6-hour video EEG? What can I expect?

[elizzza811]

I imagine they'll flash strobe lights at me and have me hyperventilate, but will they do anything else? And will they do these two things maybe every hour or so?

Will a technician be there with me the whole time or will she just come in periodically to check to make sure my wires didn't come loose?

Is it true that they will use more electrodes than they would during, say, a 24-hour ambulatory EEG? And will these extra wires better their chances of picking up a seizure that might have gone undetected otherwise?

I'm not feeling very good about this test. For one thing, I'm dreading going 6 or 7 hours without a cigarette. (I'm sneaking in my electronic cigarettes though and hoping they don't catch me or say anything...hoping too that I don't cough off too many of my electrodes.) Mostly though I worry that this will be a waste of time as most of my seizures were occurring at night, and even after my car accident it took a 72-hour ambulatory EEG to pick up anything...all other EEGs were coming back normal. And my neurologist knows that.

I expect this EEG will come back normal, or perhaps she's itching on a psychogenic, non-epileptic seizure dx. All I want is to know what is causing these episodes of severe pressure at the base of my skull and this relentless upwards-tightening of my lower teeth/jaw. I'm clenching 24/7, chipping more teeth, and it's not anxiety. They're doing some MRIs too, but what's it going to take? Must cerebrospinal fluid be gushing from my head? I saw a doctor 3 months before my car-accident seizure, and my number one complaint was this pressure at the base of my skull, told her it felt as if my head wasn't 'draining' properly, and this relentless clenching. The dx she gave me was 'suspected paranoid schitzophrenia', and then 3 months later me and my car ended up in a storm drain a few feet from a pole. Luckily the storm drain caught my front tires.

...I have independent generalized seizures, by the wat...they're just trying to figure out if I'm still having them in spite of my meds.
Thanks for listening.

 

[Nakamova]

You should ask your neuro what will be involved in this particular EEG, since different places do it differently. You might just be left alone in a room for 6 hours. You will probably have a button to push if you feel like a seizure is happening. Sometimes they will add a probe just under the skin (above and behind the cheekbone) to potentially pick up deeper signals, but again, you should find out ahead of time by speaking to your neuro and/or to the EEG tech.

You don't necessarily need to be having a seizure for your EEG to show brainwaves characteristic of epilepsy, so don't focus on that. What can potentially make a difference is stressing your brain. One of the best ways is to stay up all night beforehand (EEGs done after sleep-deprivation are much more likely to show abnormal brain activity). And consider NOT smoking -- that's another stressor. If you are sensitive to caffeine, or MSG, have a Red Bull with a side of KFC chicken for breakfast. Or if low blood sugar is a trigger, skip breakfast altogether. You get the picture.

 

[elizzza811]

Thanks, Nakamova. I asked my neurologist, and all she really told me was that they would hook me up to the machine and videotape me to see what I'm doing during a seizure. She was going to tell me more, but then laughed and said, "...I don't want you to practice."

I like the idea of staying up even though this isn't a sleep-deprived study...at least then I might be able to nap some of the time away.

I have to eat breakfast though...it's in my instructions...and bring a lunch.

As for smoking, smoking both calms me and excites me, it depends, so I'm not sure what to think there. E-cigs don't totally quench my thirst for nicotine, so I might still be stressed smoking those. I don't know. I would think they'd want me to try to replicate a normal day as much as possible?

One thing I've been considering is trying to find something I could OCD while I'm there. I have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and have had quite a few in the midst of an OCD ritual. I don't have many things though that I can think of that I can do away from home. For example, OCD-washing my hands there wouldn't work because they would never feel clean no matter how long and hard I scrubbed them and I'm aware of this, so I wouldn't even try to give it intense focus...so no anxiety there. It would be the equivalent of washing my hands in a hospital toilet - why even try to OCD your hands clean? I was thinking maybe I could bring some bills and maybe balance my checkbook? I'm a little OCD with those, but only a little.

Pray for a seizure though...I really think I need an dosage increase, and if this EEG comes back normal, I doubt they'll do any ambulatories. Wish me luck!

 

[Nakamova]

Good luck! You could try calling the hospital and asking to speak to the EEG department -- they might be able to give you details about how mobile and how monitored you will be. If nothing happens during the EEG don't be shy about asking your neuro for an overnight EEG/sleep study. Your neuro may be dismissive of your symptoms if the EEG comes out normal, but she should know that a positive EEG can confirm an epilepsy diagnosis, but a negative one can't rule one out.

Below are a few CWE threads on video EEGs. There may be something in them that will help:
http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f23/video-eeg-questions-20286/
http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f23/got-call-about-veeg-16350/
http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f23/veeg-12981/
http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f23/auras-veeg-24280/
http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f20/veeg-normal-13433/

 

[jenagade]

You should ask your neuro what will be involved in this particular EEG, since different places do it differently. You might just be left alone in a room for 6 hours. You will probably have a button to push if you feel like a seizure is happening. Sometimes they will add a probe just under the skin (above and behind the cheekbone) to potentially pick up deeper signals, but again, you should find out ahead of time by speaking to your neuro and/or to the EEG tech.

You don't necessarily need to be having a seizure for your EEG to show brainwaves characteristic of epilepsy, so don't focus on that. What can potentially make a difference is stressing your brain. One of the best ways is to stay up all night beforehand (EEGs done after sleep-deprivation are much more likely to show abnormal brain activity). And consider NOT smoking -- that's another stressor. If you are sensitive to caffeine, or MSG, have a Red Bull with a side of KFC chicken for breakfast. Or if low blood sugar is a trigger, skip breakfast altogether. You get the picture.

Oh God I wish I hadn't just read that. I'm going in for a week long one tomorrow, i hope they don't go sticking things in my cheek :s.