Forgetting to use the VNS

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valeriedl

valeriedl

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When I'm alone and I know I'm having a seizure I forget to use the magnet for my VNS. I know it's because I'm not thinking strait.

I was on the phone with my grandma this evening and I knew I was having a seizure, but she didn't. I was having alot of trouble thinking of words and getting my sentences strait, she's used to that though, and I felt a little dizzy. I think I even told her I was having a seizure but I must not have actually said it or it didn't come out right when I did.

One time I did know I was having a seizure, but I started rubbing it on my leg instead of on my chest were the VNS implant is.

If I'm with someone and they know that I'm having a seizure the magnet is the first thing they grab.

Is there any way that I can make myself know to use the magnet, and in the right place?
 
practice and repetition is all i can say i have had mine since 06 and recently lost a magnet and forget to run it half the time and it dont help when your going into seizures.
 
Valerie,

Do you have the wrist attachment for the magnet?

http://us.cyberonics.com/static/images/67t.jpg
Click to expand...

And I assume you have auras, so you do have time to grab your magnet? I've had to learn to listen to by "auras" and when I feel it, I grab my magnet with my left hand (since my right side is effected by my seizures) and swipe it over the VNS while finding a safe place to sit it out.

I had to teach my self to always use my left hand to swipe my magnet because my seizures start on the left side of my brain. When I would use my right hand, I always dropped it and would inevitably go into a seizure.
 
I do have the wrist attachment but I don't use that one. I've got mine clipped onto my pants so I always have it on me.

If I do realize that I'm starting to have an aura I'll use it. It's when there's no aura and I go right in to the seizure that I have a problem. If I don't black out during the seizure and know I'm having one my brain just doesn't register that I should be using it.
 
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