24 hr ambulatory eeg

[purple29]

Hi I am new to this site. I have had epilepsy for 17 years. Next week I will be going for my first 24 hour ambulatory eeg. I was not told anything by anyone such as what wear if I can or cannot put anything in my hair on that day etc. I was also wondering if anyone has any suggestions on what I can put on my head when I leave the hosp. It's a long walk back to the car and I hate the thought of all the stares I will get. Any suggestions will be appreciated thanks.

 

[katzy]

Hello, Welcome to CWE . I just had a 24 hr EEG 2 days ago. I can give you some helpful tips:
1)Wear a button-down shirt to the appointment. You will definitely mess up the electrodes if you wear a tee or tank top and try to remove the tee.
2)Wash your hair cleanly and don't use a conditioner. This time they're going to use a glue, so in order for the glue to stick, your hair has to be free from everything.
4)They will wrap your head in gauze s that the electrodes stay in place
3)I didn't put anything on my head on my way back. It's a hospital and people who come there won't laugh at you for having a gauze wrap on your head.
4) I was seizure free for over 3.5 years but had a tonic-clonic seizure I'm guessing because of sleep deprivation on the day I was supposed to return the equipment. So if you have seizures because of sleep deprivation, expect one of those to happen because you can't really sleep with all those electrodes pushing against your scalp(it hurts )
5) they won't ask you to hyperventilate :woot:

 

[AngelwithDentedHalo]

What all is involved in an ambulatory EEG? Not sure what one is

 

[Meetz1064]

You

can wear a bandana on your head as well, if you'd like, to cover the electrodes. At least, my doc did....and I had 5 day long ambulatory EEGs. I was also allowed to wear very loose floppy hats that didn't rub against the electrodes (think of the wide-brimmed wicker hats that you can pull straight up and off from over the bandana).

You'll find that the wires may be put under your shirt (or they may not) depending on your doc's preference. Usually they are wrapped in a covering that is either zipped up or tightly *what is the word I want?* snapped together so that the wires don't pull and come out of the electrodes too easily.

Some of the electrodes are put in so that it does hurt as katzy said--when I was a kid, the wires themselves went under my scalp, and THAT sucked. Then ones that I have had in the last ten years have not been nearly as bad, and have involved glue--difficult to get off a few times, but really not too bad, all things considered. The glue is now dissolved using something similar to fingernail polish. Stinks to high heaven--YUK--but it does come out. Baby shampoo works the best afterwards, and some baby oil as well.

Do NOT be surprised if the EEG comes back normal.....mine were completely normal for more than 40 years although doctors knew I had E my entire life. My EEGs only started showing positive over the last 7 years or so.

Take care!

Meetz
:rock:

 

[katzy]

oh yeah and the acetone mixture, like Meetz said, stinks. You should wash your hair the moment you get home. I made the mistake of waiting a day and all the glue that was gooey turned plasticky, so I had to comb it out after putting conditioner on my head.

 

[julie wishes]

I didn't know what to expect either.... but i didn't expect this (LOOOOOOL)

http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f23/read-if-you-need-laugh-17222/

So don't worry too much. Its uncomfortable, but not a big deal. . Good luck

 

[TylerD]

I am new here, but my son is currently doing his 4th 72 hour ambulatory eeg. He did a 24 hour recently, same thing just took it off sooner. We took a few pictures for the local epilepsy society to use for teaching purposes. Because I am new to the forum, I'm not allowed to post links, so, just go to facebook and search epilepsy society of northwest florida. Then look under their photo albums and you'll see "Tyler's 24 hour ambulatory eeg"

Then only thing I would suggest, other than wearing a button up shirt, is that if you are self concience about the gauze wrapping up your head bring a hoodie or loose fitting hat. My son just slips on a hooded jacket, even in our 100 degree weather, just until we get to the car. However, I don't think anyone would say anything to you. Probably just some sympathetic looks.

 

[theloniousmonkey]

Hi all, my first time on this forum. Actually undergoing my 72 hour EEG right now, which is what lead me here.
It's really not too bad so far. Just slightly annoying. Of course I refuse to leave the house, but time is going by well, and getting lots of housework done.

I would agree a hooded sweatshirt/jacket would be perfect for leaving the hospital after they attach your Ambulatory EEG.

Also of note, I've put this test off for almost 8 months, and now that I'm in the middle of it I feel dumb for having waited so long. Its really no big deal. Just have a stack of reading material and/or movies to keep yourself busy. And of course nothing beats some good trusted companionship!

 

[sassi]

I'm getting my 48 hour one done on Monday and I'm kind of nervous, just because I have to be in school. I don't know what to wear on my head! I mean, if I miss class it'd only be a few classes but I don't like having to miss class unless I absolutely have to and I have this one class I can't miss no matter what as it's a Monday night class and it's pretty intense.

Is it common for EEGs to come back negative? I feel like all this testing and having to pay for it for it to come back negative is just adding to my frustration and remembering the seizure episodes I had before I went on the medication scares me. I know I can't ask the doctor to wean me off the medication just because the EEGs are negative but I feel like because they're negative that they somehow think I'm making it up when I know I'm not and I know they know I'm not. I just hate not being able to have hard proof back me up.

I'm not too excited about not getting much sleep! Hopefully I'll be able to get sleep regardless. Right now I feel like I could sleep no matter what, I'm so exhausted from yesterday!

 

[CathyAnn31]

Hi sassi, how did your EEG go?

Sometimes eegs do come back normal due to the seizures being so deep inside the brain. Also, there are no guarantees you'll have any episodes at all while hooked up. My 1st EEG was positive for epilepsy. The one from a few months ago was normal, but did say they noticed a few odd blips each night while I was sleeping. I found this strange because I did have some funny episodes and pushed the button and nothing came up on the EEG..

 

[sassi]

I'm still having it, I swear I look like Frankenstein. I had planned on going to classes and everything and now I can't. I had one episode of stomach fluttering and feeling weird vertigo, kinda like the room just got dizzy, yesterday followed by being excruciatingly drowsy and a mega headache the rest of the night. I forgot to press the button, though. :x I did, however, write it down in the journal so I hope that's enough. I didn't have headache pills with me so I had to deal with that for the night class I had to attend.

I had no idea they put electrodes on your forehead! I thought it was all on top of your head so it'd be easy to hide. I also had no idea I'd have a purse of suspicious looking wires either that'd be fun to try to hide. The lead on my chest is super itchy and my poor dog doesn't know why we can't cuddle normally or why my head stinks.

So far, so good, I guess. It's going to get kind of annoying sitting around doing nothing today and tomorrow until I can get this thing off while I hope they can catch something. And that I can remember to push the button...

 

[dbrim]

Pressing the button isn't a huge deal, it just helps them locate any seizure quicker. They will look through the data in full anyway. I had one recently and I was exactly the same ... Planned on breezing through work and it would be fine the realised I looked like a robot!
If you think you had one and forget to press the button then write in your diary... Had seizure roughly 20mins ago or whatever, it's just because 24 hrs of brainwaves is a lot of data to trawl through. Don't worry