anxiety after a terrifying incident

tom_tarbucket

hi,

I don't even know if this is the correct forum for this so apologies if not.

I'm a otherwise healthy 36 year old male, no previous sicknesses.

about 2 weeks ago our only child that's 1 year old had a "febrile convulsion "

was terribly scary at the time........baby in a seizure, frothing at the mouth, in and out of consciousness, eyes rolling in head.

I honestly thought he was dying in my arms and I was having my last few moments with him. my wife was also with me at the time.

He then had another convulsion less than 24 hours later, that was less scary.

I now know that these convulsions are not very dangerous but at the time I didn't know that.


since the incident, I've had a feeling that I've never had before..........sometimes feels like my heart is going to stop, other times feels like it's going to explode. sometimes it feels like a missed heartbeat sensation. its just a weird feeling.

Every time I hear the baby noise or a loud noise it gets worse. I get images of the baby in a convulsion in my head.
I haven't been sleeping at night too well.

went to the doctor and she checked me out and said my least rate was fine, blood pressure fine. She gave me 4 relaxer type tablets and 3 sleeping pills. I have them taken now. She just said I had anxiety.


anybody ever experience something like this, specifically in regard to feeling like your heart is going to stop etc ?

Wyldwood

Put this link to Post Traumatic Stress on your other post

http://www.helpguide.org/articles/ptsd-trauma/post-traumatic-stress-disorder.htm

cassid

Febrile Convulsions are very scarey. I had one child who had several of them one night.

If your child has been healthy up to this point to witness something like this is very frightening and you realise that things can happen to your child and you have no control over it. Which is difficult for a parent.

At the time you probably did not know what they were but I promise you if it ever happens again, you will know immediately. My child had them 8 years ago and I can see still him in Temple St fitting away in the rescuscitation bay.

The convulsions can happen when the temperature goes to high on the baby and they are less likely to occur when the child grows up as the body is able to regulate the temperature a little better.

Thankfully in your situation your little one was ok, and it is important to acknowledge how awful it was to see your little one like that and how it frightened the life out of you and your wife.

Mathrew

It's a normal thing for you as a father to care that much for your child, you're a good father I guess.
Continue seeing the doc if you're still having anxiety, she will surely be a big help.

hollster2

Hi Tom my son had the same thing happen to him Me and my partner thought the same thing his body was lifeless in my arms we called an ambulance an it came with 5 minutes, thankfully though he came around after 2-3 minutes, when we got to the hospital he had a tempreture over 40plus, he had another one on a bus one day and was brought to the hospital again and like yourdelf it wasnt as bad as the first, I got terrible anxiety over this I ended up very depressed worrying day and night will it happen again to the point he was sleeping in our bed, this happened between ages 2-3, thankfully he hasnt had one since hes 5 now If hes ever sick I give calpol/nurofen straight away even if its just over 37/38.

I ended up to the point where I couldnt go a day without thinking is he going to die if it happens again I went for councelling and it halped me alot I now know what it is if it ever happens again and you have control of it, also your a parent you will always worry about your child no matter what, you take care of yourself and look for information on councelling it was worth it for me.

hollster2

This is where I went and they were brilliant http://livinglifecounselling.com/

chloe13

My two year old has had 7. Hard to believe but you do get better dealing with them over time. There's also a Facebook group called febrille convulsions support for parents and I find it brilliant. Got all my info there on what to ask doctors to test etc

tom_tarbucket

chloe13 wrote: »

My two year old has had 7. Hard to believe but you do get better dealing with them over time. There's also a Facebook group called febrille convulsions support for parents and I find it brilliant. Got all my info there on what to ask doctors to test etc

Hi, thanks for reply.

Since my initial post, baby has had 3 more. So 5 in total at 17 months of age.

I seriously HATE when he has them but as you say it does get a small bit easier...........compared to the blind panic and fear I experienced on his very first convulsion.

Will check out that Facebook page.