why do i need an awake and sleep EEG!

Re: Re: why do i need an awake and sleep EEG!

Submitted by happycat2 on Tue, 2006-11-14 - 21:54

Hi hurtingme, and welcome. As the article says....This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor, I'm not one, or want to be... From your post it sounds as if you have had a whole heap of testing done, and to no avail as yet. This happens. As michelhead says people do have different triggers, and different seizure patterns that include seizures while sleeping. Sometimes there just isn't enough information during testing to say for sure what is happening and why. Or you can say in what area of the brain for sure. Sometimes the what's supposed to be the best of the bunch have trouble. It can be hard, not easy to see what's there and has been all the time. Preparation helps in these situations. If I were you I'd take the advice in the link before further testing, especially about driving, and avoid stimulants such as tea, coffee, it helps. Good luck, and hang in there. Cat. How To Prepare Before the day of the electroencephalogram (EEG) test, tell your doctor if you are taking any medications. Your doctor may advise you to stop taking certain medications (such as sedatives and tranquilizers, muscle relaxants, sleeping medications, or medications used to treat seizures) before the test. These medications can affect your brain's usual electrical activity and produce abnormal test results. Avoid foods that contain caffeine (such as coffee, tea, cola, and chocolate) for at least 8 hours before the test. Eat a small meal shortly before the test, because low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) may produce an abnormal test. Since the electrodes are attached to your scalp, it is important that your hair be clean and free of sprays, oils, creams, lotions, and other hair preparations. Shampoo your hair and rinse with clear water the evening before or the morning of the test. Do not apply any hair conditioners or oils after shampooing. To detect certain types of abnormal electrical activity in the brain, you may have to be asleep during the recording. As a result, you may be asked not to sleep at all the night before the test or to reduce your sleep time to 4 or 5 hours by going to bed later and getting up earlier than usual. If your child is going to be tested, try to keep him or her from taking naps just before the test. If you know that you are going to have a sleep-deprived EEG, plan to have someone drive you to and from the test. http://www.webmd.com/hw/epilepsy/aa22249.asp "Many false prophets are gone out into the world." 1 John 4:1