veeg or ambulatory eeg

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Chloe

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My neurologist thinks that I am having complex partial seizures. I have had both the regular eeg and the sleep deprived eeg and they both came back normal. She now wants me to do either the veeg or the 5 day ambulatory eeg. My part of the veeg would be about $500 a day- but after 4 days my insurance would cover the rest (so no more than $2000 which I could make payment arrangements for), the 5 day ambulatory eeg would be $850 out of pocket.

I am wondering if I should just go ahead and do the veeg since it would provide more information and I would stay until I had an episode? It is more, but if it is more likely to catch what is going on it might be worth it. I would love to hear from those who have BTDT or have advice. Money is tight here and I really don't want to spend itif I don't need to.

Thank you!
Chloe
 
Hi, Chloe,

What does your neurologist say is best, and why?

I have a question. Are you on medication, and if so, what?

An ambulatory eeg they hook you up and record your brain waves for X number of days. I think it's good in that it catches you doing your normal everyday life, and you can pack in the seizure triggers that you couldn't be exposed to in a hospital setting. (Is that your FOURTH margarita?!)

An in-patient video eeg they will wire you up, put a camera on you, then take you cold turkey off your meds. This is to provoke a seizure. You won't be allowed out of bed for days (for safety reasons). The VEEG can last anywhere from 2 to 7 days or more. Most last about 4 or 5 days, whether they record a seizure or not. It has the advantage of the ultimate seizure trigger - abrupt removal of your seizure medication. This CANNOT be done safely at home. As in, don't do it at home. Only do it in the hospital under a doctor's care. At the end before you leave the hospital they'll give you a shot of your meds to get your blood levels back up to where they should be.

Question: If you do the ambulatory eeg first and they don't get what they are looking for and need a VEEG, will the $800 count towards meeting that $2000 total cost? In other words, would doing the ambulatory first and a veeg later be the same price as a veeg alone?
 
My neurologist really wants me to get the veeg, she says it will provide more information. I am not on medication yet, she wanted to have this done first. I am having an episode every 5-9 days (not counting times when I smell smoke that isn't there when I am tired and falling asleep- but I don't know if that is related-which happens about 2-3 times a week).

If I have the ambulatory first the 800 would count towards the 2000 for the veeg as long as both were done before the end of the year.

This is so frustrating. I hate the thought that I could spend all this money (that we really don't have right now!) and still have no answers.

Thank you again!
Chloe
 
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