eeg changes ? post viral encephalitis

[WACKYNURSE]

I started not feeling right in feb. 03' . funny weak feeling in r.leg but leg not weak and fog in head,trouble concentrating and dizzY, not spinning dizzy but just felt like i was always moving. and sudden onset of severe panic attacks (never had)and i kept saying  "i feel like im gonna die"  after about a week i was very sick my whole body felt like worse flu ever but no temp or headache  EVER just pressure in head,nausea and no appetite.  2 weeks of this lost 13LB and a hosp admiss. it CONT. very bad for about six weeks. then very gradually got a little better. all labs normal and i do mean all they ran every thing inc (CRP AND ANA, TUMOR MARK. HEAVY METALS AND THE LIST GOES ON AND ON. mri clean of head neck and chest CT also clean. echo ok, but eeg showed excessive theta wave when awake. although I was never told this til recently. was disch. and told dehyd. from viral illness.(assumed),ok..all through summer i was still sick, head in a fog, vision hazy, never felt well,FLU LIKE SX,and sleep was terrible, felt like my brain would not rest. still bouts of dizzy and nausea, perceived weakness in arms and legs and enough anxiety to kill someone. still having bouts of that not right feeling that comes over me like an impending doom but it often only last for 15 sec or so. it wakes me up in a panic sometimes. current now 9 m later mri ok eeg reads THIS IS ABNORMAL EEG DUE TO PRESENCE OF EXCESSIVE THETA WAVES WHILE AWAKE STATE. NEURO SAY IS POST ENCEPHALITIS AND WILL RECOV.100% HOW DOES HE KNOW THIS AND HOW LONG? got dx of encep. by neuro in phila. this sick from slow eeg?

[Ingridrg]

A related discussion, Info for survivors/caregivers -- encephalitis was started.

[Garnett]

My husband (37) has been undergoing testing (MRI,CAT,blood work) all have come back normal. He is waiting to see a neurologist who has ordered an EEG (will have results at time of appointment). His symptoms are varying in intensity (started four-five months ago) and include psychosis (voices, delusions, hallucinations) obvious to me and other observers (but not seen by medical professionals as yet) complex partial seizures. Definite turning of head to the right, muscle taughtness, pupil dilation, eyes moving in opposite directions, and automatisms, cannot get his attention during these episodes, etc. He was admitted to hospital (ER) overnight and the internist refused to perform a spinal tap as he believed my spouse was an intravenous drug addict (not the case and proven through negative toxicology tests), mainly due to his behaviour, race, and lack of body weight (he has lost a significant amount of weight over past few months). I believe the root of the problem lies in his poor dental hygiene, not being a medical professional my opinion is just that an opinion. He had two severely abcessed and rotten teeth pulled six weeks ago during the height of his psychoses. I am wondering is it possible to have encephalitis as a result of dental abcess and if so without the presence of a fever? Please help, this has begun to destroy our family and we have young children.

[Garnett]

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     Topic Area: Neurology - General
Subject: eeg changes ? post viral encephalitis [Display Thread]
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Your Comment: My husband (37) has been undergoing testing (MRI,CAT,blood work) all have come back normal. He is waiting to see a neurologist who has ordered an EEG (will have results at time of appointment). His symptoms are varying in intensity (started four-five months ago) and include psychosis (voices, delusions, hallucinations) obvious to me and other observers (but not seen by medical professionals as yet) complex partial seizures. Definite turning of head to the right, muscle taughtness, pupil dilation, eyes moving in opposite directions, and automatisms, cannot get his attention during these episodes, etc. He was admitted to hospital (ER) overnight and the internist refused to perform a spinal tap as he believed my spouse was an intravenous drug addict (not the case and proven through negative toxicology tests), mainly due to his behaviour, race, and lack of body weight (he has lost a significant amount of weight over past few months). I believe the root of the problem lies in his poor dental hygiene, not being a medical professional my opinion is just that an opinion. He had two severely abcessed and rotten teeth pulled six weeks ago during the height of his psychoses. I am wondering is it possible to have encephalitis as a result of dental abcess and if so without the presence of a fever? Please help, this has begun to destroy our family and we have young children.  

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[Garnett]

My husband (37) has been undergoing testing (MRI,CAT,blood work) all have come back normal. He is waiting to see a neurologist who has ordered an EEG (will have results at time of appointment). His symptoms are varying in intensity (started four-five months ago) and include psychosis (voices, delusions, hallucinations) obvious to me and other observers (but not seen by medical professionals as yet) complex partial seizures. Definite turning of head to the right, muscle taughtness, pupil dilation, eyes moving in opposite directions, and automatisms, cannot get his attention during these episodes, etc. He was admitted to hospital (ER) overnight and the internist refused to perform a spinal tap as he believed my spouse was an intravenous drug addict (not the case and proven through negative toxicology tests), mainly due to his behaviour, race, and lack of body weight (he has lost a significant amount of weight over past few months). I believe the root of the problem lies in his poor dental hygiene, not being a medical professional my opinion is just that an opinion. He had two severely abcessed and rotten teeth pulled six weeks ago during the height of his psychoses. I am wondering is it possible to have encephalitis as a result of dental abcess and if so without the presence of a fever? Please help, this has begun to destroy our family and we have young children.

