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You have been scheduled for an EEG on _______________at ____________am/pm. Arrive at the Admissions desk 30 minutes before your scheduled arrival time. They will direct you to D6/4, the Neurosciences Unit, on the 4th floor of the hospital.
Insurance
Please call your insurance to find out if this test and hospital stay is covered. Some do not cover it. You may need a referral from your primary doctor first. If this is the case, ask your doctor for the referral letter right away. It often takes your insurance 2-4 weeks to decide on coverage. Please contact Financial Clearance with any insurance questions if needed as this process can be very complicated. (608) 261-1771
Video EEG Monitoring
A video EEG helps us to find out more about the kind of seizures you have. During the test, a video camera records your behavior. This is paired with an EEG recording of your brain waves. Some movements may look like seizures, but they are not. This study will help us learn how strong the seizures are and how often they occur. We are also looking at what part of the brain the seizures are coming from.
This test will also help to decide if you are having silent seizures. These occur without any physical signs, but changes can be seen on the EEG.
This test will take place in the hospital and can take between 1-5 days to complete.
Before the Test
You will receive a call from the Epilepsy Clinic nurse one week before your scheduled admission to review your hospital stay.
You may choose to wear a hospital gown or your own clothes. Your shirt or blouse must button or zip in the front. This makes it easier to change when the EEG wires (leads) are in place.
Wash your hair the night before the test. Please avoid any hair conditioners, gels or sprays.
You may want to bring comfort items like your favorite pillow or blanket.
You may also bring some favorite activities to pass the time like books, games, puzzles, or coloring books.
There is free Wi-Fi and you may bring a cell phone and other electronic devices, such as a laptop, streaming player, or video gaming device. Remember to bring your charger!
Getting Ready
Once in your room, the first few hours will be busy. You will meet various members of your care team as they get you set-up for your hospital stay. An EEG technologist will go over the test with you. Wires will be secured to your head. Your head will be wrapped with gauze to keep the wires from getting tangled or pulled off. A neurologist who will take part in your test will see you.
Monitoring
A camera and a microphone are mounted on the wall of your room. Audio and video recording will begin right away. The EEG technologist will watch you and the EEG from another room.
Your nurse will orient you to the unit and your room. Additional monitoring that you will have include:
A plastic clip or sticker wrapped around your finger to monitor your heart rate and oxygen level.
Five stickers (electrodes) placed on your chest and connected to a monitor that shows your heart rhythm.
An intravenous (IV) line placed in one of your arms in case you need IV seizure medicines.
Working Together
If you feel a seizure coming on, you will tell the staff by pressing an event button attached to the monitoring device. If you have an adult family or friend with you, they are encouraged to press the event button when they see a seizure occur. Please let us know if the event you are having is typical or not. This will help the doctor review and interpret the results.
Keeping You Safe
Your normal seizure medicines may be decreased to help start a seizure. You may also be deprived of sleep. This can result in more severe and/or more frequent seizures. If this occurs, your doctor will decide what treatment is best for you.
Because you may experience more severe and frequent seizures, additional measures will be in place for safety. These include:
Padded bedrails that are always up.
A safety belt placed over your lap while in bed or in a chair.
A small light left on in the room at night so you can be seen clearly in the video.
You will need to stay in your room the entire time you are here.
This includes your bed, the area around the bed, and the toilet and sink area with a privacy curtain.
A TV with local channels are in each room.
There is a pull-out couch in your room for a family member or friend.
You will eat your meals in your room. Friends and family may bring their own food or purchase food from the cafeteria and bring it back to the room.
Being confined to your room can be mentally and emotionally taxing. You are encouraged to move around in the room. There is not a private bathroom or shower available. We will provide as much privacy as possible when you are using the bathroom or taking a sponge bath; however, nursing staff will always be present when you are up and about.
After the Test
Your doctor may see a part of the EEG and be able to give you some results. Formal results are most often ready in 1-2 weeks. When you get home, call to schedule a clinic visit to review the results with your neurologist. Your seizure medicine will be resumed before you go home. When you go home, you will need to have someone stay with you the first night in case you have increased seizures or any other problems.
When to Call
If you have any questions about the test, please call the Epilepsy Clinic nurse. If you need to cancel or reschedule your hospital stay, please contact the EEG department.
Who to Call
Epilepsy Clinic nurse
(608) 263-5442
EEG Department
(608) 263-8483
