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Who should I believe

Wed, 07/08/2009 - 21:53
Two things have been happening recently.  1) I have a history of migraines, and well they are happening at a greater frequency and the headaches themselves are a longer duration. and 2) I have these episodes of where I get extremely confused, and it’s like my mind stops working, I just blank out.  And my short term memory is terrible, really bad, its scary.  I have had an MRI and it was fine and I had an EEG which showed slow waves due to an encephalic process of some sort, but no elipetical waves. I saw one neurologist who said I need congitive testing.  I sought a 2nd opinion and this other neurologist said I was having seizures.  He said I was having comlex partial.  I questioned him as to why he felt that way, and he said the way I described it sounded like seizures to him.  He said unless I had read a textbook the night before, and mesmorized random symptoms for seizures, I was having them myself.  So he has ordered me to have  3 day EEG which he said, even if it is normal, it does not mean I am still not having seizures.  So who do I believe?

The neurologist who said no seizures, or the one who said yes, I was having seizures.

Comments

Re: Who should I believe

Submitted by rikk on Thu, 2009-07-09 - 02:49

hi,

sounds like doc 2 is listening to what you are telling.  that is a big plus.  the testing is just that and it may gather the information for a concrete diagnosis.   The migraines you are having may or may not be migraines.  There is some research into the possibility of misdiagnosed seizures.  the best advice is to trust your own feeling and educate yourself.  that will allow you trust the doc you choose, the education leads to a better understanding of the problem.  hope it helps.  rikk

hi,

sounds like doc 2 is listening to what you are telling.  that is a big plus.  the testing is just that and it may gather the information for a concrete diagnosis.   The migraines you are having may or may not be migraines.  There is some research into the possibility of misdiagnosed seizures.  the best advice is to trust your own feeling and educate yourself.  that will allow you trust the doc you choose, the education leads to a better understanding of the problem.  hope it helps.  rikk

Re: Who should I believe

Submitted by galaxymel on Mon, 2009-07-13 - 20:38
Thank you for your responses.  So I just finished my 72 hr ambulatory EEG and while I was getting the electrodes taken off the tech ran my data through the computer program that searches for seizures.  He said they run this first and then the doctor reviews it himself.  He also said that the computer gives a high rating of false positives.  He said it is overly sensitive and thats why the neurologist looks at it afterwards.  So my data showed seizure activity.  So what is the likely hood that they are are erroneous and I do not have seizures v. that since there was seizure activity, I do have seizures of some type.  Thanks so much.

Re: Who should I believe

Submitted by tonialpha on Thu, 2009-07-09 - 10:08

I agree w/ Rikk.  The slow wave do to an encephalic process is showing an abnormality.  I have had normal MRIs and CTs and recently went to a specialty research lab and had a different MRI that does fine cuts or fine pictures of the brain and they found my abnormality.  My EEG when I was younger was questionable but as I grew older it was always abnormal.  I would believe the Neurologist that said yes, who took the time!  

In fact when I was flustered in one job, my Neurologist inspired me to go into the medical field.  My last job was doing EEG's on patients  trying test Seizure Drugs, that was fun.  I did EEG's on people of all ages and evoke responses.  It's an interesting job plus when you have a seizure disorder you understand what a patient is saying when they explain about their problems.

I agree w/ Rikk.  The slow wave do to an encephalic process is showing an abnormality.  I have had normal MRIs and CTs and recently went to a specialty research lab and had a different MRI that does fine cuts or fine pictures of the brain and they found my abnormality.  My EEG when I was younger was questionable but as I grew older it was always abnormal.  I would believe the Neurologist that said yes, who took the time!  

In fact when I was flustered in one job, my Neurologist inspired me to go into the medical field.  My last job was doing EEG's on patients  trying test Seizure Drugs, that was fun.  I did EEG's on people of all ages and evoke responses.  It's an interesting job plus when you have a seizure disorder you understand what a patient is saying when they explain about their problems.

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