Actor Fatima Sana Shaikh, who鈥檚 starring in Metro鈥 In Dino and Aap Jaisa Koi, has courageously opened up about her epilepsy journey, sharing a dramatic incident that changed her life during a flight. In a heartfelt conversation with Humans of Bombay, she recalled,
鈥淚 had a major episode when I had multiple seizures. I was travelling to the USA and it was via Dubai flight. I got seizures on the flight. Then I was taken to the airport hospitals, I was given the medication but then also my seizures weren鈥檛 stopping, then they give me a very high dose,鈥 she said.
Fatima said she was given strong medications to stop the seizures, leaving her heavily sedated and immobile. She recalled, 鈥淭hey gave me a certain chemical and I was already on a different chemical. So in epilepsy you have to wean off one chemical before you can take another one. So, I was so drugged out.鈥
This medical emergency forced her to halt production on two major projects鈥擲am Bahadur and Dhak Dhak. She added, 鈥淚 was shooting for Sam Bahadur and I was also doing another film with it, I think Dhak Dhak. I had to cancel shoot, one of the guy called me and asked me if I can shoot and I started crying because I couldn鈥檛 get out of the bed.鈥
Fatima said the episode was a moment of reckoning. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 get out of the bed. I was constantly dropped out. My emotions were all over the place. I was like this is my reality now. At that time I accepted that this is my disease and people also should know about it as it will help others,鈥 said the actress.
She credits support groups and open conversations for her improved health. 鈥淚 got help from conversations and support groups, and now I am very much stable, and I haven鈥檛 gotten an episode since a while now.鈥
Fatima will be next seen in Aap Jaisa Koi alongside R Madhavan.