Thanks CM

Still awaiting my results from my sleep deprived eeg a few weeks ago. Nothing yet. Called dr friday and they still hadn't received them.

The sleep deprived eeg went like this.

Try to lay there with eyes closed. I did for a few minutes, then they said I was about to fall asleep. So they decided to have me do the lights then the hyperventilating. After that they told me to try to fall asleep but I couldn't.

Still curious why it's taking so long to get results but im assuming the tech would of told me if I had a seizure. If you don't mind can you read my last few posts on this topic and give me your thoughts. Also im 30 years old. Thanks!

Well.. if you didn't fall asleep, then the most informative half of the EEG is missing. Being sleep deprived in itself has no value. Its falling asleep that counts. I would complain to the doctor that ordered the test about how it was done. As far as needung to urinate.. I've never heard of that having anything to do with the test. People who have GTC seizures (the 'big' ones), can lose bowel or bladder control during the seizure, but it doesn't sound like you had a seizure during the exam.

I can't say how results are handled other places, but at my hospital Only epileptologists read EEG's. They are read the day of the exam. A report is put on the patient's record and if there are seizures or unexpected abnormalities in a patient who is not being treated, the ordering physician is notified by phone immediately. If I were you, I'd call the testing place and ask them directly how to get the results. As a patient you have the right to get your medical records. However.. since you didn't sleep, it may again be normal. Next time the testing question comes up with your doctor, I'd insist that he find a place for you to go that will truly give you a chance yo fall asleep and run the test longer than 20 min.

Yea it was rather annoying. I laid there for about five minutes and they said I was falling asleep then made me do the other stuff. I may have dozed off again after it but I honestly dont think I did. I was exhausted so maybe I did. I dont know why I did that back arching small convulsion thing though. That was really odd for me. Lady said after the hyperventilating and lights I was laying down for a half hour. Sure only felt like a few minutes but maybe im wrong and did doze off a little. I just remember clearly at the beginning of the test I was falling asleep and they made me do that stuff. Dont know maybe they had gotten what they needed in that few minutes time. Oh and to be clear the first eeg was 20 minutes (the non sleep deprived) this one (sleep deprived) was probably 45 minutes or so. They thought it was a non sleep deprived and I had to show them the drs report saying he wanted it sleep deprived and she said she would note that.

As of now dr is treating me with depakote to be safe. The hospital usually uploads their reports or labs ect instantly to the patient portal as soon as the report is done. Not even up on that yet. Ill call again tomorrow see what's going on.

ok.. so now it does sound like you may have slept. When patients sleep, the test always seems shorter than it really is. When I'm running an exam and a patient has a seizure (both electrographic and clinical) during the exam, I always go in there. I test their responsiveness, check for stiffness, make clinical observations that don't always show up clearly on the video (i.e. are eyelids twitching?). I would always immediately inform the epileptologist. I make notes about my clinical observations on the EEG recording. With all of that going on, the patient or family are generally aware they had a seizure. However, other hospitals may have their own protocols that are different from the ones I follow.

What really surprises me is that your report is not yet available. Your physician should be driving them nuts and calling every hour for the results. If there are any abnormalities on there, then I'd really be upset.

In any event, if it comes out normal and you continue to have symptoms, the next step would be an Epilepsy Monitoring Unit where you would be hooked up in a more secure way and kept in the hospital for at least 24 hours - hopefully to capture one of your episodes.

With respect to the concern about "convergence disorder" or whatever, that would be referring to episodes that are non-epileptic in nature and believed to be caused by stress/anxiety. Epileptic means it is coming from excessive synchronous firing of neurons in the brain. Non-epileptic can be caused by a lot of different things. Dehydration that causes an imbalance in electrolytes is a big one. Another non-epileptic type seizure is what can happen to juvenile diabetics. They take insulin, and if their blood sugar drops too low, they can have a seizure - but it is not an epileptic seizure and does not need treatment with medications. I have juvenile diabetes and actually had one yesterday morning - first time in probably 8 years. My blood sugar registered as 17 by the paramedics that my kids called. Anyway, non-epileptic seizures can also be caused by stress and anxiety. Those are episodes that generally improve with psychological support. It is not uncommon for teens who are being abused in some fashion to have non-epileptic seizures. It's like a cry for help that gets them in front of people who can hopefully figure out what's going on and get them in a safe place.

That said, you've also described migraines with auras. That is not uncommon. I had a 13 y/o girl patient who had a long string of auras that looked like a stroke before she had the migraine. Her EEG was a mess too (for 24 hrs after the migraine). She had basilar artery migraines. Anyway, you do seem to have a lot going on that deserves a thorough investigation. Longer monitoring in an EMU would be helpful, especially if you have episodes frequently.

Bruins -

I just read back more thoroughly - the descriptions you gave of the episodes you've had that I think you said your wife has seen?

Here's what I know:
Pelvic thrusting, raising legs in the air and "bicycling," and manipulation of genitals are common semiologies of frontal lobe seizures. Pretty much exclusively. Frontal lobe seizures often include hand or mouth automatisms (like picking at a button, or two fingers working on each other). I think you said you had a tbi? Where is the injury located? TBI's can definitely cause seizures.

Bad smells are called olfactory seizures and generally come from around the uncus - which is too deep to be picked up by surface electrodes. As others have said, these kind of sensory symptoms (can include bad taste as well) are simple partial. Taste (gustatory seizures) are usually described as metallic. Olfactory seizures are usually described as like a skunk, dead body, burning rubber. I've never heard of it being a pleasant smell. There is a unique seizure type called Gelastic seizures that comes from the hypothalamus, usually due to a hamartoma, and the seizure semiology is laughter. This usually shows up in early childhood.

Most important thing for you to know is that a normal EEG does NOT RULE OUT EPILEPSY!!

Im going to private message you. Thanks!

K private message sent. Should also notify you by email.

Also in a response to your earlier post. The technician did come in and check on me a few times. Kept asking about my headache, telling me to relax my facial muscles, and telling me im doing a great job.

Im sort of piecing together the whole thing now that I think about it. Its just I was so tired I cant fully remember.