i have questions

[scooter136]

Sunday morning my 61 yr old husband had a grand mal seizure a very violent one today is wed and he says he is so so sore in his chest,back and hip area is this normal this is the first time he has ever had a seizure and of course the dr is several weeks away please help me i am scared to death

 

[Porkette]

Hi scooter136,

I'm so sorry to hear that your husband had a seizure. Often when a person had a grand mal seizure also called tonic clonic seizures they will sometimes be sore for a couple of days. The main things that trigger seizures area lack of sleep and stress so be sure your husband is getting the rest he needs along with staying away from stress.
If you haven't called your family Dr. you may want to and let the Dr. know what has happened by doing that your family Dr. may be able to get your husband to see a neurologist sooner.
One thing your husband should do is cut back on the carbs and starch foods and stay away from nutra sweet that will often trigger seizures for some people. Start keeping track of your husbands seizures write down on a calendar what time they happen and the type of seizure he has by doing this the Dr. may see a pattern in the seizures if they happen at certain times of the day or night or certain days of the month. I know I found out I was having seizures in my sleep after a sleep study was done ask your husband if he ever wakes up feeling tired after a goods night sleep if he does he may want to have a sleep study done to see if he has sleep apnea or another sleep disorder this is one thing that triggers seizures for me as well as a low pressure in the weather. I wish you and your husband only the best of luck and May God Bless the Both of You!

Sue

 

[scooter136]

Thank you Sue

Thank you Sue for your reply I am needless to say beyond scared he had never had a seizure before the only thing that is concerning me right now is his chest,back,and hips are extremely sore when he coughs or sneezes it really hurts but I am telling you it was one of the worse seizures I have ever seen but him being that sore since sunday is that standard We did call our family dr of which is also our best friend for many years anything else you can tell me to look for or watch I would really appreciate any information It wasnt suppose to be this way I am the one that's terminally ill and he for 36 yrs has been my rock
Again thank you so very much for your kindness and information
May god keep and bless you
Tom and Sharon

 

[masterjen]

Hi, Scooter;

Sorry to hear you have yet another worry added to your plate! You are both dealing with a lot of stress because of your own illness, and perhaps your husband having a seizure was due to intense stress, anxiety about your illness and lack of sleep.

Often a first seizure does not require any treatment or out of the ordinary measures intended to prevent another one which may not even occur. Definitely notification of your family doctor was the right thing to do, however, and you may want to ask the doctor to give your husband a very thorough physical including a blood test work-up (CBC, blood sugar, electrolytes), and as well you may want to request a ECG to ensure no heart problems if he has not had one done recently.

You asked about things to watch out for in terms of future seizures, and this I'm going to leave in the hands of a couple of others here who are more expert in this area than I am.

 

[Nakamova]

Hi Sharon --

Unfortunately it is normal to feel quite sore after a tonic-clonic (grand mal) seizure. The body can take a bit of a pounding with the tensing of the muscles. After my first seizure I was quite sore for at least a month, particularly my back. And I felt zonked, like the worst of the worst hangovers. But there was no permanent damage. I just had to be gentle with myself during the healing process.

From what you describe, your husband may have strained his ribs a bit, and bruised or strained some of his other muscles. Did your husband go to the ER after the seizure? If so, did they take X-Rays or CT scans? If you're worried about an injury, perhaps a trip to the ER would set your mind at ease, and the doctors there could give you a better sense of what to expect.

It's normal after a seizure to feel tired and confused. Your husband may want to sleep, and that's fine as long as he is comfortable and not feeling any acute pain. He may not be hungry or thirsty right now, but it's a good idea for him to drink a little juice when he feels able so he doesn't get dehydrated. If his mouth is sore from the seizure, soft bland foods are best (soup, smoothies, jello, hard-boiled eggs, etc.), and ice and anbesol can help with the pain.

For his sore muscles apply cold packs or cool washcloths for about 15 minutes several times throughout the day. In a day or two, switch to a heating pad, or warm washcloths. If Tom can take aspirin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen those will help with any swelling.

