Seizure causes.

[CREAMER]

Has anyone out there had any experience with seizures? I had one last year and, as a result my medical has been revoked. The seizure has been deemed 'unprovoked' which means that there is no attributable cause. If the doctors had been able to find a cause that was manageable then I might have been in with a chance of keeping my medical.

There were many factors affecting me on the day in question. These have been largely downplayed or dis-counted by the many doctors that I have seen. I will list a few things.

I felt dizzy with double vision so sat down. After about a minute, I stood up and lost consciousness. It transpired that I then walked about 20-25 yards before being witnessed by a medical professional standing for about one minute showing tonic/clonic seizure symptoms. I then fell over backwards banging my head on the hard floor. I woke on a stretcher following a post-ictal period of 15-20 minutes. Following observation in hospital I have been fine ever since.

I have very good cardio so the vasovagal syncope (faint) has been dis-counted. I'm still suspicious of the postural change being an issue.

Factors on the day were: Long day/very early start. Copious amounts of strong coffee. Feeling generally tired but not exhausted/fatigued. Little or no pure water drunk. Two longish sectors (approx 2:30 each) then airline home. Eating ok. Paramedic noted low blood glucose (3.3) rising to normal levels in about 10 minutes. Hospital measured Acute Kidney Injury parameters (GFR 52 / Creatinine 125). Event happened about two hours after eating and about 5 minutes after exercise (brisk 15 minute walk). High temperatures in Greece/Italy. Normal pilot levels of hypoxia.

My kidney readings have improved but are consistently within Chronic Kidney Disease parameters (Stage 2/3a). This is deemed to be a 'mild' reduction in function although filtration levels appear half of what they should be.

I'm still waiting to see a Nephrologist hoping for new ideas and will eventually go to see someone about Aerotoxic Syndrome although I understand that this is not fully recognised as legitimate yet.

I'm looking in the general area of Hypoglycemia and Chronic Kidney Disease as being the main issues. As a non-diabetic though, this is difficult. The Endocrinologist that I saw won't buy this.

Any ideas for avenues to pursue would be welcome. It's getting to the stage where I'm thinking that they just don't want me flying any more. A couple of the doctors have certainly shown a degree of timidness when it comes to the idea of putting a seizure sufferer back in the air.

[CREAMER]

Further to the above.. I have recently received my toxicity results. I have a massive organophosphate content in my system. Naturally I see this as a cause for my seizure but, from experience, I know that this will be deemed circumstantial or coincidental by the medical profession. I've even been told by one source that 'doctors don't generally understand toxicity.' I'm still looking for a definite cause and effect. Maybe this affected the kidneys or endocrine system. Next stop nephrology!

[421dog]

Organophosphates can certainly provoke seizures, but the hallmark of acute poisoning with them is flaccid paralysis, not seizures. In order to get into acute trouble, I’d expect you’d need to have been an ag pilot who fell into the malathion tank or something.

As a surgeon, I’ve watched a lot of med d students and new nurses pass out during disturbing procedures. When people have vasovagal responses, they often flop around like fish out of water for a while. I’m concerned that the “medical professional” that witnessed your “seizure activity” didn’t know what he was looking at. That being said, it’s impingent on you to demonstrate that you didn’t actually seize, and a sympathetic neurologist is gonna be your best bet.

No GP or nephrologist, (and certainly not a naturopath selling detox holy water) is going to get you out of this.

[PDR1]

As a mild type-2 I would have that BG looked at. A level of 3.3 is well into "hypo" territory that could cause loss of consciousness in its own right. Anything below 4 should have you reaching for a mars bar before you fall over - in my case I over-did it in the hotel gym and collapsed to semi-consciousness but was just coherent enough to get them to find me something sweet. Half a stick of "Twirl" chocolate acted like a shot of adrenaline and had me fully back to normal in less than two minutes. Before the chocolate my BG was 3.6 (using my finger-stick tester).

€0.00007 supplied,

[Radgirl]

Some very sensible responses. I agree hypos and vasovagals are likely - you cant eliminate a vasovagal by any test, the tests pick up specific issues that make them MORE likely. I wouldnt go down the road of rare or controversial diagnoses because the regulator doesnt believe in them and they wont get you flying

I would like to know about the 'healthcare professional' who witnessed it. If he was a consultant neurologist used to appearing as an expert witness in court I would give more credibility than a boy scout with a first aid badge. Standing for a minute unconscious with clonic activity would be a first unless you were held up in which case it might merely be a vasovagal, the inability to fall flat, and poor cerebral blood flow.....Was it really a 20 minute loss of consciousness? If so I would expect you to have had an immediate CT or MRI and cardiac work up on arrival in hospital.....you need to exclude electrophysiological pathology such as WPW so a cardiologist needs to have seen your ECG. If this didnt happen, I would ask for your medical notes - what was the admitting doctor told???? did anyone else see the event and what do they recall???? Why wasnt it taken more seriously? A and E departments usually over diagnose, not under diagnose severity.....

You need to gather more evidence. In the absence of any pathology the cleverest doctor in the world cant help because he can only prove to the regulator what isnt wrong...

Happy to receive PMs

[CREAMER]

Wow.. A sudden flurry of great responses after a lengthy fallow period. That will get me thinking for a while. I will get back to you soon.

[HowardB]

As someone who had a petit mal & at least one grand mal in my early twenties I will add my pennyworth. The cause was never identified but the EEG showed abnormal brain waves when I was sat in right front of a strobe TV screen.

Firstly loss of short term memory of the immediate events before the grand mal fit is quite normal. Your fit sounded not unlike my first grand mal - a very stressful day and possibly not enough fluids.

I was treated with a barbiturate based drug (this is 45 years ago) but when I moved to the middle east for work I had to come off this medication due to the local laws. When I came off I found that for me there was a direct link between my epilepsy warning symptoms & dehydration. Alcohol in particular caused me problems which I discovered by trial and error to be linked to loss of body salts - using the oral rehydration powders sorts this out immediately for me. In the absence of rehydration salts, lucozade or something similar also helps.

[RDL847]

Hi Creamer, I hope things are going better for you now! Out of interest what test did they do to confirm organophosphates in your system? It would be useful to know as I also have been suffering strange symptoms following a fumes event. Thanks in advance.