[mls2go]

So very glad you are taking something to help with anxiety and you have a sense that it is working for you.  Your attitude and explanation regarding the vicious cycle of anxiety is right on the money.  It's like when a doctor gives a patient a prescription for anti-depressants and the patient won't fill it because he's too depressed.:)  It just goes 'round and 'round.  I'm really glad you have a line on that.

Many good wishes for your continued recovery and good health.  Happy and Healthy New Year as well.

[WACKYNURSE]

Cant thank you enough for your post. It was very understanding and could not have been said better. Just a little follow up....started wellbutrin for the anxiety one and a half weeks ago and I am starting to feel better I think,I know it takes weeks for the full effect but im sure it is already working. after many months of not feeling right. My thoughts are, I was very sick with encephalitis in feb and had alot of residual from that which made my anxiety worse and worrying sooooo much that im gonna die and never recover because im not better yet I am scared and that gave me more anxiety. just my thought for what it is worth. anyway I figured if I took an antianxiety med to weed out the anxiety symptoms then I would know what residual is left if any. Anxiety is a bugger and I feel so sorry for those people that have it life long. I am strong and not the least bit depressed, working full time and love life, I decided a long time ago that this was not gonna beat me and I look forward to my full recovery and envy the strenght that this experience has given me. I will surely not ever take my health for granted and enjoy each and every day I feel good.  thanks again and God bless        WACKYNURSE

[mls2go]

Taking away all the other symptoms for the moment (not invalidating them, because they are serious) the loss of sleep and the anxiety attacks you are experiencing are enough to throw your body rhthyms off the charts.  After what you went through, it's no wonder you're having these attacks and are your sleep patterns are off.

I went for years being sleep deprived and had anxiety attacks as well. Please, please please see your doctor and have him/her begin a treatment plan for these things.  You've got to start getting some regular sleep and bring down your anxiety so your body can start to heal.  Lack of sleep over long periods of time can bring on a plethora of physiological as well as mental problems including psychosis, feeling like you're going postal.

It sounds like your body and brain are screaming for rest.  You were and probably are still having side effects and need a time out. You may have to ask family and/or friends to pitch in and help while you recover.  This was no small thing that happened in your life.  It probably scared you on somed level and that's being played out through not sleeping and these anxiety attacks, no matter how long they last.

I'm just concerned because you ARE young and active.  It's not giving up to take a break and allow others to assist you until you get stronger.

If you have an excellent Nuerologist, keep in communication with him and keep monitoring those symptoms.  I'm sure the Nuerologists on this board will have some good ideas as well.

Have you heard of Myalgic Encephalomylitis?  You may have been tested for it, as you said you were tested for all kinds of autoimmune diseases, but your description of the symptoms rang a bell.

I hope you can find some answers, some relief from what you are going through and some peace of mind.

[WACKYNURSE]

Im so desperate to be well or truely understand what is happening to my body. Im 32yr old have two kids and lead a very active life and since last feb. this is controlling me and I hate it. I dont understand how this was an encephalitis when I never had a headache or a temp the whole time ive been sick. Why is my eeg abnormal and why do I have so many neuro symptoms. I know ive been told by a very competent doc that is was in fact encephalitis but im still not well and in feb. it will be a year. ANYBODY HAVE ANY THOUGHTS OR SIMILAR EXPERIENCE OR EVER HAD A MILD ENCEPHALITIS WITH RESIDUAL SYMPTOMS THAT PERSIST. AND TO THE NEURO DOC....IN CASE YOU READ THESE.....THANKS FOR YOUR REPLY, BUT MY EEG REPORTS ONLY STATES THAT I HAVE EXCESSIVE THETA WAVES WHILE AWAKE AND NOT WHERE IN MY BRAIN. SPECT SCAN NORMAL, AND MS, LUPUS AND MANY OTHER AUTO IMMUNE DISEASE RULED OUT. I HAVE HYPOTHYROID SINCE MY FIRST PREGNANCY BUT ITS EASILY CONTROLLED AND ALL LEVELS NORMAL.

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-CS]

Unfortunately without more of a description of where the theta activity is I can not interpret it. If the theta activity was in the temporal regions on the left and right, and you are over the age of 55, it may be normal. If the theta activity is only present during parts of the recording it may indicate a mild dysfunction in the region where the activity is located. The EEG changes you have described can be seen in encephalitis, but also in many other conditions as well. I wish I could be more precise, but I would need more information about the EEG. I hope this helps in explaining your question. Good luck.