Abnormal EEG?

[Cardones]

Hi
Quick query, I had an EEG many years ago when I had my seizure and I've just found a letter from the neuro at the time to my doctor discussing it - I always seemed to remember that it was normal.
However, the letter said "His EEG showed one minor period of instability but was reported to still be within normal limits. This emphasises the good prognosis."

Just not quite sure what this means. If there was a period of instability then to me that makes it abnormal. But if it was still all within normal limits then it makes it normal and if so why mention the minor instability? So was this EEG classed as abnormal or normal??
Do normal people often have minor instabilities on EEG?
thanks

 

[Fedup]

Cardones

If everybody had an E.E.G. a lot of people would be sick, so what is a normal person. The part you are missing is its within an acceptable medical level.

 

[Nakamova]

Instability on an EEG just means that you were displaying brainwaves that might turn into a seizure. In terms of confirming an epilepsy diagnosis, that's not the same as displaying brainwaves that were occurring during a seizure, or displaying unstable brainwaves over a long period of time (as opposed to one minor period). That "minor period of instability" could be interpreted in several different ways, but not as conclusive evidence of any kind of neurological disorder, especially if it fell within a normal range, as noted by the doctor.

Do normal people often have minor instabilities on EEG?

Assuming that by "normal" you mean people without epilepsy, the answer is yes. Different kinds of stressors (for example, noise or pain) can produce instability. Migraines can as well. EEGs can produce false positives and false negatives. EEG interpretation and results can vary depending on the person being tested (children are different then adults for instance), and also depending on the person doing the interpreting.

 

[Cardones]

Thanks for the replies.

Only reason I was asking is that I am applying for a visa at the moment and after I disclosed I had a seizure years ago I have received further questions and one of them was did I undertake an EEG and was the result normal or abnormal and I just didn't know which one to tick!
While I don't want to hold back relevant info, I conversely don't want to say something was abnormal when it was not classed as such and then have to go for further tests etc now.

Sorry - I wasn't suggesting people with epilepsy were abnormal! I just of course meant a non-epilepsy brain.

 

[Nakamova]

I think you can safely and honestly reply that the EEG result was normal. Good luck with your visa!

 

[Cardones]

Thanks Nakamova!