Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Involuntarily Out to Lunch

designs216

designs216

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Oct 26, 2009
1,046
22
Down the rabbit hole
Friday was a morning like any other. I was staring into the fridge contemplating breakfast, then at the front door asking who the paramedics were for. The kids say I was twitching and drooling in the floor but I have no recollection. Anyone have a similarly bizarre experience?
 
I can't say that I have, but, I once had a friend who hit his head he had a similar experience. He too didn't remember anything afterwards either.

Perhaps you banged your head - any tenderness there now?
 
designs216 said:
Friday was a morning like any other. I was staring into the fridge contemplating breakfast, then at the front door asking who the paramedics were for. The kids say I was twitching and drooling in the floor but I have no recollection. Anyone have a similarly bizarre experience?
Click to expand...

You DID go to your doc for evaluation...right?
 
maflynn said:
I can't say that I have, but, I once had a friend who hit his head he had a similar experience. He too didn't remember anything afterwards either.

Perhaps you banged your head - any tenderness there now?
Click to expand...

One might suspect after a post such as this but no head injuries or history of mental illness preceded this event. The neurologist claimed one in eight people will have a similar experience in their lifetime.
 
It's a seizure...whether it's post traumatic, or some other cause.

Alteration in consciousness is endemic to seizures.

Nothing bizarre about having no memory of a seizure because of the alterations in consciousness.

This is something that requires attention...now!
 
I'm confused, did you go to a doctor or not? You'd be foolish not to. Please see a doc.
 
I think if you haven't already, that you should see your primary care physician.
 
Shrink said:
It's a seizure...whether it's post traumatic, or some other cause.

Alteration in consciousness is endemic to seizures.

Nothing bizarre about having no memory of a seizure because of the alterations in consciousness.

This is something that requires attention...now!
Click to expand...

The neurologist seemed completely bored by my whole account but he did say the next course of action is an MRI. I am someone who is overall very healthy so the strange thing is that after 40 years this would jump out of nowhere.
 
designs216 said:
The neurologist seemed completely bored by my whole account but he did say the next course of action is an MRI. I am someone who is overall very healthy so the strange thing is that after 40 years this would jump out of nowhere.
Click to expand...

Yup...stuff happens. Get the MRI so the cause of the seizure can be established. There are several possible causes...and the cause dictates the treatment, if necessary.

Just because you have been healthy all your life does not preclude the development of issues. The MRI may tell the tale, or other diagnostics may be necessary.

Do not be casual about this. A major seizure with total loss of consciousness is not to be treated lightly.
 
Shrink said:
Yup...stuff happens. Get the MRI so the cause of the seizure can be established. There are several possible causes...and the cause dictates the treatment, if necessary.

Just because you have been healthy all your life does not preclude the development of issues. The MRI may tell the tale, or other diagnostics may be necessary.

Do not be casual about this. A major seizure with total loss of consciousness is not to be treated lightly.
Click to expand...

I do not mean to sound cavalier and I do appreciate everyone's concern. The MRI will be this week. It's just that I've found the best insight has come from others who empathize because they've been down this road already. One person had a single occurrence out of the blue and no more another needs to take medication perpetually. What surprised me is that things like sleep deprivation, dehydration and stress can trigger a seizure.

----------
Peace said:
Have you ever had bloodwork done to check on diabetes ?
Click to expand...

I'm not certain but the paramedics and the ED drew blood which I assume would have been tested.
 
Peace said:
Have you ever had bloodwork done to check on diabetes ?
Click to expand...

There are so many possible causes for a seizure, OP will have many tests unless something leaps out after the MRI.

Please don't take this wrong, I really mean no offense, but I think suggestions other than see a Doc might not be too helpful.
 
LOC patient = CT scan or MRI
go do one. GL :)
You should have gone to the ER, faster way to get the tests out of the way and controlled environment.
 
Why would you even come on here for advice? As far as I'm aware we only have one regular poster who is a Dr, who deals more with issues of the mind rather than body.
 
Apple fanboy said:
Why would you even come on here for advice? As far as I'm aware we only have one regular poster who is a Dr, who deals more with issues of the mind rather than body.
Click to expand...

There are plenty of docs in here believe or not.

Hell, even the owner of the site is a doctor.
 
Shrink said:
You're right...and I'd be willing to bet that none will say anything other than... see your Doc, and get thoroughly evaluated. :D
Click to expand...

fine...

