Abnormal Vep and SSep...

[Vessel4god]

I'm on my 2nd Neuro, who has a pt, and speech path, and sleep disorder lab, and all that good stuff or people right their in his office, but he also has a neurophysiologist/audiologist who is very knowledgable and kind-hearted lady.  So he's basicall a 1 stop shop.

Well last week I went to my neurophysiologist appt. to have my vep test done, which my 1st neuro never had done before.

Vep test- she sd that the response in my left was very slow getting back to my brain, and that also my nerves were abnormally small (as to either have shrunk or very damaged) but the left eye response was not normal; the right eye was fine... that would explain the blurred vision, the headaches, and the white spots on my left... what you think?

Baep- was normal-- although I explained to her I've had 3 episodes recently with extreme ringin in my ears, and full pressure then I just pass out, the ringing in my ears lasted for over a week, and me passing out was usually at night time if I remember, my husband usually just let me sleep afterward, but sd i would be blacked at for at an hour, and than wake like in a druken stuppar.

SSep-- seriuosly abnormal-- she tested the left leg, and placed the electrode at the knee, and all in my scalp and brain.. my toes or foot never moved, but she did shock herself... I advised her that the pulse I felt was very similar to when I walk barefoot on a tile floor and my soles went completely numb. (so the left leg is controlled by the right side of our brain)-- and then the right leg she placed the impluse tool at my ankle, top of foot, and calf area and I never moved and inch of my right foot, she had to pull out the text book.. I apologized several times because I know she expected things to be different, but like I had been trying to explain to the doctors, I've been numbness, and paralysis episodes were no feelings of any sort are coming through... but I've had emg's and nerve conductor test that came back normal and said nothing was wrong go figure... after my ssep she said you have a very seriuos problem and when need to do more testing.

Next week I start therapy for headaches, and do a gait evaluation... and then go back to the neurophysiologist for  an csep test on my upper body... but they say it's not neuropathy.

Anybody else have the numbness and paralysis episodes on the left side of your body.  i also have facial paraylsis where at times I'm unable to speak -- the numbness is all the time in my feet and hands, and what I mean by paralysis episodes is that my muscles draw up in my legs, feet, and hands... almost like a quadrepelgic,and I can't walk or move any muscles and this can last for a few minutes to over an hour... when this happen it spikes my heart rate and blood pressure and how I know that is because I've been in the doctors office when it's happen, and ended up with a heart halter for the weekend...

Don't know what to expect next.... my anxiety is start to get the best of me...

FYI-- I've had ct, mri, mra, lp, cerebral angiogram, emg, nerve conductor, everything was normal... until i had the vep testing...finally something not normal.

thanks for listening,

Vessel    

[Vessel4god]

thanks I will check that out, now that I'm on neuro #3... hope to get answers soon... been home 9mnths, and it's starting to wear on me mentally....

Vessel

[ahma]

I'd ask your doctor to consider the fact that you might have a Chiari Malformation. I know you had an MRI, but sometimes when the Chiari is not very pronounced, it might be missed. Chiari can cause all of the symptoms you are talking about, as well as the abnormal VEP reading.

[Quixotic1]

I have learned something.  Thank you all!  Q

[6-paq]

I had the same experience setting up the test as shoshin.  

He placed the "zapper" contraption below my ankle and checked for minor movement of my toes before beginning the test.  

He had to move the zapper a couple of times on my left ankle before starting the test.

I also was told to relax during the testing of both my arms and legs.  I have issues with my lower back and had trouble laying prone for the time during the test.

[shoshin]

I don't really know anything about how this works, but when I had the SSEP, it seemed like the way they determined how much electricity to use was by upping the power until my toe started jerking of its own accord. Maybe if they couldn't get your toe to move, they couldn't get enough of a signal to even start the test? As I understand it, like Quix said, the test is to measure the signal transmission.

The other thing that happened was they kept telling me to relax and breath deeply. Apparently somehow I was tense (it didn't seem to me that I was) and this was preventing them from getting good readings.

FWIW

sho

[Vessel4god]

thanks... because I had no idea what the ssep was testing for she said that my big toe should have jumped at some point I guess when we first started the test but nothing ever happened... and when she tested my right leg she placed the electrode thing with the impulse at my inner ankle area, on top of my foot where you feel your pulse and right below your inner calf area, but everything was still connected to my head and knee... and she just said there was a seriuos problem with my brain receiving the impulse are responding as they should I don't know what my brain was suppose to signal back to the computer but whatever it was, it didn't do... she left the impulse thing on my leg for about 10 min. to record info to the computer... and I can tell you it was very faint feeling compared to my left leg.

I think the csep is for my upper body, arms, and hands...  i think I could be wrong, I did try to look it up, and ggogle it found nothing...

Thanks Quix,

Vessel

[Quixotic1]

Hmmm....The abnormal VEP is a sign of demyelination if the signal is seriously delayed , 115msec or greater, and if the wave form is preserved.  If that is the case, that is evidence that points strongly toward MS.

The SSEP is a "sensory test".  The purpose is not to make the toes move at all.  That confuses me.  The purpose of the test is to stimulate a sensory nerve in the limb and then to track it up the limb, into the spine and finally to record it's effect, "potential", in the brain.  Again, the speed of the signal, and the preservation of the wave form is what is looked for.  I have no clue why they were looking to see if your toes moved.  That sounds more like an EMG which is a different test entirely.

I also do not know what a csep is.

Quix

[6-paq]

Boy, it sure does sound like "one stop shopping".  That's pretty awesome!!

Well, I hope that the abnormal test results will get you further towards a diagnosis.  At the very least, they are pursing more testing.

I'm not sure what a csep is?  Can you enlighten me??

((HUGS)) and I hope you can get some answers soon!

Take care, Pat :)