Never had a grand mal but eeg shows generalized seizure activity

CDC funded page

Not a CDC funded Page

I’m confused and wondering if anyone has any insight or experience with this: I had an eeg last week. EEG showed generalized seizure activity. Doc wants me to begin medication. I’ve never actually had a seizure though. I was diagnosed 7 years ago with Focal seizures in the temporal lobe, but my symptoms have always been very minimal. I stopped taking meds 5 years ago (had kids, etc). I had this EEG done, new doc, and I fully expected the EEG to be normal and I’d go on my merry way. I don’t meet with him for 3 or 4 weeks. We did speak briefly on the phone, and I’m trying to understand why medication is needed when I’ve never had a seizure. Any thoughts on what all this means? Google hasn’t helped me much. :)

Comments

tonic clonics are not the

Submitted by Amy Jo on Sun, 2018-02-11 - 01:09

tonic clonics are not the only kind of generalized seizures. my daughter has never had a TC but she’s had generalized seizures on EEG which neither she nor I could tell anything occurred. simple partials she knows happened but complex partials do a whammy on her memory so unless we see the extended staring (hers are without motor symptoms) or realize her memory is missing a few hours, no one catches those.people aren’t there for generalized seizures, so how would you know if there are no obvious clues?

Yes some of us can answer

Submitted by just_joe on Sun, 2018-02-11 - 13:44

Yes some of us can answer questions. You were diagnosed 7 years ago with focal seizures. which means you had seizures back then. You took meds and stopped taking them which many people have done. Some people grow out of their epilepsy and do not need medications. Others have their seizures controlled completely but still need medications. My cousin was one of them.The EEG is a test showing the electrical activity during the test, Yours showed seizure activity. They could have used other wording but seizure activity is one that is used. They know where in your brain it saw in and Focal seizures can generalize meaning you can have several different types of seizures. You could be having seizures and not know it. We all have levels in our bodied that fight illnesses and one fights seizures. The neurologist saw seizure activity and prescribed meds which will build up the therapeutic levels in your body to stop your seizures.You posted your symptoms have always been minimal which means you had or are still having small seizures. I had my hand feeling weird now and then and I paid no attention to it. But then They got longer and were more often. Then I had a grand mal seizure. Those weird feeling in my hand were and still are focal seizures. Focal seizures can generalize meaning instead of just being in one area they cover the entire brain. Once that happens you are then in a grand mal seizure (todays generalized tonic clonic).If I were you I would start the medication and take it as directed. If 2 times a day that means close to 12 hours apart. After a couple of months neurologists want a visit to see if the medication is working. Oh and if you are having those minimal symptoms those should also go away since many of them could be seizures. Keep track of the minimal symptoms and you might want to get the My Seizure Diary. Use it and post things in the note pad in it.This site has a lot of information. In the learn section you can find information about the EEG and they can show you some things. The learn sections has all kinds of information in it.As for where you posted you will get answers in both sections. I already posted here and an copy past it there. But there are others that will be answering your posts.I hope this helps and you do get the assistance you need and get seizure freeJoe

Yes some of us can answer questions. You were diagnosed 7 years ago with focal seizures. which means you had seizures back then. You took meds and stopped taking them which many people have done. Some people grow out of their epilepsy and do not need medications. Others have their seizures controlled completely but still need medications. My cousin was one of them.The EEG is a test showing the electrical activity during the test, Yours showed seizure activity. They could have used other wording but seizure activity is one that is used. They know where in your brain it saw in and Focal seizures can generalize meaning you can have several different types of seizures. You could be having seizures and not know it.  We all have levels in our bodied that fight illnesses and one fights seizures. The neurologist saw seizure activity and prescribed meds which will build up the therapeutic levels in your body to stop your seizures.You posted your symptoms have always been minimal which means you had or are still having  small seizures. I had my hand feeling weird now and then and I paid no attention to it. But then They got longer and were more often. Then I had a grand mal seizure. Those weird feeling in my hand were and still are focal seizures. Focal seizures can generalize meaning instead of just being in one area they cover the entire brain. Once that happens you are then in a grand mal seizure (todays generalized tonic clonic).If I were you I would start the medication and take it as directed. If 2 times a day that means close to  12 hours apart. After a couple of months neurologists want a visit to see if the medication is working. Oh and if you are having those minimal symptoms those should also go away since many of them could be seizures. Keep track of the minimal symptoms and you might want to get the My Seizure Diary. Use it and post things in the note pad in it.This site has a lot of information. In the learn section you can find information about the EEG and they can show you some things. The learn sections has all kinds of information in it.As for  where you posted you will get answers in both sections. I already posted here and an copy past it there. But there are others that will be answering your posts.I hope this helps and you do get the assistance you need and get seizure freeJoe

Yes some of us can answer questions. You were diagnosed 7 years ago with focal seizures. which means you had seizures back then. You took meds and stopped taking them which many people have done. Some people grow out of their epilepsy and do not need medications. Others have their seizures controlled completely but still need medications. My cousin was one of them.The EEG is a test showing the electrical activity during the test, Yours showed seizure activity. They could have used other wording but seizure activity is one that is used. They know where in your brain it saw in and Focal seizures can generalize meaning you can have several different types of seizures. You could be having seizures and not know it. We all have levels in our bodied that fight illnesses and one fights seizures. The neurologist saw seizure activity and prescribed meds which will build up the therapeutic levels in your body to stop your seizures.You posted your symptoms have always been minimal which means you had or are still having small seizures. I had my hand feeling weird now and then and I paid no attention to it. But then They got longer and were more often. Then I had a grand mal seizure. Those weird feeling in my hand were and still are focal seizures. Focal seizures can generalize meaning instead of just being in one area they cover the entire brain. Once that happens you are then in a grand mal seizure (todays generalized tonic clonic).If I were you I would start the medication and take it as directed. If 2 times a day that means close to 12 hours apart. After a couple of months neurologists want a visit to see if the medication is working. Oh and if you are having those minimal symptoms those should also go away since many of them could be seizures. Keep track of the minimal symptoms and you might want to get the My Seizure Diary. Use it and post things in the note pad in it.This site has a lot of information. In the learn section you can find information about the EEG and they can show you some things. The learn sections has all kinds of information in it.As for where you posted you will get answers in both sections. I already posted here and an copy past it there. But there are others that will be answering your posts.I hope this helps and you do get the assistance you need and get seizure freeJoe