OP see your dr, and get thoroughly evaluated


:eek: :)

I would have preferred he went that same morning to the ER, but we can't go back in time.

--------------

TS don't worry all neurologist would be bored from your story, I believe is the most common thing they see in private practice.
 
Apple fanboy said:
Why would you even come on here for advice? As far as I'm aware we only have one regular poster who is a Dr, who deals more with issues of the mind rather than body.
Click to expand...

The medical stuff is taken care of, I am simply seeking insight into the human side of this. How have folks dealt with it? The Dr's I've consulted with have seen this kind of thing so often that they seem somewhat apathetic. You nearly bit off your tongue? That will heal in a week. No driving for 3 months and get an MRI.
 
Did you have any weird smells or sensations? Any deja vu or jamais vu? Any time anything goes wrong with one's CNS it can shake up what we normally think is our solid grasp of reality. It must be so weird and scary to lose control of your body like that.
 
get well soon.

designs216 said:
The neurologist seemed completely bored by my whole account but he did say the next course of action is an MRI. I am someone who is overall very healthy so the strange thing is that after 40 years this would jump out of nowhere.
Click to expand...

neurologists are boring. the whole point is to find some undocumented thingy to get ones name attached to. it's like staring at circuit boards all day to decide who does what and why and when. when something is wrong, it's the same in reverse. the MRI provides the pretty pictures to stare at.

40 is when your warranty ran out, so not strange at all that things start to break. it gets weirder from here, or at least that's been my experience. sneaking up on the top end of that range now myself. everything frickin' hurts.

Shrink said:
... A major seizure with total loss of consciousness is not to be treated lightly.
Click to expand...

totally agree with this. no matter when/where/why. full stop.


designs216 said:
The medical stuff is taken care of, I am simply seeking insight into the human side of this. How have folks dealt with it? The Dr's I've consulted with have seen this kind of thing so often that they seem somewhat apathetic. You nearly bit off your tongue? That will heal in a week. No driving for 3 months and get an MRI.
Click to expand...

and then we are full circle. i get the 'human side' approach. weird day, wonder what it all means and stuff. i hope for you that it goes away and the already bored neurologist gets even more bored and tells you to stop calling already....:) nothing to see, nothing to fix, move along please and all that.

geeky admission time, i love MRI. i worked on them for years. the technology involved is totally amazing. T1 and T2 precession, sagittal spin, and the ability to create a superconducting magnet with cryo... just awesome. you would not believe how much is going on in the other room (rack room, not control room) for a scan. they are aligning all of your molecules in a super strong homogeneous magnetic space about the size of a basketball and then 'pinging' them with an RF pulse and 'listening' for the response based on spin and time differential. and stuff. :) safe, fun, and the most amazing pictures which is why i'm always so irritated that neurologists are bored. true story.
 
Last edited:
4JNA said:
geeky admission time, i love MRI. i worked on them for years. the technology involved is totally amazing. T1 and T2 precession, sagittal spin, and the ability to create a superconducting magnet with cryo... just awesome stuff. you would not believe how much is going on in the other room (rack room, not control room) for a scan. they are aligning all of your molecules in a super strong homogeneous magnetic space about the size of a basketball and then 'pinging' them with an RF pulse and 'listening' for the response based on spin and time differential. and stuff. :) safe, fun, and the most amazing pictures which is why i'm always so irritated that neurologists are bored. true story.
Click to expand...

Technically, it's not the molecules that align, it's the protons (hydrogen nuclei). But yes, MRI is amazing technology. The people who know the most about how MRI works and who interpret the majority of MRI scans are radiologists, who are physicians who specialize in medical imaging.

It sounds like the OP had a seizure, the workup of which would include imaging and other tests, as there are many potential causes. I hope that things go well.
 
ValSalva said:
Did you have any weird smells or sensations? Any deja vu or jamais vu? Any time anything goes wrong with one's CNS it can shake up what we normally think is our solid grasp of reality. It must be so weird and scary to lose control of your body like that.
Click to expand...

There was a wave of dizziness, which I took to be due to perhaps standing up too quickly. Shortly after the second wave I checked out. It seems logical that if there were a structural defect or abnormality that was going to cause problems it would have presented before now. It's stressful is to consider the inconvenience I'm now causing my loved ones and the scare I gave my kids. Truly frightening is the thought that if this episode had come thirty minutes later, I would have been driving them to school.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back