Seizure caused by blood being drawn?

Question

Hi, I just went for a physical today and after the nurse finished drawing blood I had a seizure which the doctor said appeared to be a grand mal seizure. He stated that my upper body was completely rigid while my lower legs were flailing and I was completely unresponsive for 30 seconds. As far as the food I ate that day, I had oatmeal around 8 and the test was at 2, so it had been a while since I had last had food. Just a little about my medical history, I am 22 and the only problem I have ever experienced at all is migraines where I lose my vision and my arm becomes numb.

I am going to see the doctor on Monday, which was the earliest available appointment, but I wanted to check on here to see if anyone had any ideas as to what this could be and if the blood being drawn or lack of food could have triggered such a severe seizure?

Answer 1

Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) can certainly trigger a seizure. I am surprised that you were not transported to an ER, since you have no previous history of seizures per your own admission. I would make sure that I am not alone or driving this weekend until you see your primary care doc on  monday just in case you have another episode. You don't want to be alone during a seizure, as the sudden fall can cause injuries.

Additionally, some people experience a sudden drop in blood pressure during needle sticks or blood donation. This is called vasovagal syncope, and can lead to fainting for most.

But since you have a history of severe migraines with visual loss and arm numbness (not the usual symptoms) I would strongly urge that you see a neurologist for a consultation. There could be another reason for those headaches than the typical migraine syndrome, like abnormalities in brain circulation, tumors or lesions. These can be very serious and life-threatening. If you've never been evaluated in the past by a neurologist, I would insist that your primary care MD gets you a consultation, especially with this worrying new seizure issue. Good luck.

Answer 2

Are you afraid of needles?  Do you faint when you see them or have you fainted in the past when having blood drawn?

Fainting can cause a seizure.  Look it up here:

http://www.ghi.com/yourhealth/encycloped...