
for getting nailed with seizures!

Been there, done that, and got a
good scolding from my neurologist about
that! ::: sulks :::

Hope you're feeling better now!

[xenome]

Thanks brain, I still have a slight headache but its a pleasure compared to what I was going through last night.

[Bernard]

I was planning on going to the bar tonight, cause its St. Patricks day. My neuro says alcohol is not good to have with my meds, but that alcohol is not a seizure trigger. Does that sound right to you all? Should I even go out tonight?

Alcohol is a seizure trigger for some people. It is a depressent and does alter your brain chemistry. If you are having problems with uncontrolled seizures, I can't agree that drinking it is a good idea.

Also, I hope you call it a night at a reasonable hour and get some sleep!

[alivenwell]

Did you try taking ibuprofen? If you have a concussion, that will help swelling of the brain.

It might be a good idea to get on a regular schedule with meds, sleep and totally lay off the alcohol.

[xenome]

Ya, I tried Ibuprofen but that didnt help with my headache, it was so bad. Thats why I ended up going to the hospital. I still had a headache today so I took some hydrocodone, so I am really sleepy right now. I should be able to fall asleep easily. No alcohol for me tonight either so I just went and hung out with my friends.

My neurologist said that alcohol depresses the nervous system and so it wouldnt trigger a seizure but that when I sober up I would be at a higher risk, and also that my meds depress my nervous system too so alcohol is just not good to have when I take my meds.

Thanks all for listening and helping. Appreciate ya.

[brain]

XENOME:

I'm allergic to alcohol, but I have
to tell you this, I'm being honest
OK?

I MEANT IT at the post below
when I state being whacked out
and being sleep deprived ...

We (my ex and I) attended to a
party, while I do not drink, but
someone spiked the punch that
was part of the party. Yes there
was alcohol but I wasn't drinking
or touching it. I only had the
punch from the fountain.

And I'm on meds (Dilantin and
Klonopin at that time) and we
were UP until I think 4 or 5 AM??

But I was WHACKED! I do not
need to tell you that I had a
seizure - a MAJOR GRAND MAL!
(Tonic-clonic)
My neurologist was NOT a Happy
Camper hearing this ... Uh Uh!

1) Alcohol showed up in my lab work

2) I was UP all night

:::: sulks ::::

But HEY C'mon! Gimme a break
I didn't know that someone
spiked the punch! According to
my neurologist, "It didn't matter,
Parties are Parties ... things
like that, will and are gonna
happen ... it's a party!" (I
think that's what he said or
close enough to what he said)

He'd rather that I BYOB,
Bring Your Own Bottle ...
better be safe than sorry, and
not to party hearty all night.

But that was the ONLY party I
ever went to for years until my
ex's Company Christmas party
where the "Big Guns" from the
Major Headquarters were coming
down; I had to attend to that.
NOW everyone was drinking, and
I can't drink. These Big Guns here
wanted me to drink, at this time
I was making sort of excuses,
and the Bartender actually told me
there IS such thing as "N/A"



N/A - Non-Alcoholic

So I ordered up a N/A Pina
Colada. There - fit right in amongst
everyone else. And we didn't have to
stay all night either. Lots of people
had to go to work the next day so
many were leaving and we were
able to escape without having to
say anything.

[xenome]

Actually, when I stayed up on saturday it wasnt that kind of party though. It was a game night where me and all my friends get together with our xbox 360s and play multiplayer games until the morning comes. No alcohol was there because you cant play drunk, youd lose.

Last night I was going to go to the bar for St. Pattys day but I persuaded my friends to just go to a restaurant instead so I didnt drink last night either.

[BuckeyeFan]

$2500, for her to just mess with the settings on my VNS. At that price, I feel like I should be getting some tail from her.

Don't give me that mental image - you have not seen my neurologist, yyyyyeeeeeeeeewwwww!!!

I gotta support the no alcohol vote, but I understand how HARD that can be at your age. I was 20 when my E started and drinking was a regular thing for me. If you can't avoid it, find ways to limit it. For example, instead of drinking beer, I might order a rum and coke (having the bartender keeping it week) or a glass of wine or brains N/A. These are items you can sip and still fit in. Takes away the pressure to keep up with everyone else round after round. I also will drink the new dark beers that are getting so popular. Again, you can drink them slower and they are very filling, so you don't drink as much.

I AM NOT advocating drinking with meds, just trying to show you some ways to limit it. Eventually, many of those around me came to like the fact that I didn't drink. I became their reliable designated driver.

I feel for your headache. That is my worst postictal symptom. They hurt like he** and they don't react well to painkillers. I have always figured it came from lack of oxygen to the brain during my serious tonic clonic seizures. Glad I haven't felt that in a long time.

[Birdbomb]

Um...er...did everyone miss this?

had 2 seizures sunday, one sitting in front of my computer playing games

Ease back on the games a bit dude.

I still had a headache today so I took some hydrocodone

FYI Painkillers often CAUSE headache and will make one worse if one is in progress. You need something for migraines. They are medicated differently. I use MIDRIN and it is most excellent for me.

[xenome]

Um...er...did everyone miss this?

Ease back on the games a bit dude.

FYI Painkillers often CAUSE headache and will make one worse if one is in progress. You need something for migraines. They are medicated differently. I use MIDRIN and it is most excellent for me.

Alright, you caught me in a lie. I wasnt playing games. Its just that there are ladies here and I didnt want to say what I was really doing at my computer when I had my other seizure.