Abnormal EEG w/ strobe lights

Welcome to the Coping With Epilepsy Forums

Welcome to the Coping With Epilepsy forums - a peer support community for folks dealing (directly or indirectly) with seizure disorders. You can visit the forum page to see the list of forum nodes (categories/rooms) for topics.

Please have a look around and if you like what you see, please consider registering an account and joining the discussions. When you register an account and log in, you may enjoy additional benefits including no ads, access to members only (ie. private) forum nodes and more. Registering an account is free - you have nothing to lose!

WendyCS

WendyCS

New
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Hello,

I am new to this forum. My son who is 11 had his first seizure 2 weeks ago. We went in for an EEG and all activity was normal except when the strobe light test was done. The tech said he had several abnormal spikes and seizure activity. He said he feels my son had a partial seizure during this part. I don't hear from the dr until Monday. Anyone have this happen? I read about photosensitivity and epilepsy. Anyone have the same experience? Thank you in advance for any information you have to share.

Regards,
Wendy
 
WendyCS
Welcome to this site and please continue to ask questions here. There are a lot of great members willing to advise what we can. I myself was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 12 and my first EEG I also had a seizure during it where I bit my tongue during the time of the test due to a seizure. The lights can cause it as you stated and I know because I had multiple tests done that day I was sleep deprived as part of the preparation for the tests so the combination of the two could have been the triggers for my seizure to take place at that time. As much as we don't want to have seizures this happening during the test will hopefully help your doctor to find a treatment for your son quicker. I f you read through some of the prior posts you will notice that some people will have a seizure outside the doctors office but during the tests things come back normal and it can take longer to figure out what is causing the seizures. Keep us posted on his progress. Hope this helps.
 
Thank you so much for your reply. I do not know much about epilepsy, but am reading all I can. I appreciate hearing others experiences. If you don't mind me asking do you take medication for epilepsy? If so has it stopped your seizures? Thanks again.
 
I do take meds for my seizures. I am currently on Keppra but have been on a few different meds throughout the years. Everyone responds to meds in their own way. The best control I have had with meds was on Keppra as I am now but also a med I was on for 14 years with only a few breakthroughs due to sickness or lack of sleep was Tegretol and Nuerontin together. It can be frustrating figuring out the right med combination. But sometimes you find the right doctor to take the time you need and one that really listens to your details of the type of seizures and frequency of them and although there is not a cure they can be controlled if your son finds the right treatment that works for him. So keep optimistic. And keep good journals for the doctor. :)
 
Hi, and welcome the site. Hopefully you will find as I have that after a lot of searching elsewhere the best info is usually right here and from the family members I've met here. Many have also hooked me up to links to other sites for further info. As for you son and the EEG and having a seizure during the test triggered by the strobe, that is not at all unusual. Working my way through nursing school I was a theatre technician. before each performance we made the announcements about not smoking in the theatre and so on, but also if a strobe light was being used in the show we made that part of the pre-show announcement just in case we had anyone in the audience with epilepsy. We also would in the program note where the strobe was used. I believe that is standard even in the city. I have seen shows on broadway, but none with strobes. Knowing that may be a trigger for your son it's something to keep in mind. Especially this time of year, a lot of these haunted houses and hayrides use the strobe lights for added effect.
 
Hi Wendy, welcome to CWE - it's great here :)

Photo-sensitivity to strobes is indeed a very common trigger for seizures, in fact many types of lights and light effects can be- from the lights used at Walmart to the dappling of sunlight shining through a tree's branches, or reflecting off the ocean.

It is definitely possible to be able to keep seizures under control with medication- or at least lessen the effects of triggers. The problem with epilepsy is that each case is subtly different, and we all respond to various meds differently, so it can take time to figure out the correct one or combination.

Good luck :)
 
Wendy, welcome to CWE. I am a mom of a 16 year old diagnosed with epilepsy. Paige responded to the strobe during her EEG. She also has problems with the sun shining thru the trees when we are driving or when she is out for a run. Best of luck. CWE is a wonderful place. Know you are among friends.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom