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Hello! My daughter (12 years old), has been fainting for about 5 months. She has had a bad non-stop headache for months now. It doesn't ever seem to go away. She usually has a fainting episode daily. The cardiologist has ruled out anything having to do with her heart. The neurologist has done 2 EEGs. The first one was negative, but the second one had a slight "spike and wave". He started her on Depakote last week. So far, it has slowed the fainting spells some, but not alleviated the headache. We are scheduled for a video EEG in the hospital next week. I am wondering why we haven't done a MRI or a CT. Does anyone have any ideas on this?

Thanks so much,

Lisa

Comments

RE: MRI

Submitted by batman on Mon, 2005-02-14 - 18:08

Lisa,

Let me take a try at your daughterÂ’s situation.

IÂ’m now 36, but way back when I was around your daughterÂ’s age I had somewhat of the same problems. Just not as strong or frequent. But it appeared, to me at least, that it would happen when I stood up. For me, I have a feeling that it has to do with having LOW blood pressure. See if these match to her.

About the EEGs and MRI. A basic EEG is used to get a general idea of where a personÂ’s seizure is beginning, which is called the Â‘seizure focusÂ’. The best chance of having an abnormal EEG is when the patient has a seizure while doing the EEG. When this happens, it gives a better reason why the MRI will be done next, to make it easier to locate where the seizure focus is coming from. Otherwise, if nothing or very little comes up from the results of the EEG, and then doing a MRI may be a waste of time and money. Not 100% sure about what IÂ’m saying, but I have a good feeling that this is why.

Hope the video EEG goes well, with good and helpful results. Got questions about it, ask away.

Bruce J

Lisa,

Let me take a try at your daughterÂ’s situation.

IÂ’m now 36, but way back when I was around your daughterÂ’s age I had somewhat of the same problems. Just not as strong or frequent. But it appeared, to me at least, that it would happen when I stood up. For me, I have a feeling that it has to do with having LOW blood pressure. See if these match to her.

About the EEGs and MRI. A basic EEG is used to get a general idea of where a personÂ’s seizure is beginning, which is called the Â‘seizure focusÂ’. The best chance of having an abnormal EEG is when the patient has a seizure while doing the EEG. When this happens, it gives a better reason why the MRI will be done next, to make it easier to locate where the seizure focus is coming from. Otherwise, if nothing or very little comes up from the results of the EEG, and then doing a MRI may be a waste of time and money. Not 100% sure about what IÂ’m saying, but I have a good feeling that this is why.

Hope the video EEG goes well, with good and helpful results. Got questions about it, ask away.

Bruce J

RE: RE: MRI

Submitted by icjerk on Tue, 2005-02-15 - 09:34

Thanks for the input everybody. Since I last posted, we have had an MRI done and the video EEG. All was negative! We are looking at the possibility of Conversion Disorder. We saw a psychiatrist about that months ago, and he ruled that out. My daughter has OCD and has been taking Zoloft for 2 1/2 years. At one time she was on Ativan for anxiety. She quit taking the Ativan about a year ago. I have an appointment with a new psyc. next week. In the meantime, I started giving her the Ativan again and she has been talking to a counselor. There has been a definite decrease in the number of faints. Things do not seem stressfull for her but from what I understand, the stress or anxiety can come from way back. We did have a traumatic situation with my exhusband a few years ago. This may be bring up things. Her headaches have dramatically decreased also.

Anybody have any input on Conversion Disorder?

Thanks,

Lisa

Thanks for the input everybody. Since I last posted, we have had an MRI done and the video EEG. All was negative! We are looking at the possibility of Conversion Disorder. We saw a psychiatrist about that months ago, and he ruled that out. My daughter has OCD and has been taking Zoloft for 2 1/2 years. At one time she was on Ativan for anxiety. She quit taking the Ativan about a year ago. I have an appointment with a new psyc. next week. In the meantime, I started giving her the Ativan again and she has been talking to a counselor. There has been a definite decrease in the number of faints. Things do not seem stressfull for her but from what I understand, the stress or anxiety can come from way back. We did have a traumatic situation with my exhusband a few years ago. This may be bring up things. Her headaches have dramatically decreased also.

Anybody have any input on Conversion Disorder?

Thanks,

Lisa

RE: MRI

Submitted by fishergal on Sat, 2005-03-26 - 10:09

good news on the MRI! I had one to make sure I hadn't developed a tumor or had a stroke for those wondering what that was about.

May I add to Bruce's low blood pressure and the change in hormones to check blood sugar. Low blood sugar will cause migranes and often goes undectected. If you eat a high carb diet this would be a cause. Weight Watchers nearly killed me until I found out why eating so healthy was not so good for me. I had to up my protein intake. You can even try it on your own to see if there is a difference. If you are vegetarian, nuts are great, beans with rice converts to protein. A small steady supply throughout the day keeps blood sugar levels constant.

I passed every glucose tolerence test I have ever taken...long or short. But my first grand mal seizure tests showed I had no blood sugar whatsoever in my system. My brother was diagnosed after they thought he had a heart attack which proved to be a full body migrane. The blood vessels were so constricted that his heart was having to work extra hard to pump blood giving him pain. Out of the whole heart hospital only one doctor had seen it before. And that's cause she had worked with a nuero during her part of her residency.

good news on the MRI! I had one to make sure I hadn't developed a tumor or had a stroke for those wondering what that was about.

May I add to Bruce's low blood pressure and the change in hormones to check blood sugar. Low blood sugar will cause migranes and often goes undectected. If you eat a high carb diet this would be a cause. Weight Watchers nearly killed me until I found out why eating so healthy was not so good for me. I had to up my protein intake. You can even try it on your own to see if there is a difference. If you are vegetarian, nuts are great, beans with rice converts to protein. A small steady supply throughout the day keeps blood sugar levels constant.

I passed every glucose tolerence test I have ever taken...long or short. But my first grand mal seizure tests showed I had no blood sugar whatsoever in my system. My brother was diagnosed after they thought he had a heart attack which proved to be a full body migrane. The blood vessels were so constricted that his heart was having to work extra hard to pump blood giving him pain. Out of the whole heart hospital only one doctor had seen it before. And that's cause she had worked with a nuero during her part of her residency.

Comments

RE: MRI

Submitted by batman on Mon, 2005-02-14 - 18:08

RE: RE: MRI

Submitted by icjerk on Tue, 2005-02-15 - 09:34

RE: MRI

Submitted by fishergal on Sat, 2005-03-26 - 10:09

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