Community Forum Archive

The Epilepsy Community Forums are closed, and the information is archived. The content in this section may not be current or apply to all situations. In addition, forum questions and responses include information and content that has been generated by epilepsy community members. This content is not moderated. The information on these pages should not be substituted for medical advice from a healthcare provider. Experiences with epilepsy can vary greatly on an individual basis. Please contact your doctor or medical team if you have any questions about your situation. For more information, learn about epilepsy or visit our resources section.

Is this a normal reaction to the EEG strobe light?????

Mon, 05/07/2007 - 23:21
I had a sleep deprived EEG today, as my doctor suspects I may have epilepsy. During the part where they have you close your eyes and they stick a strobe light in your face, blinking it at different frequencies, my face began to twitch uncontrollably all over and my eyelids fluttered. My head felt tingly all over, too. I didn't lose consciousness, but it was obviously extremely scary. This was unlike my usual episodes/seizures, with the exception of the head tingling. Is this a normal response to the strobe light?

Comments

IN THE DIAGNOSTIC LAB, WHICH

Submitted by ROCKNROLL on Sun, 2007-07-22 - 23:36
IN THE DIAGNOSTIC LAB, WHICH IS INPATIENT, THEY DO USE STROBE LIGHTS. HOWEVER, THEY ARE NOT PUT DIRECTLY IN ONE'S FACE.I COULD NEVER TOLERATE THAT, I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO LOOK AT BLINING LIGHTS, BRIGHT LIGHTS, ETC. FOR 30 YEARS, SINCE THE FIRST BRAIN SURGERY. I AM GLAD TO KNOW THAT THIS HAPPENS TO SOMEONE OTHER THAN ME, BECAUSE WHAT YOU DESCRIBED IS PRECISELY WHAT HAPPENS TO ME, INCLUDING BODY, ARMS, AND HEAD FLYING ALL OVER. HOWEVER, THE TESTS RESULTS SHOWED 'BRAIN IRRITAION' AND NES. I AM SORRY THIS IS HAPPENING TO YOU THOUGH. I DID NOT HAVE THE S. THAT CHANGE MY BEHAVIOR OR DROP S. BUT I HAD ALL READY TOLD THE DOCS THAT THOSE ONLY HAPPEN WHEN I AM ACTIVE. IN THE LAB, I HAVE TO STAY IN BED THE ENTIRE TIME. THAT IS NOT CONDUCIVE TO ACHIEVING THE GOAL OF FIGURING OUT WHICH PART OF THE BRAIN THE S. ARE COMING FROM. HOWEVER, I DID GET A PRESCRIPTION FOR NEURONTIN, WHICH IS PRESCRIBED FOR COMPLEX PARTIALS, AND AM TOLD IT WORKS VERY WELL. YES, MY ENTIRE FACE AND EYES DID EXACTLY WHAT YOUR'S DID. MAYBE MORESO, BECAUSE MY ENTIRE FACE WOULD GO INTO SUCH TREMENDOUS SPASM, AND IT FELT LIKE MUSCLES ROLLING AROUND MY FACE UNCONTROLABLY. I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS CAN'T BE CONSIDERED E. I THINK THE DIAGNOSIS DEPENDS ON THE DOCTOR, BECAUSE ANOTHER DOCTOR DID NOT AGREE WITH ME DOC, AND A THIRD DOC TOLD ME THAT THE MUSCLES WERE JUST JERKING WHEN I WAS FALLING ASLEEP AND WAS NORMAL......OH REALLY?! NOT SO! I WAS AWAKE.....WHO COULD SLEEP WITH ALL OF THAT GOING ON? NOT ME, THAT IS FOR SURE. THE TWITCHING DOES PREVENT ME FROM FALLING ASLEEP WHEN IT HAPPENS, AND I AM AWAKED, LAST TIME, AT 4 A.M., OUT OF A SOUND SLEEP, FROM ALL THE TWITCHING AND JERKING. YOU ARE NOT ALONE! AND NOW I KNOW I AM NOT. I QUESTIONED IF THIS WAS S. ACTIVITY SINCE I HAVE HEMI-FACIAL SPASM, AND HAD BENN TOLD YES, IT IS S., AND NO IT IS NOT S., BUT WHAT HAPPENS IN THE LAB ENCOMPASSES MY ENTIRE FACE AND EYES. IT HURTS AND I DON'T LIKE IT. ROCKNROLL

Re: Is this a normal reaction to the EEG strobe light?????

