Seizure after getting blood drawn?

[MrSinister]

So today I was getting blood drawn to test for antibody titers (the med school I am going to next year requires this on the immunization form that every student turns in before matriculation).

Now, I really don't like needles (but only when getting poked by them), but I'm not so terrified of them that I can't stay still during this procedure. The doctor hits my vein with no problem, but as soon as he switches to the second vial, I feel this sudden lightheadedness and lose consciousness immediately. The next thing I remember is waking up on the ground while my doctor is pinning my arms down. I get instructed to stay on the ground, and the doctor tells me that I just had a seizure- he describes that I had convulsions with my eyes open and pupils directed upwards. Of course I have no memory of this, and my doctor then proceeds to take my bp and informs me that my systolic has dropped by 20 since the measurement he took before drawing the blood. I also have a scrape on my knee now (I was wearing pants too).

Doc sends me home from his office after about two hours when my bp goes back to normal and tells me not to drive and to stay at home and come back to see him monday for him to schedule an EEG and whatnot.

To all you medical students and residents out there, is it really possible I had a seizure? I've never had one before, nor do I have a family history. I have never been diagnosed with an anxiety/neurological/cardio disorder. Being bored at home, I did some googleling and it seems to me that what I experienced could be an episode of vasovagal syncope? (Commonly misinterpreted as epilepsy). The doc (really old guy in family medicine) told me he has never seen anyone faint and seize after getting blood drawn, and this worries me.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[masterofmonkeys]

certainly possible it was a vasovagal reaction.

A lot of the 'seizures' post-vaccination that get reported are probably the same thing.

 

[Pinkertinkle]

You fainted due to fright.

 

[Ashers]

Convulsive syncope. On neuro we were told this is the majority of the calls for seizure codes in the hospital.

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

Convulsive syncope. On neuro we were told this is the majority of the calls for seizure codes in the hospital.

Yup. Plus, what was the doc in the original post thinking trying to restrain the OP?

 

[mjl1717]

As stated--people in the medical field, especially docs or "docs to be" are known to be the WORST patients!

 

[sprinkibrio]

This doc is crazy!!!! We were shown videos in Neuro about how not to confuse vasovagal fainting with siezures. You can jerk about during a vasovagal episode, but it's not classified as a siezure. 99% sure that's what happened to you. And, yeah, no restraining necessary.

 

[Scaredshizzles]

If you weren't post-ictal (i.e. you were completely alert and aware after coming out of this state, no confusion), then you probably didn't have a seizure *at least not a generalized tonic-clonic)....Although really syncope related convulsions are usually quite different than generalized tonic clonic seizures...For one, syncope related convulsions should last less than 15 seconds----I'm guessing yours lasted well over 15 seconds given that the doc was holding you down to the ground (whether or not this was the right thing to do, I don't know...depends on what was around and what you could've gotten hurt on.) But I wouldn't write this off as just vasovagal syncope for sure, I would get some further work up just for peace of mind....While needles are obviously a big trigger for vasovagal syncope (and you don't necessarily have to have a conscious fear of needles), any sort of stress/fright can also be the trigger for a seziure, especially if your seizure threshold is low or if you already had other factors lowering your threshold at the time (lack of sleep, dehydration/poor nutrition, etc.)

But don't bother getting a tilt table in case some idiot recommends it, the most ridiculously inaccurate test ever created.

 

[pingouin]

SDN is not to be used to seek medical advice. Thread closed.