first grand mal 40 year old - Epilepsy Message Board

Kimwwe · 03-09-2007, 08:32 AM

Hi,
I am a 40 yr. old female. I had a car accident but CT showed no concussion. About 4 days later I had a grand mal seizure. Thank God it was a Sunday and my husband and I were home. I bit my toungue so bad, my legs stiffened but upper body convulsing, stopped breathing for a couple seconds but all I remember is the EMT people in my house. I couldn't remember my name or my husbands for a couple minutes.
Does anyone know if once they start you get more? Or can someone only get one seizure in their life. I did not get sleep the night before, was stressed from the accident and take med's for OCD so the doctor thinks it was all of that put together. My EEG showed short waves in the left brain??? and he gave me Lamictal.
Also I heard that most people can tell when they are going to get another one. If so, does it give you enough time to go somewhere (like to another room if I was at work) or does it happen to fast after the sign you feel? I want to make sure I can be somewhere safe when or if I get a sign. This is a really scary thing, it never happened to me before ever. Thank you!!

IMNRVUS · 03-09-2007, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kimwwe

Hi,
Does anyone know if once they start you get more? Or can someone only get one seizure in their life. I did not get sleep the night before, was stressed from the accident and take med's for OCD so the doctor thinks it was all of that put together. Also I heard that most people can tell when they are going to get another one. If so, does it give you enough time to go somewhere (like to another room if I was at work) or does it happen to fast after the sign you feel?

More depends on the cause. Sounds like your doctor is correct with diagnosis. Stress and lack of sleep are major causes of seizures. Could be a one time thing, but there's no guarantee. Just having one means you could have a seizure disorder... at least that's what my doctor told me. Avoid stress, get more quality sleep... you might get lucky and not have more.
As for the warning before the seizures... Those are simple partial seizures... or "Auras". Again, everybody is different. They're odd/scary/uneasy feelings that run through your mind... such as deja-vu. Sometimes you smell funny smells that aren't really there.
I have had both simple partial as well as gran mal seizures. The Auras started when I was about 30. The first Gran Mal happened in 2001 at 45. For me, one doesn't come before the other. My Auras are in the daytime. My Gran mal's (all 8 of them) happened while sound asleep. I have an additional trigger for my gran mal's... lack of oxygen from sleep apnea.
Keep track of your sleep and stress... and if they trigger another seizure, tell your doctor.

Kimwwe · 03-09-2007, 12:12 PM

IMNRVUS -thank you for the info. I was going to ask if anyones get nervous when going places but I think the name gave that away. I am going to the movies tomorrow so I'll have to try and relax.

I do have another question, sorry to be a bother, this is so new. I know by law I cannot drive for 6 months. I have to get an MRI next week and then see my Doctor to get a release back to work. Does anyone know what the Doctor does as far as letting you back to work? Unfortunately, I have a full time stressful collections job, that doesn't help. Thanks again.

IMNRVUS · 03-09-2007, 05:16 PM

I'm not as nervous/anxious as I used to be.
Ask your doctor for a note to go back to work at your next appt., Finding a less stressful job might be necessary.

dogmom · 03-10-2007, 03:52 PM

Kim,
So sorry you're going through all of this. I had a 'grand mal' pretty much out of nowhere at the age of 42. I didn't know it until after the fact, though, that I had non-febrile seizures as an infant (5mos. old) and was on phenobarb. until 2 yrs. old. Never took meds again and never had a problem until 42 years old--but like you said, you were stressed out and hadn't slept...that can awaken seizures, unfortunately!

I had insomnia and stress from my job when my grand mal hit, and the eeg showed abnormalities. Maybe in your case you'll never have another seizure--that truly does happen! Some people just have one "biggie" and it never happens again. You just have to make sure you get lots of rest, exercise and work on reducing stress, if possible. There are very few states that require you to relinquish your driver's license after having a 'grand mal' seizure, actually. But honestly, you don't want to drive until you're seizure-free for six months before you drive again, as you DID have a whopper of a seizure.

After mine, I don't know if it was the meds (Dilantin and Lamictal) or the seizure itself, but I really didn't feel normal, whatever that is, until almost a week after my grand mal. But I'm a Copywriter by trade so you can understand how it was difficult for me to find the words needed to write for advertising after such an event!

Just take your time and do what you need to do to come to terms with what happened to you. Hopefully it was a one-time thing. Take care of yourself and REST as much as possible. And most importantly, find a good neurologist!
I wish you the best!