How do you feel afterwards?

[TexasTravel]

Just curious how most of you feel after a seizure. This is something that I have always been curious about with other people who have seizures.

I, myself, usually go anywhere between 30 minutes to an hour of mass confusion. My sessions almost always send my brain back about 10 years ago. I am currently on my company's disability plan but 10 years ago I was working heavy shift work (which is probably what started my seizures up again after 25 years of not having any). I am always terrified that I have missed work and that I am in tons and tons of trouble and that I may lose my job. I am very fortunate when my wife is home because she has become an expert on this and knows exactly what to do once I come halfway around. One of the first things she does is remind me of the actual date and what position I am in (concerning my job/disability status) and several other things that bring me into the current situation, as far as I can understand at that point.

After that, I am extremely tired and have a tremendous headache that sometimes lasts all day regardless of what medicines that I take.

I had a seizure at around noon today and I still have a splitting headache and, to be honest, am not fully aware of how long I have been on this forum or really any sort of complete reality.

So, what are your results, after having a seizure? Everyone probably has their own characteristics but it would be educating to understand other peoples "reactions".

[Meetz1064]

I have the tonic clonic variety of seizures, and I wake up, not knowing where I am, who I am or how I old am for that matter. I can't speak, carry on a conversation or anything. I usually get up, go to the bathroom, discover that I've bitten through my tongue all the way....and cry because I'm upset that I've had one.

Then I get back in bed, and go to sleep for another 18 to 24 hours......

[RobinN]

Rebecca - stays down on the ground after her tonic clonic seizures. This lasts around 20 min or so. When she finally comes to, she sits up. If the EMTs are there, the oxygen gets her moving a bit faster. They usually help me take her to the nurses office where she might sleep for about 30 min. If she is really worried about missing a class, she might push herself to get to class quicker. But I usually judge whether or not she is coherent enough to walk anywhere. She is definitely wiped out. She has always refused to allow me to take her home.

[asalomonsterx]

I suffer from clonic tonis seizures. My mother and sister say that when I come to I have a feared and blank look on my face. They also say that I babble when I talk. I try to pick lint off the blanket. But my mother says the most terrifying thing they see is that I try to get up and walk. They say the have to talk me into staying sitting. When I do finally come to I have a metal taste in my mouth and smell a cross between burnt sugar and burnt rubber. I also have bitten through my lip on the inside. I have bitten it so bad the my mother had to pull my lip off of my tooth. I am so drained after that.

[BIGMAN131307]

Well my complex partial seizures usually last five minutes or less. But the effects linger for the rest of the day/night. After my complex partial seizures I'm very tired, and always have a splitting headache. When I do get a chance to sleep, it's usually four or more hours. The headache is still there when I get up.

[Crazy Monkey]

I know I don't have t/c's etc, but this morning I have been up an hour and I have had non stop absences, this sometimes happens on the weekend mornings due to me going to bed late, I have probably had about 30-40 seizures pretty much back to back, this last hour has left me feeling very confused and unable to remember things or answer the people around me talking and asking me questions, they are starting to get very frustrated with me and shouting at me. They are not caring and understanding at all to my situation. But nevermind I am used to being on my own through this ride, the seizures are starting to calm down a bit now and hopefully the people will around me. I just wish that my family were more understooding instead of yelling and getting annoyed with me, so after a seizure for me is embarrasing and confusing. But I have learnt not to get upset by this after a seizure.

[Nancy]

When I was having those regular batches of complex partial seizures, they just wore me out BUT I had been told over and over that a 90 - 120 second flash in my brain could not cause fatigue so I was simply lazy and trying to get attention. How on earth can a little flash in a little section of the human brain cause fatigue?
The inability to speak clearly for 5 -10 minutes was my stupidity.

[seizures4ever]

After my t/c's, which have only occured when I am asleep, I don't remember anything. Usually, the next morning I would wake up realizing that I was in the floor, bleeding, bruised, incontinent, or whatever else was waiting on me.

My complex-partials, on the other hand, leave me with fatigue and confusion, and, often, a headache. On rare occasions I realize that I am bleeding from falling, or I am incontinent. I begin communicating again within a few minutes, but I typically don't remember anything for about 20 minutes after the seizure (even though everyone around me swears that I'm telling them "I'm ok now"). I then realize that I'm bruised and my muscles ache.

