Abnormal EEG, now what?
 

Hello,

I have been suffering with neurological problems for 3 years. It all started when I was on a trip and fell in a grocery store due to dizzyness. This progress for a year when I started having difficulty walking and weakness in both of my legs and abdomin or trunk region. I recently had issues where I am conscious and didn't know if I was in the room with my colleagues, my face tightens or feels stiff, I felt very sad and stared to cry and my blood pressure went very high. My colleague is a health care professional and took my blood pressure and it was 168 over 91 and it usually is 120 over 70. I had one more episode and I went to my dr. She sent me for a eeg and it came back abnormal. Mild changes in temporal lobe.
What does this mean?
Could mild changes just be a normal finding? My neuro apt isn't until February 28...

Thanks for any incite!

Hi segardin,

It could be possible that when you took the fall and hit your head it may have caused a possible concussion or head injury on the temporal lobe which in turn could mean seizures. I've had temporal lobe epilepsy for 41 yrs. now.
If I may ask do you ever have times when you are forgetful and don't remember anything that happened a couple of minutes before and then you feel tired, confused, and have a headache if any of this is happening this is a sign of a seizure.

My advice to you is have your family Dr. refer you to see a Epileptologist (Dr. specializing in Epilepsy) and go to a Epilepsy Center. These places are found at large hospitals or university hospitals. These Drs. will do a series of tests on you besides an e.e.g. they will do a MRI, SPECT and PET scan along with a CT scan and this will help the Drs. pinpoint exactly what's going on and if you are having any seizures. (sz.)

If there are any family members around you have them take note if they notice a daydream look on your face or if you are wandering around but don't remember anything this is a form of a complex partial sz. Keep a calendar and write down what time you may have had a sz. along with the description of the sz. this will help the Drs. and they may see a pattern in your sz. I've had sz. for many yrs. and often before a low pressure in the weather along with in the fall and winter I have more sz. do to the weather conditions and less serotonin in the fall and winter.
Try taking vitamin B12 1000 mcg. once a day for adult and 500 mcg. for kids this has really helped reduce my sz.

Along with epilepsy comes depression for many people especially if the sz. are coming from the right temporal lobe or the frontal lobe where the forehead is. The right temporal lobe controls a persons emotions and the frontal lobe controls a persons temper and behavior.
Stay away from anything with nutra sweet in it and cut back on the carbs, starch foods and caffeine because these are all things that can trigger sz. for many people. I wish you the best of luck and May God Bless You!

Sue

Thanks
 

Hi sue!
Thanks!
No I've never lost conciseness. I am tired a lot and very sick when I do not get proper sleep, along with my weakness and dizzyness. I fall a lot at home and at work. I have a glassy look in my eyes when I'm sick, I'm told. I had ct's and an MRI 3 years ago, when my neurologist thought I had MS. They were fine. This is my first abnormal finding besides abnormal neurological examinations.

I just don't want to get my hopes up that something was found and now I can be fixed and live a normal life, if a mild abnormal finding is not significant finding. So do you know what a mild abnormal finding is?

I have been referred to a neurovascular dr, specializing in epilepsy, but my apt is February 28.

Thanks again, happy holidays
-s

Hi segardin,

I do know that if you a person is loosing their balance that is part of the brain called the cerebellum that controls that, often I will get dizzy and I can't walk a straight line do to the epilepsy.

I'm no Dr. but from what I have been told a abnormal finding could be a possibility of scar tissue, or brain damage on the brain this is what the Dr. found with me yrs. ago. You should call your Dr. and ask them to explain what they found on the e.e.g. to you so you can find out for sure what's going on and get it taken care of a.s.a.p.

I am wondering if you should go in for a sleep study, I had this done this past spring and my Epileptologist found that I was having seizures in my sleep. If you aren't getting enough sleep this is one thing that can trigger seizures along with stress. The Dr. can check to see if you have sleep apnea or any other sleep disorder that could be triggering the sz. Here's wishing you only the best and May God Bless You!

Sue

Nice to meet you!!
 

I understand your concerns. Even though I had a brain tumor in my left temporal lobe and intermittent Sz, the EEG showed nothing but a "sleepy" concern. I understand from my neurologist that the EEG will not in a few moments regard the SZ unless you are actually having that type at the moment. I had partial seizures affecting my memory and speech since it was in the left temporal lobe...now that I am tumor free, I am still on Keppra...and still 6 weeks later having some difficulty in my speech and memory from time to time. I did have loss of time before and episodes where I "slept" for a few seconds or minutes...and according to some just had open eyes and stared, but I could not remember it. Perhaps a longer sleep study as indicated by our other friend here will be helpful as well..I know...I miss driving so much...it is so difficult having seizures and losing some of our comfort zones.

Wishing you the best!! Joanie