Video EEG Questions?

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So I'm supposed to have a video EEG pretty soon (within a month or two), and I have some questions that I'm hoping some of you with some experience can help me answer. So the goal is to capture a seizure on the video and EEG obviously. But what happens if they don't capture anything at all? What will they conclude? I don't want to have a seizure, but at the same time, I do. Sorry, I'm just stressing out about it all.
 
If the vEEG doesn't capture seizure activity, then the neurologist can go three ways:

1. You don't have epilepsy.
2. You DO have epilepsy, but the diagnosis is being made on clinical evidence alone (your symptoms).
3. It's unclear whether you have epilepsy or not -- it may be worth having another EEG done at a later date.

A positive EEG can help confirm epilepsy as a diagnosis, but a negative EEG can't rule it out. There are some CWE members with epilepsy who have never had a positive EEG. There are others who have had many EEGs before finally producing a positive one.

More about vEEG here:
http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f20/video-eeg-time-18936/
http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f23/video-eeg-day-one-19612/
http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f23/video-eeg-any-tips-provoking-seizures-17022/
http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f23/can-someone-tell-me-about-video-eegs-13758/
http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com...ital-week-video-eeg-need-advice-please-17368/
http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f23/having-72-hr-eeg-video-monitoring-home-19794/
 
Well, I can tell you my experience with having a VEEG done. All my life, Ive had regular EEG's... the ones that last about an hour long. All have come back with abnormal results, resulting in activity in my left temporal lobe area. When I was switched to a new neuro in November 2010, he wanted to do a VEEG. My first one ever. I was scheduled to go in on March 7, 2011. I was admited that morning, and was told to bring all my anti seizure medications and any other medications i take. I was admited early that morning, too early to take my seizure medications. Once I was all hooked up, I was told by my neuro that he was not going to be giving me any medications at all! Just basicly cold turkey'ing me on all! Something Ive never had done in my life! I was really nervous but wanted to see what was going to come about. They did record abnormal activity on the EEG, the same activity they have always seen... slow waves, and diffuse pattern like stuff in my left temporal lobe area. Prior to being admited, i was taking two anti seiuzre medications. But when being released, I was only put back on one. That reason is because I couldnt have a "big" seizure. I was having simple partial seizures. The kind where I was consious, but couldnt respond til the seizure was over. My symptoms were: funny weird feeling that would over come me first, followed by a fast heart rate, nausea, an uprising feeling in my stomach, a feeling like my head was being forced to turn to the right, I would get feeling of fear and sadness... then my left side would start to feeling tingling like that would spread up my entire left side of my body... then stiffen and jerk. This would last between 30 seconds to a minute. These the dr said wasnt being recorded on the EEG. he said they were non epileptic seizures. But the weird part is that when they put me back on the keppra, they stopped. Just to make this neuro happy, i went to the psych dr that he referred me to. She even said that what he thought was non epileptic seizures, were in fact epileptic seizures, and the Keppra was treating them. One thing he didnt take into consideration is that the seizures could be too deep in my brain that the EEG wasnt able to pick them up. In the meantime, I was told by the psych dr that I didnt need to see her. I was only put back on the Keppra, which held me over for a certain amount of time, but then I had some seizures that started up in January of this year. he wouldnt treat them as if they were epileptic seizures. I seeked a second opinion, and was put on a low dose of carbatrol, and its been good since. So yeah, Nakamova is right on at what all can come about with a VEEG. Some get the results they get, and others dont.
 
Emily, it's less common these days but it seems some docs are still provoking seizures during video EEGs. Personally, I prefer that method because it means I can spend less time in hospital, but during the last ten years my neurologist has just left me hooked up to the machine for as long as it takes without trying to induce a seizure--beyond depriving me of sleep. With the first video EEG I had they hyperventilated me, stressed me out, took me off my meds and reduced my food intake. It was nasty at the time but at least I had the seizure they wanted on the third day and I could go home. I also remember the doctor giving me an injection during the hyperventilation. I think it was some sort of stimulant--adrenaline or pseudoephidrine or something like that. These days my doctors have been way more gentle but really, I would rather have a quick seizure than weeks spent in hospital.
 
Kirsten, I agree! I would rather have the seizure sooner so that I could just go home! Mom of 3 Boys, thanks for your input!
 
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