Cycling with epilepsy

[classic33]

Seems we've been very lucky in having a specialist nurse who strongly recommend keeping cycling, with the condition that she listens to her body and doesn't ever go out when she doesn't feel it.

The nurse said the health benefits of cycling hugely outweigh any increased risk.

I'd say attitudes to treating the condition have changed over the years. You can advise someone not to do something whilst treating the condition, but that is only part of it. Coming to terms with any condition requires just as much treatment as the actual condition itself. And this seems to be more widely recognized these days.

And thanks for staying with them, not running the other way as fast as your legs could carry you. That can be worth more than anything else to them.

Let them know it's nothing to be ashamed of. Mother nature plays cruel tricks on us all at some stage.

 

[Mattk50]

I used to have epilepsy, complex partial seizures, for the first 35 years of my life until surgery. There are no hard and fast rules here. I used to cycle and have seizures sometimes. But because I had a warning then I had enough time to stop and get in a 'safe space'. Tonic clonic seizures would be more of a worry and I only ever had about 4 I think. I think it'd be a case of 'steady as she goes' and listening to your body, understanding your triggers if there are any.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

There are lots of weird ideas about what to do if you come across someone having an epileptic seizure so I’ll cut & paste the NHS advice here. Note the advice about never putting anything in their mouth and you should never try to restrain them. Put cushions or clothing appropriately to prevent injury from striking nearby hard objects.

What to do if someone has a seizure (fit)
If you see someone having a seizure or fit, there are some simple things you can do to help. You should call 999 for an ambulance if you know it's their first seizure or it's lasting longer than 5 minutes.

It might be scary to witness, but do not panic.
If you're with someone having a seizure:

• only move them if they're in danger, such as near a busy road or hot cooker
• cushion their head if they're on the ground
• loosen any tight clothing around their neck, such as a collar or tie, to aid breathing
• turn them on to their side after their convulsions stop – read more about the recovery position
• stay with them and talk to them calmly until they recover
• note the time the seizure starts and finishes

If the person is in a wheelchair, put the brakes on and leave any seatbelt or harness on. Support them gently and cushion their head, but do not try to move them.

Do not put anything in their mouth, including your fingers. They should not have any food or drink until they have fully recovered.

 

[Mattk50]

Indeed. The greatest danger to someone having a seizure is the mostly uninformed general public! Oh and bureaucratic rules. I dropped like a stone on a tube platform and they closed the entire place down, called an ambulance etc. So embarrassing once I came to and had half a sense of what was going on not to mention the disruption to my fellow commuters on the Piccadilly line!