Man Fitting in Co-Op

[Djmiles]

Yes, it takes a few minutes after the fit subsides for the casualty to 'come round' again, and often they have little or no recollection of what has just happened, and usually feel quite embarrassed to find a crowd of people gathered around them. They don't just stop fitting, leap to their feet and carry on as normal, so don't worry.

And it is f***ing scary. I remember the first 'fitting' incident I attended. It was at a country fete, and some bloke dressed as a medievil jouster came running over and asked us to come and help a guy who had collapsed. When we got there, he (a man in his mid 20s) was convulsing uncontrollably on the deck and froathing at the mouth. After a few minutes he stabilised, and his dad appeared with a can of Stella from the beer tent and started pouring them into his son's mouth...

"What on earth are you doing!?!" I asked.
"He's a recovering alcoholic," he replied. "But he hasn't taken his medication today. He needs alcohol in his bloodstream to sort him out."

Well, I'm no doctor, but in minutes the bloke was right as rain!

Interesting story!

Agree about it being bloody scary, was still shaking after it happened! Maybe that's just me

 

[NMH]

All you can really do is keep their airway clear (have a good fish around inside for tongue / dislodged dentures / chewing gum etc); make sure they don't whack their head on anything and keep talking to them (using their name if you can find out what it is) and telling them everything will be okay.

Sounds like you did good

Most people aren't likely to have a good fish around, but would, say, a kippered herring be alright?

 

[Djmiles]

I honestly wouldn't have a clue what to do other then to find the nearest first aider sharpish (which is easier said then done , as i probably would want to stay with the person but would need to help them )

Exactly what happened to me, thankfully a friend was with me at the time so she called the ambulance and got someone who knew what they were doing.

 

[Dr Q]

They do Environmental Earth Science, which is 90% Geology, but mixed in with a couple of Geography modules.

Which halls did you stay in?

Cwrt Mawr for 2 yrs then in a house opposite the station (about 3 or 4 doors up from the railway pub), just around the corner from The Mill, which was the geology pub!
Went back a few years ago for a vets hockey match, and jeez has the place changed: all those new halls on the otherside of the road up the hill, an astro turf pitch (shale in my day!!) and a bloody great big pub in a converted church! Made me feel bloody old.

I really enjoyed my time there, bit out of the way, but that stopped people buggering off home at the weekend, and thus more people to go drinking with!

 

[DC Rules]

my daughter has epilepsy so I am well used to it. there is no need to make sure they are laying down, she will have a seizure wherever she is, which can be sitting up. And there's often no way to check in her mouth as she tends to clamp her jaw shut. she often won't talk for several hours after and is completely exhausted. every minute is equivalent to running a marathon in terms of energy use

 

[Djmiles]

Cwrt Mawr for 2 yrs then in a house opposite the station (about 3 or 4 doors up from the railway pub), just around the corner from The Mill, which was the geology pub!
Went back a few years ago for a vets hockey match, and jeez has the place changed: all those new halls on the otherside of the road up the hill, an astro turf pitch (shale in my day!!) and a bloody great big pub in a converted church! Made me feel bloody old.

I really enjoyed my time there, bit out of the way, but that stopped people buggering off home at the weekend, and thus more people to go drinking with!

The bar in the church would be Academy!

Most of the Cwrt Mawr buildings have been revamped, however all Penbryn has got is a lick of paint

I'm in the student village this year, which is probably what you meant by the new halls across the road!

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

He couldn't respond to anything for about 3/4 minutes after he stopped fitting, I'm not sure if that's normal or not.

Felt so helpless though, by the sounds of it there wasn't a lot I could have done, but was horrible not being able to do anything constructive to help him, if that makes sense.

Completely normal, but the best thing is to keep talking to them, as they can hear you.

As an addition toBry's post, keep the airway open but NEVER EVER put fingers in their mouths during a fit - there are many cases where fingers have been bitten off while trying to get something

 

[surrey jim]

Not got a clue

 

[Starry]

I believe they taught it in public schools after pony trekking.

damn. no first aid and no pony trekking at my school. i'll be demanding a refund.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Pony trekking and first aid should always go together, eh Laura?


All you can do while someone is fitting is to move anything they might hit against., so you did the right thing anyway, first aider or otherwise.

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

Pony trekking and first aid should always go together, eh Laura?

indeed!!!! they had no ice at the stable!!!

 

[hans kraay fan club]

indeed!!!! they had no ice at the stable!!!

Stables. Horsey types. No Ice for the Pimms. Outrage!!

 

[WATFORD zero]

I used to play football with a guy who was epileptic. A couple of times he had fits after the game, so we put him in the shower and threw in the kit - saved on the washing bills

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Hilarious.

 

[Badger]

I know a few first-aid basics but not what to do if someone is fitting. I'm assuming that a store like the co-op is expected to have someone trained in first-aid

 

[DC Rules]

Yes places should have first aiders trained, but when my daughter had a seizure (not allowed to call them fits - politically incorrect!!) last week at college, her first one since she started there last month, apparently the first aider panicked as she had never actually seen one before. Luckily my daughter's friends are used to it, so they dealt with it..but as Nurse Laura says all you can do is remove any dangers around them eg if they're hitting their leg on an electric fire. My daughter unfortunately had one a few months ago while making a hot drink, and poured the boiling water over her hand, so she had a nasty scald to deal with too. It is scary to see if you haven't seen one before, but just try to keep calm (easier said than done I know) and just be there for them. Sometimes they do wet themselves (never happened to her luckily) so maybe lay their coat over them to hide the embarassment.

 

[Gully]

The thing about putting your fingers in someones mouth to make sure that they don't swallow their tongue should not be entertained, unless you want to risk having your fingers bitten off. I know that this may sound harsh, but it it far better to wait until the fit has stopped before checking the airway and putting them in the recovery position. Ambulance crews, and probably the Fire Service, will have a piece of kit that can be placed in the mouth to maintain the airway (looks like a curved piece of plastic with a hole through the middle), however it may be some time before they get to the scene.

 

[maffew]

I used to play football with a guy who was epileptic. A couple of times he had fits after the game, so we put him in the shower and threw in the kit - saved on the washing bills

not funny, I know someone who died in a similar situation to that






























choked on a sock

 

[Yoda]

I'm in St. John

 

[British Bulldog]

I would'nt have a clue what I would do if I saw someone having a fit, But I think the woman next door might be having something that does'nt fit judging by the noises i've heard coming from the bedroom!