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pccoder

Grand Mal Seizure

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I started jumping about 3 years ago. After about 50 jumps I had a grand mal seizure in my sleep one evening. I started taking an anti-convulsant as all tests (CT Scan, MRI, EEG, etc.) showed nothing out of the ordinary. I continued to jump for another year and did a low turn which resulted in some compression fractures in my thoracic spine. I stopped jumping altogether while I healed for the next year. In December of 2005 (after a year of no jumping) my doctor allowed me to stop taking the anti-convulsant medicine. Another 5 months passed before I returned and did one skydive in May of 2006.

Last weekend I had another Grand Mal seizure in my sleep and was rushed to the hospital again. I am back on the meds and will more than likely continue to be for now on. I struggled with the idea of returning to skydiving for so long after my accident and now I have the excuse I always needed to just walk away. I am saddened by this as I always loved jumping however it seems that the risk is too great now, especially having been hurt doing this in the past.

Another downer is that I have about $7000 worth of equipment that I will need to sell. I have a brand new Pro Track that I received for Xmas 2 years ago and have never used. I bought all brand new equipment 20 jumps before my low turn injury so it is all virtually brand new still. Two jump suits, 4 or 5 sets of goggles, Bonehead helmet, altimeter, gloves, you name it.

It's a real shame but I can't imagine how bad it would be having a seizure in freefall or under canopy.

PcCoder.net

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I'm sorry to hear about your medical issues however I think you are correct it egressing from the sport. Having a seziure, in freefall or under canopy could certainly lead to serious injury or death. I hope that your doctors are able to get your medication levels up to keep you free from seziures, perhaps at that point you can return to the air. For now I think you are making the best decision.

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I know someone who is very stable with his meds and has returned to skydiving... I think, once your doctor clears you to drive a car (because I assume that is equally dangerous to have a seizure in) - then you can consider returning to this sport.

Not to say you should rush anything, or trust an AAD with docile canopies or anything, but - I don't think you should hang your rig up if you love skydiving until the fat lady sings - as long as you keep your head on your shoulders and know the risks and manage them well and wait for doctors to sign off on the stability of the meds...

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There are lots of older unhealthy smoking drinking overweight skydivers out there who are just as likely to suffer heart attacks, as you are to suffer a Grand Mal whilst on medication. So as Tdog suggested, dont throw in the towel just yet:)
You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

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Looks like you've had a grand total of 2 seizures.

Both while asleep. Both while unmedicated.

Seems to me that if you stay on your meds, and stay awake during jumps,
your odds of seizing in the air are slim slim slim.

I cant set your risk vs reward thresholds for you, but in your shoes I'd continue to jump.
__

My mighty steed

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Quote

Looks like you've had a grand total of 2 seizures.

Both while asleep. Both while unmedicated.

Seems to me that if you stay on your meds, and stay awake during jumps,
your odds of seizing in the air are slim slim slim.



This is an extremely oversimplified thought process, and yet, I find myself in absolute agreement with it. Maintain therapeutic dilantin levels and you should have no further problems..


My wife is hotter than your wife.

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I agree, the thought has crossed my mind..considering that both happened while I was asleep, etc. What concerns me so much, being an admitted control freak, is that I would have blown off the 1st seizure to bad luck, a long day of jumps, who knows, but now that I have had two I am concerned that it will happen again. Not if so much as when. And, although my doctor has cleared me to drive given the same reasons we are discussing here (both happening at night while not medicated), I can't say that I am not concious now every time I get behind the wheel. I am confident in myself, but not so sure about when this could happen again.

PcCoder.net

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just because you are confident that it will happen again is no reason to stop jumping. Throughout the day we have many moments where if we no longer had control of our bodies, we would die. you could have a seizure in the bathtub and drown, crash while riding your bicycle, or even plow your head through this screen and have lightning bolts come out of your ears. At least skydiving will only kill you, not a dozen other people on the sidewalk or freeway. Look at it this way, if we lived 10,000 years ago some animal would have already eaten you while you were having a seizure. Hope to see you in the skies again

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My ex g/f had one about 2 months ago. The previous one was about 18 months ago.

She is not supposed to drive for one year after a seizure.
She has to quit jumping.

She is going through many of the same issues, so I have had many of these conversations. While it sucks that so much of her life has changed, I also want her to heed the medical advice. I hope you do too.

There are other things besides jumping. If your medical profile changes, it is always there to return to.

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I would think that having a seizure while driving a car could be worse in some cases, considering you'd be more likely to injure and kill other people than in skydiving. But I'd ask your doc if the added body stress from skydiving could be a factor.

I've known people who were on the jump plane a few hours after having chemo. Just because you have an illness doesn't mean you stop living.

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