fake seizure

 

I would like to share this video that I found…which can kinda tell you what I have to deal with some days.

So a few days ago I get an EMS call over the radio saying that this patient has had 10 seizures on route to the ER.  So this patient is coming to my room that I am assigned to.  It had been a long time since I had to deal with a seizure.  My coworker are laughing about it and me new to the scene have no idea why.  I look up and there is this woman lying on the stretcher with her arms flapping and legs kicking.  First I was like wow…then when I really got into the room I was like what kinda of fit is this?  Then it stopped.  She didn’t talk for awhile.  Then started acting like nothing was wrong.  I asked all the questions and got her list of meds.  When I was done I went to the nurses station.  They said first time you’ve seen her?  I replied yes.  What the heck kind of fits are those?  I know that's not a seizure.  They said they are pseudo seizures. (fake for the non medical people).  She’s a regular the proceed to tell me.  Well then I hear a bunch of ruckus and notice my adult patient having a “seizure which looked more like this…  minus the crying…the doctor had entered the room.  He was wise to this act and instructed the woman to stop.  That he knew she was not indeed having a seizure.  She just intensified it some more.  So we came in to help.  Was instructed to get some ammonia sticks.  Which is use to help regain consciousness of a patient that has passed out.  Let’s just say if your faking it’s like sticking your nose right over a bottle of cleaning ammonia and taking a big o’le whiff.  She stopped her “seizure”  so she could roll away from the awful smell.  Forgetting she was suppose to be kicking…and she had just one hand going now.  He instructed that she stop or he would have to use the ammonia again to help calm her down since now she was shoving the doctor away and banging her arms on the side rails.  He stated that he didn’t want her to harm herself but she kept pretending to be having seizures.  After the 2nd dose of ammonia she stopped.  What makes people want to do this?  Mental issues?  Attention?  Drugs?  Found out drugs…she was telling the doctor she needed Dilaudid for her headache that the seizures caused….can I get some for the head ache she caused us?  GRR
PS:  I also was informed she isn’t the only regular that does this.  In fact the patient will state in her history part that she has pseudo seizures….dear lord help me