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new to site, have questions

Mon, 02/19/2018 - 13:03
When I was active duty back in 1983 I was diagnosed with complex partial right frontal lobe epilepsy. I was put on anti convulsion medication that was available at that time, which only seemed to increase the number of episodes. This was the only time that I was given a EEG with nose insert electrodes. The military started to process my medical discharge, but was never completed do to time frame. But I was officially discharged with this disability. I was not on any medication until 2006 after an epileptic fall down a flight of stairs, at that time my husband insisted that I go back to a neurologist to see if there had been any new medication available. I was then put on Levetiracetam (Keppra) It has worked surprisingly well. it has not stopped them completely, but it was great to go from 4 or five a month to 1-3 a year. The VA was treating me, but because there was still some episodes continuing they did a video EEG. They then concluded that I did not have the complex partial, but had PNES. They came to this conclusion because they have never been able to get an abnormal EEG again. I brought up to them that all the EEGs that they have been running has been different. They are no longer inserting the electrodes in the nasal cavity. It has come to my attention through my research that the nasal cavity is deeper look into the brain, where the complex partial right frontal lobe can be found. I say this all to ask is it possible for an EEG and MRI to show a strong positive for epilepsy, and doctors never able to get the same results with the way that EEGs are being done now? I really need to know, if I do not get this worked out soon, the VA is threatening to remove my disability rating, and because these episodes have caused me to continue to lose the opportunity for full employment, I can not risk the changes.

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