Thursday 3 November 2011

Epilepsy Awareness Month - My Epilepsy

So, November is as stated above, and as someone with epilepsy, I guess it's partly my responsibility to make others more aware.

I'm going to detail how I discovered mine, what a seizure/fit feels like, how I cope now and so forth.

I've basically had my head issues as long as I can remember but as they were never serious, and were more of a nuisance than anything. During a normal tidying up of my flat, I had my usual head thing happen, which is:

I get a loud ringing in my ears, like a flatline sound, and then a series of images akin to a film plays in my head. There are three or four sets of films and though I can't remember it once my attack is over, I recognize the start of them when I am having them. Then an immense pain in my head, followed by pain in other areas every so often.

Usually that's where my thing ends, but during this time I blacked out.

I was aware I had been unconscious for a few minutes thanks to the clock in the living room but I was otherwise okay. I got up off the floor and continued to clean and then it happened again and I was out for nearly 10 minutes. I had bashed my arm against the doorway so had flailed in my vulnerable state and injured my arm.

I then panicked and realized that my local doctors wouldn't be open due to the time, but rationalized that I could call NHS Direct and ask them about it.

They said it sounded like a seizure, and advised that I go to the walk in center in town. I went there and they did a few tests and then referred me to my current epilepsy doctor, who ran some MRI tests and others and gave me the diagnosis of epilepsy.

Since not too long after that I've had medication, and haven't had anything else happen. I wasn't able to drive until I was fit free for a year, but then I got a free travel pass which has proved very useful.

I hope you are a bit more aware now, I'm not sure what else there is left to say.

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