Can someone please help me with this EEG?

[Stephanie86]

I just read tylervr6's post, and I was wondering if someone could help me with mine as well. My dr. is very hard to get information out of, so I requested my records, which I can't interpret. If anyone has experience with this, I would greatly appreciate it as I've been trying to figure this out for 6 months. It says:

This is a 16-channel EEG to one EKG recorded during wakefulness and drowsiness. No hyperventilation. No photic stimulation. No sedation.

Throughout the tracing, there is some muscle and movement artifacts, as well as some EKG and electrode artifacts. The quality of the study is good.

Alpha activity 10-12 Hz seen in the posterior leads, as well as 18-22 Hz beta activity in the anterior leads. This continues throughout the tracing.

Recurrent paroxysmal sharp forms, high voltage activity, and slowing seen generalized.

EKG shows sinus rhythm, 78 beats per minute.

Impression: Abnormal tracing due to sharp forms, high voltage activity, and slowing.

 

[Blondie47]

Hello Stephanie.

Sorry to say that I can't interpret the information, but I would like to suggest that you make an appointment with your doc to do this!

If an appointment is not ideal, then maybe you could send a letter. List all of your questions about the eeg. Be sure to request a response too.

Good Luck!

 

[epileric]

:agree: I think your doctor would be best able to interpret the EEG.

In the meantime this online medical dictionary might help lessen your curiousity.

http://www.online-medical-dictionary.org/

 

[RobinN]

Communication between doctors and patients can be so very frustrating. I have even had one doctor say that the other doctor didn't know how to read the EEG results. It really varies from office to office. I am wondering if even they know how to read the darn results.

For our daughter the fact that the first EEG was abnormal, and all the rest were "normal" really hasn't made a difference in how I treat the disorder. If the EEG is clear, and the symptoms are still occuring, one needs to find out why.

My daughter's seizures continued, even though she had a "normal" EEG. They were occuring about six a month. Tonic Clonic variety. We were told that the MRI showed a "birthmark" on the brain. That this was the cause of her seizures. Even with the "birthmark" we are seeing improvement with dietary changes. So as I see it, you can be told a lot of things, but being proactive in your own care, and in the care of our loved ones, is the best course of action. We are the ones that withness the change in behaviour, skin color, energy levels, clarity of the eyes, etc.

 

[Nakamova]

Hi Stephanie --

In general what the report says is that there are "spikes" of electricity showing up in your brain ["Recurrent paroxysmal sharp forms, high voltage activity, and slowing seen generalized"]. These spikes can be an indicator of hyper-excitable neurons, and are typical of folks with epilepsy. HOWEVER, EEGs are only a snapshot of your brain at one moment in time. Some EEGs show false positives, and some people with epilepsy never have it show up on their EEGs.

NOTE: For an accurate assessment you need to have you doctor evaluate your report for you. He/she will usually analyze the EEG, plus clinical evidence (i.e. any actual seizures you may experience) to come up with one or more diagnoses. Your doctor owes you a clear explanation! Be persistent in getting an explanation; If you're still unstaisfied, get another doctor who is more responsive (if possible).

Best,
Nakamova

 

[Stephanie86]

Hi everyone, I'm sorry I haven't been online in awhile. Thank you so much for the help. I have an appt. on Wednesday and although I don't have that assertive gene, I'm going to do the best I can to get him to listen to me. Thank you for the med. dictionary, I'm going to try it.

 

[RobinN]

I hope your appt went well.
I typically am not assertive either, but I do have passion. When there is something that is dear to my heart, I share that. I was told by Rebecca's neurologist that most people just want a quick fix. So that is what the practice of medicine is geared to. I think when you have solid evidence to share with your doctors, they can't help but listen. If they don't then it is time to move on.