Submitted by ACopper on Sun, 2007-07-22 - 23:51
Flashing lights is well known as a seizure trigger. There are a few things in life that are similar: 1) Driving in a car on a sunny day through trees or on a really curvy road so the light is flashing on and off your face; 2) Facing a sunny window covered in blinds with slats when the air conditioning is blowing the slats around; 3) Driving in a car at night with lots of headlights coming your way. Just be aware and turn your head away when you encounter something like that. Remember how you felt when the doctor was using the strobe light and if you ever feel like that again, sit down quickly to be safe and turn away from any bright lights until you feel better (sometimes only a minute). It's just something to be aware of.

Re: Re: Is this a normal reaction to the EEG strobe light?????

Submitted by pan06 on Tue, 2007-07-24 - 08:44
HEY ROCKNROLL, I HAVE TLE. MY DOCTORS ARE NOT SURE WHICH SIDE OF THE BRAIN MY SEIZURES ARE STARTING. I HAVE NOT HAD IT YET, BUT ACCORDING TO MY DOC AND WHAT I HAVE READ, THE NEUROSURGEON PLACE ELECTRODES DEEP IN THE BRAIN (LYING ON THE HIPPOCAMPUS). I WILL DO THE VEEG FOR ABOUT A WEEK AGAIN AND BE FORCED TO HAVE SEIZURES (OH JOY). BUT, THIS WILL BE MORE ACCURATE THAN THE REGULAR ELECTRODES. ACCORDING TO MY DOC, THE REGULAR ELECTRODES HAVE TO READ THROUGH THE HAIR, SKIN, AND TOP LAYER OF MY BRAIN. MY VEEG SHOWED SOME SEIZURES COMING FROM MY LEFT TL, SOME FROM MY RIGHT TL, AND SOME BILATERAL. MY DOC HOWEVER THINKS MY SEIZURES ARE STILL COMING FROM ONE SIDE. HE SAID ONLY ABOUT 10% OF PEOPLE HAVE BILATERAL SEIZURES. HE HAS NOT RULED OUT SURGERY YET, THAT IS WHY HE IS DOING THIS TEST. IF I DO HAVE BILATERAL, MY DOC IS GOING TO LOOK INTO THE NEW DEVICE CALLED THE NEUROPACE. IT IS KIND-OF LIKE A HEART DEFIBULATOR. WHEN THE DEVICE STARTS TO GET THE ABNORMAL BRAIN WAVES, IT SHOCKS THE PART OF THE BRAIN THE LEADS ARE CONNECTED TO, STOPPING THE SEIZURE. IT IS KIND OF NEAT HOW FAR TECHNOLOGY HAS GONE WITH EPILEPSY. SO, I HOPE IF I CANT HAVE TL RESECTION, I HOPE I WILL BE A CANDIDATE FOR NEUROPACE. YOU ENROLL IN A PROGRAM AND AND THE COMPANY WILL PAY FOR THE DEVICE (WHICH IS ABOUT $100,000). THE ONLY BAD THING IS YOU HAVE TO HAVE ABOUT THREE SEIZURES IN ONE MONTH. I HAVE A SEIZURE ABOUT EVERY 3 TO 4 MONTHS (WHILE STILL ON MEDS). IF I WAS OFF MEDS, I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE THEM ABOUT EVERYDAY, BUT YOU HAVE TO STAY ON ALL YOUR MEDS. THE OTHER BAD PART IS THAT YOU HAVE TO GO SEE THE DOC EVERY WEEKS FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS OR SO. THE WHOLE ENROLLMENT TIME IS ABOUT ONE TO TWO YEARS. GO TO www.neuropace.com IT IS A PRETTY INTERESTING WEBSITE. MAYBE THIS HELPS WITH THE INFO YOU NEED. TTYL

Sign Up for Emails

Stay up to date with the latest epilepsy news, stories from the community, and more.