Re: EEG---Spiking??

Posted By Cathy on May 02, 1999 at 11:02:45
I am a seizure patient.  I take 500mg. of Dilantin per day, Zoloft 100mg.,
Synthyroid .01., folic acid 1mg., and Vitamin B-12.  A month or so ago I had an eeg ran.  At my last neuro visit, he said that my EEg showed spiking.  I don't know why I did not ask him, but for some reason I failed to do so, but could you tell me what spiking is and how it affects my seizure disorder?  Was I having a small seizure during the eeg to cause this?  I also have mild sleep apnea.  I seem to always think of something that I wished I had asked after I leave the office.  What signifigance does the spiking have in determining if a person is an epiletic.  Should I have had spiking even though I am on 500mg of Dilantin? (I am a large person).
If I were to stop my dialntin would I be having full gran mal seizures?  Am I having mini seizures?  Should I stop driving?  Thank you.

[CCF Neuro[P] MD RPS]

Posted By CCF Neuro[P] MD, RPS on May 02, 1999 at 20:25:41
Dear Cathy:
Sorry that you are having some confusion about your EEG.  When we do an EEG we are trying to look how the brain's electrical state is functioning.  There are standards that have been elucidated in normal brains that constitute what we call "normal brain activity".  We have found that when we see "spikes" or "sharp" waves on the EEG this is epileptiform brain waves or abnormal electrical activity.  When we see these, we call this abnormal and can conclude that epilepsy is possible.  There are people who never have a seizure who have these spikes or sharp waves on their EEG.  But most people who have epilepsy have these on ther EEG, either when they are having a seizure or between seizure events (normal periods) or both.  It sounds like in your case, you have some spike activity during your non-seizure periods (this is frequently seen with people who have epilepsy).  As long as your medication is keeping you seizure free then great.  In the vast majority of the time, seizure medication does not remove or eliminate the spikes or sharp waves from a person's EEG.  As long as you are not having seizures, then your medication is correct.  I hope this answers your questions.
Sincerely,
CCF Neuro[P] MD










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