Person who has a seizure

HappyJaxRN · Nov 30, 2005

Now that I've written this topic, MY LUCK...totally MY LUCK...watch me go to the mall....which I do so infrequently now...since I do a lot of shopping online...and WATCH..This scenerio will happen. Thanks to all you guys...I won't be as afraid to approach the situation. Thanks for all the input...it has been so interesting to read about....You all are awesome. :)

Agnus · Nov 30, 2005

In reguard to my tendency to not play the hero and get involved. One thing I often do when I see an emergency situation or even just drive by a stranded motorist. Is I call 911.

Any one can do this and if you are like me not wanting to involve myself yet still feel compasion, guilt, fear of Karma, or what ever by calling 911 you know you have helped someone without putting yourself in any danger.

HappyJaxRN · Nov 30, 2005

In reguard to my tendency to not play the hero and get involved. One thing I often do when I see an emergency situation or even just drive by a stranded motorist. Is I call 911.
Any one can do this and if you are like me not wanting to involve myself yet still feel compasion, guilt, fear of Karma, or what ever by calling 911 you know you have helped someone without putting yourself in any danger.

I guess I'm a thrill seeker too...really should work in the ER. I'm always jumping in...getting my hands dirty and well, yes...sometimes regretting that I jumped in. I'm getting a little better tho...

I do that too...most of the time, keep driving and call 911, especially if I see that others have stopped to help. No need to have one more hazard at the scene...meaning another parked car on the side of the road. If something happens that I witness, I've always stopped to render help. I was late one day in nursing school when an elderly couple slammed into a telephone poll...I stayed with them until the ambulance arrived. Turned out to be the grandparents of one of my fellow students. Small world.

allnurses Guide · Nov 30, 2005

So, what happened? Did it have something to do w/not calling emergency response in a situation outside of your workplace.
I'm curious

I don't understand your question.

I lost my licence twice because I had a seizure twice. Each time you "earn" it back by not having a seizure for a certain amount of time or you start medication. It is variable - there is no set time in the state I live. You get a doc to write you a note and then have a hearing with the DMV.

steph

allnurses Guide · Nov 30, 2005

What license was lost? Driver's or Nursing? Donno why this would be an issue re Nursing license? The standard protocol is after 5 minutes call 911, but since it takes a while for them to get there, realistically that 5 minutes really doesn't mean much. Since this was a stranger, I would call 911. Ya never know what other comorbidities may be playing out too. Sometimes, sz are triggered by Cardiac, metabolic, and others as well, so to have 911 there to assess them from a Medical standpoint is a very good thing. I want to add that after 30 minutes of seizing, permanent brain damage can occur so you never let a person seize until it stops. Use the 5 minute rule as your upper parameter. To the one whose child has had over 500 GM ( Tonic Clonic), Is he being treated by an Epileptologist or general neuro? The Epileptologist makes a huge difference! Glad to meet others who share this commonality. 7 yrs for me. I had the surgery. Got my life back. Nice to meet all of you. TweetyRN

Driver's licence. :) You have to report to the DMV that you had a seizure when you have a seizure.

steph

allnurses Guide · Nov 30, 2005

Um...there's a law called the Good Samaritin Law. Can't spell it...you shouldn't loose your license unless you were WORKING in the capacity of a nurse...or medical personnel..say at like...a hospital or something. I believe responding to help someone and that person dying or becoming injured shouldn't be cause for you to loose your license...I guess unless it was gross negligence?? I don't know. I could be wrong here....What happened?

I lost my driver's licence twice.

steph

allnurses Guide · Nov 30, 2005

i'm just a student nurse, but can't one loose their license over something like this ??

I was responding to the above question and assumed the poster meant losing your driver's licence.

ok - hope that clears things up. :coollook:

steph

tlhubbard · Nov 30, 2005

The nostril trick doesn't stop a seizure, it just gets them breathing again. I've only used it a handful of times, usually breathing isn't an issue. But when it was I was pretty shocked at how well (and fast) it worked.

My daughter had a seizure (1st one and she's 10), I of course forgot everything I was ever taught. She turned blue around the nose and mouth ( the seizure lasted at least 2 minutes, but she wasn't breathing for at least 1) My question is: her chin was down in her chest, I don't think I could have opened her airway. Is this a typical positioning of the head and neck during a seizure? She was lying in my waterbed, felt something coming that didn't seem right and was attempting to get up when it happened (that may have been partly responsible for the posturing).

I certainly hope she doesn't EVER do this again. I have to say, when it's a stranger I do fine. With my own daughter, I panicked.

DD-RN · Nov 30, 2005

Tweety RN,

My son is the one who has had over 500 GM seizures. He had 2 lobectomies (with 2 subdural grids surgeries) in the past 3 years (at 2 of the best hospitals in the U.S.). He is seen regularly (for the past 13 years) by our local epileptologist, who is fabulous. His seizures have been reduced from 10 per month to one per month (last lobectomy was 12 months ago). His medical care has been superb...the doctors say that he has a very difficult case.

So have you been seizure-free since your surgery? Was yours temporal? My son's is frontal.

Best of luck to you.

tlhubbard · Nov 30, 2005

I have another question. A friend of mine (adult female) had seizures, yet had an EEG come back normal (early on). Now they find that she has been having small seizures (absent), and she has had 3 grand mal, now they are seeing the small seizures with the EEG.

My daughter had a normal EEG after her seizure earlier this month. She has another one scheduled for Feb to follow up. Any chance that it takes more than one EEG to catch these, especially if the patient is not able to fall asleep during the test?

allnurses Guide · Nov 30, 2005

I have another question. A friend of mine (adult female) had seizures, yet had an EEG come back normal (early on). Now they find that she has been having small seizures (absent), and she has had 3 grand mal, now they are seeing the small seizures with the EEG.
My daughter had a normal EEG after her seizure earlier this month. She has another one scheduled for Feb to follow up. Any chance that it takes more than one EEG to catch these, especially if the patient is not able to fall asleep during the test?

I've had 2 normal EEG's and 2 normal MRI's.

My neuro and the ER doc both said that adult onset seizures rarely have a discernible cause. And 60% of the time you never have more than one. I had two 6 months apart so I went on medication and it has been almost 2 years.

All the research I've read says the same thing about adults - no abnormal EEG's or MRI's.

When it comes to kids though - I am not sure.

steph

DD-RN · Nov 30, 2005

tlhubbard,

My son had a few normal EEGs early on (after a few seizures). After that, his were all abnormal. An EEG is just a test to start with. Also, a normal EEG does not rule out epilepsy/seizure disorder (as in the case of your friend too). Just as as a person without seizures can have an abnormal EEG.

If your daughter has only had one seizure, I would try and relax (as hard as that may be). Some people may have a one-time seizure and never have another. I hope that is the case with your daughter.