Until you and your husband know what may have triggered the seizure, it's best to proceed with caution. No driving of course. Was he prescribed any medication to take as a result of the seizure? If so, he should keep taking it as directed. If you're at all worried about how he is feeling or behaving, go ahead and call 911.

I know it can be very distressing to witness a seizure. In some ways, I think it is harder for the person seeing it than for the person experiencing it. (During a grand mal seizure the person feels no pain because they are unconscious). I am so sorry that you are dealing with this right now, and I hope both of you can rest up and start to recover.

Can you ask a friend or family member to keep you company? Even just talking on the phone with someone can help. And of course, feel free to check in here for support any time.

 

[scooter136]

Nakamova thank you so much for the info we have seen our family dr who is also a very good friend and because of the health care situation right now it seems to take for ever to get into a neuro he is taking aspirin and as far as meds they did not want to give him anything yet it was the only seizure he has ever had and wanted him to see the neuro first this one for real came out of the blue him being sore is really the only thing concerning me right now was not sure if that was normal or not and when you hear it from others that has exp it they know they have been through it he has not been very hungry but is thirsty I can not thank you enough for the info and the kindness shown it means more than words could express may god bless and keep you again thank you so much

 

[scooter136]

Masterjen
Thank you so much for the info they did a test on his heart and everything showed really good his blood pressure is almost perfect the heart rate is a little high but said that was most likely due to the pain in his back,chest,and hips its not that elevated his temp is perfect I know this it scared me to death and the guys from fire rescue that came live around us here and was beyond great they all know about me and was shocked when it was Tom he has been my rock so I will be his now I know all things happen for a reason its just I sure wish i knew what this reason was
thank you so much for your help it really is greatly appreciated more than anyone knows May god bless and keep Tom and Sharon

 

[Nakamova]

Sharon, how frustrating that it will take that long to see a neuro. I hope things stay peaceful in the meantime for you both. Tom shouldn't push himself to do things while his body is still hurting. No heavy lifting, no twisting. I found that sleeping on my back helped. After a few weeks I saw a physical therapist who treated my lower back with ultrasound. (Ultrasound uses vibration to deliver heat/energy to the back muscles, and it can reduce the pain and potentially speed up the healing.) If that's an option it might be worth considering down the road.

 

[Nakamova]

Forgot to mention, make sure that you are not neglecting your own wellbeing. It's important that you are sleeping and eating and staying hydrated too.

:hugs:

 

[scooter136]

Nakamova
thank you so much for the info needless to say this is all new to me and i want to know and learn as much as i can so i an be a help to Tom and would never do anything that would create more problems
As far as myself I am trying to eat but the worry makes things a bite harder but I will be fine We have a great faith in god and the power of prayer and you can believe theres been a whole lot of praying going on
Again thank you so much for all the info and help to a total stranger its appreciated more than words can express
May god bless and keep
Tom and Sharon

 

[Freda]

My daughter has only just been diagnosed with epilepsy, she has had a CT and MRI scan plus an EEG and a sleep deprived EEG but she's also had an ECG and a heart scan because if the heart isn't pumping blood properly that too can cause seizures. She was kinda hoping it was heart related and that tablets would put things right but her heart appears okay, she also had to wear a heart monitor day and night for four days to trace it - remarkably in that space of time she had another tonic clinic seizure so the tracing actually showed that her heart reacted normally through it.
It's a good idea for your hubby to have his heart checked out too so as that can be ruled out or treatment can start if it's out of normal rhythm.
Reading posts makes me realise how brilliant our Natuonal Health Service is, she's had all these tests in just two months and we don't even have to pay for it. I wish folk over here would stop moaning about the NHS are realise how lucky we are.
Hope you get some answers soon. xx

 

[scooter136]

Freda
Thank you so much for your reply Yes we are going to have them check everything
Everyone on here has been so very kind and helpful Not a day in his life has he been sick until this and I can tell you I was never so scared in my life I have been around others that has had seizures but never him
Thank you so much for the info you will never know how sincerely it was appreciated
May god bless
Tom and Sharon