Fatima Sana Shaikh opens up on dealing with epilepsy, reveals she was once made to smell a stinking shoe

Fatima Sana Shaikh on Sunday opened up about her struggle with epilepsy and how she has been coping with it with the right medication and workout. The actor took part in an ask me anything session on Instagram to answer to several fan queries related to epilepsy. Also read: Fatima Sana Shaikh reveals a man punched her after she slapped him for touching her: 'I blacked out'

On being asked if epilepsy affected her career aspirations, Fatima said, "I mean I have to go a bit slow. But I can do everything. There are some odd and tough days. That slows me down. But I have been fortunate enough to work with people I have been dying to work with. And this has not affected my passion and neither have I ever compromised on any effort to do my best. In fact it pushes and drives me to work harder." She also said that her pet Bijlee is her therapy dog.

On being told by a fan that an epilepsy patient is made to smell a stinking shoe, the actor responded to him, "This is a myth. Please aisa mat karna (please don't do this). Already it's traumatic to come out of a seizure. Last thing you want is to wake up to a stinking shoe! Hahaha! People have done this to me! (vomit emojis) Horrible!"

When a person suffering from epilepsy since childhood asked Fatima if they could workout too, the actor said, “I workout. Keeps the endorphins coming. Makes me feel good.” She however, asked them to consult their doctor for the same.

When a fan asked her about what medication she was on, the actor refused to share the names of the medicines as it wouldn't be safe to take them without prescription. She shared side effects like nausea and migraines from her earlier medication and said she is on a new set of medicines now. “I am feeling quite stable and normal now,” she added.

Fatima was last seen in Anil Kapoor and Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor-starrer Thar. She is currently working on Dhak Dhak in which she plays a biker, and Sam Bahadur, in which she will be seen in the role of Indira Gandhi.