Fits

Name: Alexander Patek

Age: 38 Years Old

Date of Birth: 9th June 1986

Location: General Practice

Occupation: Manager

“I have been having some funny turns lately. My wife was really worried about it and insisted I come and see a doctor.”

• Onset: First episode of funny turns started 2 days ago. Happened out of nowhere.

• Progression: It happened once when it first started, then yesterday I had one more in the evening. I have not had any today.

• Character: 

  • Before:

    • Can’t seem to think of anything that precipitated the funny turn, though does feel more stressed recently due to work

      Gets this rising feeling which is strange and difficult to describe

      No visual or audio changes before each episode

    • During:

      Lost consciousness during an episode of funny turn

      Wife witnessed first episode – She noted that my hands and legs went stiff as a board then started shaking uncontrollably. I also went a little pale. 

      Son noted the second episode – He described it to be the same as the first episode.

      The first episode lasted two minutes, second episode lasted three minutes.

      Did not lose bowel or bladder control

      I bit my tongue during the second episode and had a little bleed, but now not bleeding anymore

    • After: 

      I had a headache after each episode

      I also felt tired and drowsy, with zero recollection of what happened

• Precipitating Factors : Cannot think of anything that may have triggered these symptoms.

• Recent illness: None.

• Recent head trauma: None.

• Recent travel: None.

• Previous episodes: These two episodes were the first episodes that I have ever experienced.

• Ideas: “I have got no clue. I think it’s because of the stress from work. I should be fine to get back to work, right?”

• Expectations: “I expect you to say this is something that will go away on its own and I can go back home.”

• Concerns: “I am not worried about anything at all!”

• Bowel habits: Normal

• Urinary habits: Normal

• Appetite: Same as usual.

• Sleep: Poor sleep for the past few months due to stress from work.

• Weight: No change

• Pain in the chest/abdomen: None

• Fever: None

• ENT: Normal

• Cardiology: Normal

• Respiratory: Normal

• Ophthalmology: No visual changes

• Previous hospital admissions: None

• Previous surgeries: Resection of a benign skin tumour 2 years ago.

• Medical conditions:

  • Asthma since childhood.

  • Hypertension started last year. “I attend all my follow up appointments and take all my medications timely.”

• Medications:

  • Ramipril for hypertension. 

  • Blue inhaler. “I rarely get asthma attacks now but when I do, I just take a puff of my blue inhaler, and all is good.” 

• Over the counters:

  • None

• Allergies:

  • None

Father has high blood cholesterol and high blood pressure. Mother had breast cancer. Mother is now well after successful surgical treatment for breast cancer. Older brother is diabetic.

• Smoking: Never 

• Alcohol: “A few pints of beer each day, I never really keep track.”

• Recreational drugs: Never

• Diet: My wife cooks so I eat homecooked meals.

• Exercise: Maybe the occasional runs at the park every now and then.

• Ill contacts: No one around me were ill recently

• Home: Lives with wife and son.

• Active Daily Living: Good mobility and able to perform daily functions normally.