Diagnosis - Is it always 100%?

[Katiered]

Good afternoon! Been doing a lot of research this afternoon since I need to call my insurance company soon.. but before I do I really want to understand better but can't find the information I need! Hoping you guys, with your collective years of experience and knowledge can help me out please!

I saw the neurologist last Thursday to confirm what my doctor and psychologist already suspected - temporal lobe seizures. However I haven't had en EEG or MRI yet. Does this mean that I haven't really had a diagnosis? I've been told that the EEG is a 50/50 shot anyway, and is the MRI more to see if there's a cause of the seizures? I just don't want to call and say this is what's happening when I don't know if there's a 100% diagnosis yet.. or if there's the possibility of 100% diagnosis for seizures which are invisible.

Thoughts? Any help you guys can offer is REALLY appreciated! I'm just running in circles on the internet it seems, and Topamax has my brain foggy and tired enough I'm over it right now.

 

[arnie]

A diagnosis of epilepsy (or "seizure disorder) is often based on history, symptoms, and what it takes to stop or control the seizures. Many of us here have had numerous EEGs and scans of various sorts that show absolutley no abnormalities. Don't be afraid to talk to your neurologist about trying other meds, because some of them have fewer side-effects and work better, but it's an individual sort of thing. Fine-tuning the meds can be a long process.

Carry on, and keep in touch.

 

[Nakamova]

You have at least a provisional diagnosis of epilepsy. It can be helpful to have positive EEG results, and most neurologists prefer to have as much information as possible to go on. But in the absence of EEG confirmation, epilepsy can still be diagnosed on the basis of clinical symptoms alone.

 

[Katiered]

Thank you very much for your help