unexpectedly eventful EEG..

[morgan86]

i had a sleep deprived EEG tuesday. didnt go as well as i'd hoped. i dont think i fell asleep. kinda just got really relaxed i think. the sensations i got when the flashing lights were going were the same as they've always been. but at some point, the woman who administered the test, said she saw some spikes or.. jumps? or however she put it. some seizure activity. she asked if i had or felt a seizure come on and i said no. she thinks it mightve been a seizure i was just vaguely aware of. like im so used to it that i dont realize its a seizure. which makes me nervous cuz i get that sensation aLOT.... how could i be awake and not realize i had a seizure? i cant remember the name for that. can anyone help me out? i was embarassed and disappointed in myself. i know i cant help how my brain reacts to stuff but i guess i just hoped nothing would happen and the doctor would say "looks l ike u dont have epilepsy" even tho i've had it for years now lol. but on a plus side, im glad something happened. otherwise i'd think the doctor thought i was faking it or something. im ridiculous i know. but anybody else ever have some kind of seizure activity and not be totally aware of it??? if this is true.... i hve seizures way more frequently than i thought...

[epileric]

Sounds like you're getting what you need for the docs to see.

[tam bam]

I have seizures all the time without me realizing it. I just got used to them I guess and do not think about it. Other people are starting to pick up on them now though and are asking questions but I try and play it off with an excuse. I know I should not do that but it is easier to say sometimes than freaking them out an telling them the truth, I guess.

My problem is that I sometimes kid myself and I convince myself sometimes that they are not infact seizures as well and convince myself that the excuse is reall. If that makes any sense at all. I just want to be normal but then again what is normal?

tam bam

[Nakamova]

You can have spikes show up on your EEG without having a seizure at the same time. The spikes can just indicate that you have a lowered seizure threshold -- your brain has abnormal brainwaves that are vulnerable to seizing. That's the case for me -- off meds I might have a tonic-clonic once every 6 months, but the spike pattern is there all the time. On meds, the spikes get suppressed, and are less likely to show up on an EEG.

[Rae1889]

[morgan86]

thanx all! sounds like i just have a crazy electrical brain lol. im just thankful something showed up to prove that i actually am epileptic versus nothing and them saying im fa king.. now to interpret all my auras lol. i really need an epilepsy specialist. but until then i'll still be trying to figure out stuff on my own and asking tons of questions on here haha. random note: i really wish they wouldnt use crisco to stick the wires to your head. lol. NOT a good look coming out of the doctors with glue in ur hair cuz all they gave u was a damn cloth to try and clean ur head hahha. maybe they'll work on that..

[Crystal11]

I had an ambulatory EEG done for three days in college- yes I had to wear it to classes! We found out that I had spike and waves on it and showed some seizures as well- not many and not the longer ones. I didnt realize that anything was going on though. neurologist told me that my seizures are coming from all over- but I don't have grand-mal seizures- only complex partial seizures and now drop attacks.
I pushed the button on the EEG machine in class because I fell forward instantely and felt very odd. That was one of those drop attacks. It seemed to happen if I missed a Tegretol XR pill.

Anyway- my EEGs I have in the office usually would only show a driving responce which means I am closer to having a seizure due to light than most people are. The seizure threashold is much lower during the photic-stimulation part.
I had a EEG recently but have not heard the results yet..
During that test- the tech was asking me if I felt strange or if I was okay. I don't think a seizure happened- but it was always during the photic stimulation part which I think probably showed driving responce or spike and waves..

Everyone take care,
Crystal

[RobinN]

I have seizures all the time without me realizing it. I just got used to them I guess and do not think about it. Other people are starting to pick up on them now though and are asking questions but I try and play it off with an excuse. I know I should not do that but it is easier to say sometimes than freaking them out an telling them the truth, I guess.

My problem is that I sometimes kid myself and I convince myself sometimes that they are not infact seizures as well and convince myself that the excuse is reall. If that makes any sense at all. I just want to be normal but then again what is normal?

tam bam

Perhaps you could find a middle ground where you protect yourself and still offer a bit of information so that your friends can learn. Knowledge is power and you never know if what you teach them, might help another down the road one day. You don't have to "freak them out". Little bits of information are useful.