David's Story: Living Well with Epilepsy
When David Downie, 39 from Liverpool, started experiencing headaches, dizziness and episodes of vertigo in 2021, he had no idea these experiences would lead to a life-changing diagnosis. Initially believing they were related to tinnitus or stress, David had a seizure at home. Further scans revealed a blood clot at the back of his brain.
David said: “I woke up with my wife and mum standing over me looking very worried. I felt disorientated and exhausted, as though I had been hit with a bat. They explained that I'd had a seizure during the night. I tried to get up, and my legs buckled underneath me. I couldn't even hold my head up.”
Looking back, David now recognises that there had been warning signs the evening before. While watching television, his vision became blurred, he struggled to read the screen, his speech became slurred and he developed a severe headache. These symptoms were later identified as a transient ischaemic attack (TIA), often referred to as a mini-stroke.
Although he recovered well, David later experienced another loss of consciousness while driving to work.
He said: “I was waiting to enter the multi-storey car park at work when I had a seizure. The next thing I remember was a police officer banging on the window to wake me up. It was so scary. At this point I just wanted answers.”
Following this, David was referred to The Walton Centre. After specialist assessments, David was diagnosed with epilepsy, a condition that can sometimes develop after a stroke. While the diagnosis was frightening, David was determined to focus on treatment, and finding a way forward.
With support from the specialist team at The Walton Centre, David underwent several medication trials to find the right treatment. Although the process was challenging, particularly as seizures increased and he lost the ability to drive, he felt well supported throughout.
Eventually, David found the medication that worked for him. Since September 2023, he has remained seizure-free and regained his confidence and independence.
Today, David is passionate about raising awareness of epilepsy and educating others about what to do when someone has a seizure.
He said: "The key thing is learning how to look after somebody who's having an epileptic seizure. The process needs to be more visible. You can see people being a little wary sometimes when you tell them you have epilepsy. So, I want to break that barrier down and remind everyone that it's a manageable medical condition.”
David is using his experience to ensure epilepsy is talked about more openly, understood more widely and faced with greater confidence by everyone affected by it.
He continued: “The Walton Centre has been amazing. They have helped me find the right medication I need to live normally with my epilepsy. To the point where it's been so long since my last seizure. I know it's possible I will have another seizure again, but with the hospital supporting me all the way, I know it's just an element of my epilepsy."
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Notes to editors
Photos attached: David at work and also out for a meal.
Further information, or to arrange an interview, please contact the Communications Team at The Walton Centre on 0151 556 3397 or wcft.communications@nhs.net
The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust is the only hospital trust in the UK specialising in neurology, neurosurgery and pain services. Although the majority of patients come from Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales, Lancashire and the Isle of Man, for some specialist treatments of complex disorders we see patients from all parts of the country, referred by their GPs or other neurologists, neurosurgeons and pain clinicians.
The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust was rated as 'Outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission. The independent regulator of all health and social care services in England published its rating on Friday 21 October 2016, following announced and unannounced inspection visits to the Trust in April 2016.
For more information please visit: www.thewaltoncentre.nhs.uk or follow the Trust on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.
The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Lower Lane, Fazakerley, Liverpool L9 7LJ
0151 525 3611