Newbie - migraines, seizures, who knows?

[DYO]

I've just finished a 3-day ambulatory eeg, and happened across this site as I was trying to figure out how to get the blasted glue softened up and extricated from my hair [2 applications of baby oil, 2 shampoos and 4 hours later--no luck yet!]

My story: Dec. 2009 I began seeing a neurologist due to prolonged (5 months), unexplained vertigo. My general dr. referred me to ear specialist who referred me to neurologist. I had among other tests an MRI, eeg, and sleep study. Neurologist concluded that the dizziness was a migraine symptom. I had 1 migraine with aura a month for about 40 years, and treated myself with OTC meds. The dizziness was a new wrinkle. Neurologist prescribed Frova to abort migraines when they occurred. In Oct. 2010 migraines increased drastically in frequency, obviously in response to stress and lack of sleep (up until age 58 stress and insomnia didn't phase me). I began taking Topamax (preventive) for migraine, working up to 75 mg daily.

Feb. 12, 2011 I was awakened in the night by a strange, scary episode. Large bright lights flashed in my head, I was unable to speak words (I was able to make noise), and my lower body moved rather like a mermaid swimming (I was unable to control this). It was surreal, and I wondered if it was a seizure or stroke or ? When it was over I could speak and regained control of my body. I called my pharmacist (could this have been another Topamax side-effect?) and neurologist. He ordered an MRI (normal for someone my age with migraines) and eeg which showed "focal slowing in the bilateral temporal regions". When this was reviewed with me by the nurse-practitioner she noted that the eeg I had in 2009 had the same impression, but the doctor did not think this was pertinent at that time and did not follow-up (I'm not sure why). I did not know what this meant--focal slowing..., but now that I've had this scary episode the dr. is taking note of it and ordered the ambulatory eeg as a follow-up to see if the focal slowing is more pronounced at night. I know very little about seizures, epilepsy, and the tests I am having. I try to do some research before I see the dr. because if I don't have questions prepared and ask them fast he is gone. The dr. initially believes the scary nocturnal episode was a migraine with new bells and whistles and has increased my Topamax to 50 mg a.m., 50 mg p.m. If there is anybody else like me out there, please advise. Thanks for listening.

[Nakamova]

Hi DYO, welcome to CWE!

Oy the EEG glue! I know what you mean, it's no fun. Rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat. Have you tried olive oil?

Here's the deal with focal slowing (mostly summarized from the textbook 'The Clinical Neurophysiology Primer', by Blume & Rutkove, 2006).

Slowing is considered an abnormality, BUT it's important to remember that it's one of the most common EEG findings. It doesn't necessarily indicate seizures, though it is often present in people with temporal lobe focal seizures.

Focal slowing suggests a problem, but doesn't really say what the problem is. It could be from a tumor, a stroke, or it could be because the person has just come out of a seizure or is having a migraine. (Yes, migraines cause focal slowing.) Even hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia (low or high blood sugar) can sometimes cause focal slowing.

The most relevant thing in the EEG in intermittent slowing is the speed of the wave. The slower it is, the more serious a problem it indicates. If there are continuous bursts of slowing (yes, I know that sounds weird), that can suggest that the slowing is from epilepsy.

If the frequency of slowing is rhythmic or shows "frequency evolution," epilepsy is also the most likely reason. 9Frequency evolution means the slow waves speed up and slow down over and over, but don't speed up to normal during that episode of slowing.) Epilepsy is even more likely as the culprit when the focus of the slowing is in the temporal area.

So your doc wasn't necessarily wrong to downplay the earlier EEG, and by the same token it's great that he's paying more attention now. The ambulatory EEG will hopefully yield more information to help get a handle on what's going on.

Was there any particular trigger for the February 11 episode? Unusual stress of of some kind?

Best,
Nakamova

[DYO]

Thanks so much; your clear explanations are reassuring. Facts are so much better than speculation.

As for triggers, I have wracked my brain, and have come up with a few possibilities:
1) I seem more easily rattled lately (my anxiety seems more pronounced since I started the daily migraine med), and was ticked off with my husband the evening before the episode, but nothing out of the ordinary.