On a lighter note,
My delayed memory loss is why I have no idea who I voted for in the presidential elections three elections ago! Ugghhh...

-Julie

[TeeTees]

My 'normal' feeling immediately after a seizure is tired and hot, and the obvious 'damn' feeling in my mind due to having the seizure (to put it polite). I just need a minute or two to come back to reality, and then I'm okay'ish. I still remain tired, but providing I'm doing something (like work) I'm usually okay as I have something to take my mind off the seizure.

Fortunately for me I've never done anything such as biting through my tongue, or my lip, and my heart sincerely goes out to the people who do this, as it must be sooooo painful - all I can do is imagine, and it kinda freaks me out. So, hats off to ya for dealing with this !

As per seizures4ever's statement, I've also had the incontinent session too - I remember Bernard mentioning that this is like a kind of 'release valve' for after the seizure.....kind of like that 'ahhhhh' relief feeling, which does make sense to me. Unfortunately, when I was away in the caravan last weekend, I realised that I was doing this over the bed linen, when I came back to reality !!....whoops!

[stilldancing_98]

I ususally feel guilty. Because I can't do the things I need to do. But, right after I usually wake up mad or wondering where I am. Everything hurts. But if somebody makes a joke I'm cool.

[jgbmartin]

A total state of confusion....since most of mine happen when I am alone (although I have had people around me...and they are people that do not know about my seizures and no one has noticed! Oh my, how sad is that)...I can guestimate from the time I start my aura until the time I say to myself "where am I?...is seems to run 20-30 minutes. Often I am sweaty, a few times I had drool, and once I had blood running down my hand. Even after I realize where I am...I stay in a stunned state for another 30 minutes or so. I usually will have headaches off an on for a day or so afterwards....and get very tired.

[brain]

How do I feel after a seizure?

As in coming out of the postictal state?
Since I've posted so many regarding how
I've been in postictal.

I decided to respond in how I am after
being all out of it:

• Finding myself apologizing
• Trying to recollect where I was/doing before it all started if I have any remembrance of such
• Backlogged of what I was supposed to have did/done that went unaccomplished
• Loose track of time/date/day
• Recuperating from injury/injuries sustained from seizure(s)
• Sluggish or slow
• Sometimes resting or doing nothing the next day to "regroup"

These are just some few examples.

[Lucii19]

I feel confused.. dont know where i am.. i hear and see people talkin to me but i dont understand what they are sayin to me.. i feel sick and normally when i wake up/come round i have drool down ma chin sounds funny now but i havent got a clue when im in that state.. ive only had 2 but thats more than enough.. xxx

[munchy]

I feel tired, sometimes headachey, confused, dazed. It all lasts about 30 minutes, sometimes longer. All that for 30 seconds to a minute of simple partial. Oh the joys!!!

[Kansas Educator]

I have a terrible headache and am dizzy for an hour or so along with being tired. I can still function but I'd rather not.

[skillefer]

Let's see....I have tonic clonic's that leave me a little confused, and with a headache. My hubby has found that putting a cool damp cloth on my neck tends to bring me around faster. But then he won't let me sleep for a good 30 minutes after a seizure..even though I want to. Doctor's orders....

[spinnymommy]

I have partial seizures. After a complex partial, I often feel confused and my speech is all messed up. It only lasts about 5 minutes or so for me though.

Then when it is over, I either get really mad that I "let" it happen, or I tell myself that I just imagined that it happened, even when my husband and kids insist that I really "went away"

[Parker26]

I have tonic-clonics and they kick my butt. After a seizure, it takes my brain awhile to recover and I am really really sore for about a day. Its like coming out of a coma for me. I have a funny story about my dad. One time my sister freaked out because she witnessed me having a seizure and called the ambulance. Well I was laying in the hospital and at the time I was still out of it. My dad was talking to me and the nurse asked if I recognized his voice. I didn't have a clue and he said" God damnit David, im your father." I knew right away who it was then. I joke around alot and he thought I was messing with him.

