Advice for muscle and bruise pain

[Sparkles]

Last night I had a partial complex seizure. That's what I get, so I'm told, and I'm working hard on accepting this epilepsy diagnosis and all that comes with it. It is what it is. I lurk here a lot and I'm inspired by all of you very much.

So last night, my memory is very fuzzy, but from what I can put together from my parents and the home security company, I apparently set my house alarm, thought I (or actually) heard the door bell, the dogs were barking so something was up, I got up from the couch (I have no idea why the house alarm was set), thought I saw a woman at my door (in retrospect it could have been my own reflection in the window), opened the door and one of my dogs escaped. It was pouring rain. I triggered the house alarm, but my focus was on my dog. I chased after him but was apparently having a seizure. So, I fell. I tried to get up, I fell again and I don't know how many times this happened because I can't really remember. I have flashes of memory. Finally getting the dog, losing him again, getting him again, getting inside, trying to turn the alarm off, the alarm company calling, me giving the wrong code word then the right one, them saying the police were on the way but they would cancel, me going upstairs to change out of soaking wet clothes, my parents (who live 20 minutes away) in my bedroom while I'm changing in my closet and me yelling, "I'M NAKED!!" Apparently I set the alarm off twice and the alarm company called them the second time instead of the police and I wasn't answering my phone. These are all flashes that occurred over about 90 minutes.

Aside from the sheer frustration, stress, fear, relief that my kids were with their father (although they are teens and none of this likely would have happened had they been home), anyway...

To my plea for help. Today as the day has progressed I feel worse and worse, I have huge bruises on both knees, my right elbow, my left hip, and my left hand hurts a lot, my back hurts as well. My muscles seem to be getting tighter and tighter as the day progresses. My knees were bare when I fell multiple times so they are scratched too as are the tops of my feet and the side of one arm. I went to work with long pants and 3/4 sleeves so only one bruise/scratch showed and I'm off tomorrow. What is the best thing for these muscle aches, pains, bruises? Heat? Ice? Tylenol? Aleve? Or just time. I also hit the back of my head twice because I don't have enough brain problems as it is. :/

Ok, there's the self pity. The good news, my dog Buster came back, I know I will look back at this and laugh when I feel better, the police didn't show up to assume I was on alcohol or drugs, while I was literally lying in a gutter of rain water unable to get up, my dog did return and sat next to me, my parents, though over protective, drop whatever they're doing to be by my side when this happens, I still have a job for now, and there are other people in this world who understand what I'm going through and don't think I'm crazy - my coworker "friend" was pissed off at me for coming to work today. I don't have a choice right now.

Thanks for any advice. I have a feeling it's that I just have to wait it out. Right? This too shall pass...

 

[SlimBlue]

Hi sparkles, i really don't like giving out medical advice that i've just scraped from the web, but this page seems pretty sensible:

http://firstaid.webmd.com/bruises-treatment

but please, if the injuries are quite severe- or involve head trauma- contact a professional

for sprains, the treatment is slightly different:

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/health_advice/facts/sprains.htm

again, please seek advice from a professional for severe/head trauma

 

[Sparkles]

Thank you, SlimBlue. I have ice in the worst bruise, my right knee and heat on the muscle pain in my back. I think the muscle pain is from the attempts to get up as it is focused mostly around my core - hips, abs, back and a bit in my shoulders. I did take Aleve last night but reading the link you posted, I think I will just skip meds altogether for now and ride it out. I've read on here about people saying they feel as though they've been hit by a freight train and now I can somewhat relate. Between the bruises and muscle pain, I am having difficulty getting from sitting to standing and vice versa, I'm shuffling around, and just aching a lot. I will put the ice on my head next, then my elbow, and then left hand. If things don't improve by tomorrow or the next day I suppose I will go to the urgent care place but I just don't feel like dealing with doctors, scans, X-rays, and tests any more. I'm hoping it will pass. I had this magical thinking that there would be some magic cure. The right knee, right elbow, left hand, and head concern me the most. And the memory loss. I guess the memory loss is postictal and the falling is the seizure itself. It all still feels very new to me and I feel scared and in denial.

 

[SlimBlue]

aww I guess we all know that feeling, but i'm a bit concerned about the banging your head tbh- especially with memory loss- even though that could well be the seizure as you say.

at the end of the day it's always better to be safe than sorry where head trauma is concerned, even if it only seems like a bit of a bump...

i know being in an ER right now is probably the last thing you want, but at the very least see if you can get someone to be with you for a few hours to keep an eye on you

any new symptoms like dizziness, nausa, etc and get straight down the ER

please- for my sake, else i'll be worried about you on my b'day party tonight lol
:hugs:

 

[Sparkles]

Thank you, SlimBlue and happy birthday! I had my parents calling and texting to check that I knew who I was and where I was and all of that. I am still sore but the heat on my back and shoulders helped and the ice on my head, knee, elbow, and hand also helped. Today is a little better than yesterday and that makes me feel a lot better overall. I will continue with that treatment, thanks again. One day at a time.

My memory is fuzzy even from Thursday. That seems a long time but I read that can happen. I keep wondering about the doorbell and the woman on the porch. Did I imagine it or was it real or was the doorbell on the television or was I dreaming and the woman was my reflection? I guess I'll never know. I hate that. And I can't seem to stop thinking about it.

 

[Nakamova]

Hope you are a feeling a bit better Sparkles. It's important not to push yourself too much as you heal. I've found that after a big seizure it helps to use my go-to "hangover" remedies: Preemptive ibuprofen (i.e. before I go to bed, because I know I'll be stiff/sore in the morning), lots of water, healthy juices, fresh fruit. A little tea or coffee, but nothing heavy or hard on the digestion. And generally taking it easy, listening to your body and staying comfortable.

 

[ajax]

Try arnica. It comes in topical and pill form; i've found both to be surprisingly effective.

 

[Sparkles]

Thanks Nakamova and Ajax. I decided to call out sick today. I awoke still feeling off, sore, cranky, and bruises looking nasty. I think one more day of heat and ice will be a good idea. It's my first sick day since I've returned from FMLA in April, and while the timing sucks, with the bump still on the back of my head, I just want to make sure. Then I have just three days to work, I'm off Friday, and all should be back to as normal as it gets by then. I had bandages, topical spray, heat patches, all laid out and it just seemed overwhelming. I have never been this sore even when I broke my thumb or when I fractured my nose. I guess those times I fell once this time I was trying to get my dog and just kept trying to get I think. I do feel really dehydrated too and was thinking that the body must need extra fluid to heal. I thought I'd look back and laugh at this episode.... Nope, not yet anyway.