2) It was several weeks later that I wondered what I had eaten that evening. We did eat hot dogs that week, so it could have been that night. My migraines have never been noticeably triggered by foods, but I know processed meats can be triggers, and I would not rule this out.

3) I also remember taking my topiramate later than usual that evening. I usually take it right after I eat supper, but I forgot to, and didn't take it until bed time.

All 3 of these triggers may have converged. I have also expressed concern to my pharmacist and neurologist that I may have had a reaction to the Topamax, because this has happened to me with several other medications (2 I was prescribed for restless leg syndrome). After I was on them awhile they began to intensify my symptoms instead of diminish them. At the time I had my episode I didn't realize that topiramate was also used as an anti-epilepsy medication, but it makes me wonder even more, now that I know that. There I go speculating again.

Olive oil! I'll drizzle some on after my next shampoo!

Many thanks for your kind reply,
Dawn

[Nakamova]

All the brain meds can have powerful side effects, and some can even trigger the seizures they're meant to control. So you're right to be suspicious of the Topamax. Here's a great place to read what real patients have reported as their side effects from Topamax: http://www.askapatient.com/viewratin...5&name=TOPAMAX

[Endless]

Dawn,

Use the olive oil before you shampoo. rub it into your scalp and work the little blobs of glue between your fingers. Add more oil if you need to. Then shampoo, repeat shampoo.

If there is something that looks like a horrid case of dandruff on your head after you do this, it's the leftover glue that you didn't get out, half dissolved. Then repeat the olive oil rub & shampoo until all the stuff is out.

Lol... too many eegs..... I'm getting too good at this.

[caragh3]

I've just finished a 3-day ambulatory eeg, and happened across this site as I was trying to figure out how to get the blasted glue softened up and extricated from my hair [2 applications of baby oil, 2 shampoos and 4 hours later--no luck yet!]

My story: Dec. 2009 I began seeing a neurologist due to prolonged (5 months), unexplained vertigo. My general dr. referred me to ear specialist who referred me to neurologist. I had among other tests an MRI, eeg, and sleep study. Neurologist concluded that the dizziness was a migraine symptom. I had 1 migraine with aura a month for about 40 years, and treated myself with OTC meds. The dizziness was a new wrinkle. Neurologist prescribed Frova to abort migraines when they occurred. In Oct. 2010 migraines increased drastically in frequency, obviously in response to stress and lack of sleep (up until age 58 stress and insomnia didn't phase me). I began taking Topamax (preventive) for migraine, working up to 75 mg daily.

Feb. 12, 2011 I was awakened in the night by a strange, scary episode. Large bright lights flashed in my head, I was unable to speak words (I was able to make noise), and my lower body moved rather like a mermaid swimming (I was unable to control this). It was surreal, and I wondered if it was a seizure or stroke or ? When it was over I could speak and regained control of my body. I called my pharmacist (could this have been another Topamax side-effect?) and neurologist. He ordered an MRI (normal for someone my age with migraines) and eeg which showed "focal slowing in the bilateral temporal regions". When this was reviewed with me by the nurse-practitioner she noted that the eeg I had in 2009 had the same impression, but the doctor did not think this was pertinent at that time and did not follow-up (I'm not sure why). I did not know what this meant--focal slowing..., but now that I've had this scary episode the dr. is taking note of it and ordered the ambulatory eeg as a follow-up to see if the focal slowing is more pronounced at night. I know very little about seizures, epilepsy, and the tests I am having. I try to do some research before I see the dr. because if I don't have questions prepared and ask them fast he is gone. The dr. initially believes the scary nocturnal episode was a migraine with new bells and whistles and has increased my Topamax to 50 mg a.m., 50 mg p.m. If there is anybody else like me out there, please advise. Thanks for listening.

hi i am new to i found that using alcohol swabs worked best for removing glue or alcohol rub i think you can buy at chemist if not dr may give you some. the slowing on eegs are the same whether it be epilepsy migrain or even brain surgery. i used to have grandmal petit mal and temporal lobe epilepsy i had surgery 21 years ago now i have heamaplegic migrains it can be difficult even for neurologists to tell the difference mine isnt now sure if its migrains epilepsy or stroke so try to keep a diary of diet med times and what happens and how you feel afterwards this will help the neurologist make an informed diagnosis