[Crystal11]

I sometimes walk around, sometimes I pick at things or try to stop the seizure by doing things that don't make sense. I don't remember doing these things- but my Sis or Rachel tell me after I've come around. Last time I was listening to my XM radio and was using the remote control to change the channels as if that would stop me feeling bad or the aura. They could see me fading away as I kept changing the channels. I always have an aura that lets me know something is going to happen. I normally hear odd things and smell a soft plastic smell- then I'm gone in the seizure and think I'm aware while in it but I'm actually not even aware of anything. My twin Sis and Rachel keep me from doing anything dangerous. I start to come out of it confused- don't know the date or month, sometimes don't even know my age. most of the times I'm slow to answer or don't answer at all. Normally I am out of it for 15min or less and go to sleep afterwards. Sometimes I wake up to a migraine which I take medicine for. Then I try to go to sleep- that is when I can wake up feeling better. Sometimes I don't need to sleep- I can get back to whatever I was doing before.

I have drop attacks now and those you don't have warning for at all. You are just talking or doing something and all of a sudden, you're down on the ground. Luckily, I've always been with my twin sis or rachel. Last two times, Rachel has caught me- which doesn't keep me standing, but keeps me from falling on my face. I get paniky now just think about those- because I don't have any warnings. I just go down. Rachel has Atonics as well and I've caught her a few times but most times she just goes down. I hate seeing that happen to her. Now she knows sort of how I feel- constantly worrying that she will go down- or a grand mal will start up. Its real difficult to have a house hold of people with Epilepsy- Most of the times, we are all okay and not having too many seizure troubles- and other days it seems that each of us has had a seizure or two. Sometimes we realise that one of us missed morning meds- or didn't sleep well etc. So we try to keep eachother healthy and safe.

After Rachel's grand-mal seizures, she just lays there waiting until she feels better. Normally about 10min. Then I ask her to sit up so we can get her to lay down somewhere besides the floor. Then she starts to cry or moan, in a panic and constantly asks what the time is. We tell her that she will be okay, and the time, and that she is with us at home. One other time, she was outside while I was relieving my guide dog. I had to drop Umbro's harness handle and leash, to grab Rachel after she made this horrible noise- or tonic cry because all of her stomach muscles forced air out- she was far gone uncounsious and I had to catch her, help her to the ground- and she still hit her head some but no enough to cause bleeding or bruising. I felt bad for that- but nothing more I could do.
Anyways- she normally gets a bit panicky and cries mildly and still is confused- then she will rest or wake up- either. Then she asks a lot of questions and starts to come back around to her normal state.

My twin Sis's seizures are real short complex partials- I usually, jokingly, say "Welcome back" as she looks up at me. She normally will stop what she is doing or continue it but mildly or slowly, then stops, and her head goes down or to one side as if she is visually tracking something- she doesn't answer and sometimes food will come out of her mouth if she is eating. She just sits there for 30-40secs far in the Land of E. When she comes out of the seizure- she looks up to see me and Rachel looking at her- it embarrasses her but we don't mean to scare her at all. She knows we are watching out for her just in case. She isn't really confused and its probably due to the seizure being real short compared to longer complex partials I have. My medicine helps a lot with the shorter seizures. Drop attacks are coming more and more and we are trying to situate medication right now.

(Sorry for such a long responce here)

Hope everyone is doing well
Crystal

[Crystal11]

I have partial seizures. After a complex partial, I often feel confused and my speech is all messed up. It only lasts about 5 minutes or so for me though.

Then when it is over, I either get really mad that I "let" it happen, or I tell myself that I just imagined that it happened, even when my husband and kids insist that I really "went away"

That is funny you say "went away" because that is what I say often too. I was taking pills to help me sleep one time when I was a teenager- and so I had a reaction that caused halluciations- I saw a guy or a shadow or a guy in the corning of my room- and since then I would say "The dude in the corning is coming to take me away" once I felt an aura. Even though, a person does not really come and take me away during a seizure- I sort of came up with a secret phrase that I could say aloud to let those who knew me, know that I was going to have a seizure. My sign language interpreters were around me enough that they could tell when I was going to have a seizure. They said I would become pale, or look funny and no longer be able to focus on their signing. Because I'm visually impaired- they would sit close up to me so I could see them. They would always help me the best they could- to stay safe.

But I feel during a seizure that I "Went away"- to the Land of E..

Take care,
Crystal