new to the forum
 

I had a seizure 3 days ago, presumably from drinking and not eating for a couple of days, unless I'm developing epilepsy. I've had 3 seizures. In none of them do I remember what happened and saw no warning. I just regained consciousness on the ground or on the floor. Boy, did I hurt myself good this time. I'm afraid this is going to take months to heal. I have no health insurance anymore, so even if I did go to the emergency room of pay out or pocket, doctors are obliged to tell the Motor Vehicle Department of anyone who loses consciousness.

I went to the hospital the first time and was told that and that my license would be suspended for a year. The bureaucracy worked in my favor and the doctor forgot to report me. I was smart. I was going to pick up my restored license at the Motor Vehicle Department that day, but I didn't want to drive there in case I got stopped without my license on the way there. I hitchhiked there and was walking to the bus stop to go home when the seizure hit. If I had been driving it would have been disastrous.

With the price of treatment programs and being chronically unemployed, kicking the habit seems insurmountable. I've tried quitting a bunch of times and the longest I was able to do it was for a year. That was largely due to living in a country where hash was cheap and the beer was awful. I've been to an early recovery group at the hospital, a chemical dependency program, AA, and Smart Recovery meetings.

The thing is, bad things don't always happen to me when I drink, but I'm 49 years old now and my body is having a harder time handling it.

I've returned to therapy for a mere $30 per session, but I have cancelled 3 sessions in the past couple of months - 2 because I was afraid of having a seizure while driving, and the 3rd today because I did have a seizure.

The first seizure I had was from alcohol withdrawl. I had no bruises or pain whatsoever. The second time was from drinking and not eating much and again I had no bruises, but the chest muscles on my left side directly below the rib cage were very sore and took a long time to heal.

This most recent seizure this time I had been drinking mostly only beer with a few sips of water and eating nothing at all for a couple of days. The pain is again directly below the rib cage but on the right side. If I press it, it’s only mildly tender and as long as I don’t use those muscles it’s not that bad, but getting up out of a chair or bending over is excruciating. The pain has extremely hampered my ability to do the simplest physical tasks other than typing. :cries3:

Has anyone else had this happen to them?

Hi Renaldo

I understand insurance and the other things you've raised in your post, but I think there are very few things that are more important than your health and well-being.

I really recommend you see a Dr. None of us can diagnose you here.

There are a lot of free or low cost clinics around - if there's one in your local area you might get some medical advice there?

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As far as your licence goes - I don't want to be rude, but don't you think you might be better off without it for now?

D

Honey - you need to get some medical help, you really do.

I don't want to scare you but what happens if you are in the middle of doing something, like holding a kettle of scalding water and you have a seizure? The burns could be horrific.

You know the not eating is not good.
Could you at least take a high strength vitamin tablet if nothing else?

My heart aches for you that you are struggling with these dangerous symptoms and you are struggling to find treatment...I wish you could come to the UK and be treated here.
I would rush you straight to A&E and have you looked after.

You deserve so much better than this. Please, please go get some help and keep coming here, whatever you do, so we know you are okay? Okay? I care what happens to you.

xxxx

Please find a way to go to a free clinic or an ER or somewhere where you can get medical help. That is no way to live.

Welcome to SR, Renaldo. I agree with the others - you need to get yourself checked out. It sounds so dangerous. I'm glad you found us, and we will be here to help you through this - but please get help.

new to the forum
 

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sasha4 (Post 3623398)

You know the not eating is not good.
Could you at least take a high strength vitamin tablet if nothing else?

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Thank you all for your kind words. I am taking various vitamins that were recommended to me when I was in the hospital - one a day multi-vitamin,vitamin B, vitamin C, iron, fish oil, and high blood pressure medication.

Hi Renaldo,

I hope you were able to find a low cost clinic in your area. Your health is too important not to go. I will keep you in my prayers, please let us k one how you are doing.

Renaldo, I'll echo what the others have said, please get checked out by a doctor-seizures are nothing to mess around with. It will help relieve your anxiety as well. Sending good thoughts and prayers your way :)

It's hard to believe I posted this--my first message on the forum--only 6 days ago. I'm so glad I found this forum. It's the best I've seen. Everyone has been has been so nice, helpful, and unjudgemental. I've posted comments where I could when I thought they would be helpful to others.

I have had an appointment with a doctor at a low cost clinic. Based on my description, she said I had a grand mal seizure. I have a number of appointments to set, including multiple appointments for scans, detox, possibly rehab. All this stuff hinges on reassessing what kind of financial assistance I can get, so none of it is happening quickly.

Even when I had health insurance, they rarely could see you the next day for scans or anything, for that matter.

The seizures could be due to something else - so says one doctor. But if they are - such as a brain tumor - that would probably give me an excuse to increase drinking. I'm really concerned about stopping drinking. I've been doing it for 35 years. How quickly I forget that I eventually do adjust to not drinking. I've done it before, I can do it again. It's just the word "forever" that scares me.

I know, I know, "just for today."

Are you still drinking now Renaldo? I hope you manage to find a rehab. I was scared to stop drinking, but now I don't know what the fuss was about. I am not belittling the effort it took to get sober by saying that, it's just it is so much better on the other side! There are some things which are a bit tougher sober and it is easy to start spotting stuff it was covering up, but the relief that comes with not systematically killing yourself outweighs all that. It took months for my mindset to change on that though, especially to have 'looking after myself' feel as normal as being self destructive used to. I hope all turns out well for you x