It was either my Neuro (Canada,yes- years ago) or another Doctor here?
(on this group, posting about 2001 or so), who suggested that most people
were prescribed a Time Released version of Tegretol to smooth out blood
level highs and lows of the older version ?
  (Another thread I mentioned that some people I met (here/Toronto)  were
also using Tegretol (don't know if time released)  for Post-Heart Attack or
Post-Seizure treatment to prevent recurrence or complications of those.  It
helps to open blood vessels if there are blockages? and lowers risk of blood
clots? <----  *That's My understanding from assorted places, and not a
Medical Opinion without doing further research. )
   Carbatrol I think is one of the Generics of Carbamazepine? and related
to Tegretol family of chemicals.

  Welcome too, the more voices and experiences we have to share, the better
the whole community can be, and especially provide help and support for
people newly diagnosed who are still in the 'this is the end of the
world...'  phase of their diagnosis.      Gordon.   (I usually just sign
posts as G./ as it's quicker and on olde Win.95 I thought it kept the trolls
away, before someone automated the trolls.  Now there's software to discard
them...  )

Welcome to the group, Bruce.

I started out the day, or I should say the night, trying to follow doctor's
directions to get less sleep.  Which meant go to bed two hours later and wake
up two hours earlier - thus we have sleep deprived EEG.  Well, usually I can
stay up really late.  I decided to ask my hubby to sleep in the guest room so
I could stay in bed watching TV until about  1am.  I don't think I made it
that late.  I had a really hard time staying awake.  Guess I should have got
up and walked around or done something that didn't involve laying in bed.  I
did manage to wake up early.  I set my alarm clock and my husband kept talking
to me as he was getting ready for work.  Then he called me after he arrived at
work, to make sure I was still awake.

He started a nice warm fire in the wood stove and I got up and did some house
cleaning and then worked on balancing my check book.  HA! it didn't balance.
I decided to wait to figure that out until my mind is not so tired.  I feel
soooo tired.  I think I made a mistake because I was getting too hot in the
family room so I went back to bed to balance the check book and watch TV.  I
didn't fall asleep, but I kept feeling like I was about to.  So I guess I'm
ready for the sleep deprived test.  I need to leave in a couple hours for the
hospital.  Guess I better get cleaned up.

One other instruction is that I am not to put products in my hair, just come
with clean, dry hair.  It has been about 16 years since my last tests.

My husband said he had a bad night a couple nights ago, after we saw the
doctor.  I asked why and he said he thinks he must be worried about me and the
tests.  I told him I am not worried.

The hospital called yesterday to talk to me about the MRI and safety.  They
asked if I have anything in my body that I wasn't born with.  I told them just
in my teeth.

I have had a MRI before, but they said the tube is shorter than it was back
then.

I have retyped and corrected so many mistakes while I type this.  So you will
probably find something that I didn't catch.  Now I kind of know why people
shouldn't drive while drunk or when they do not have enough sleep.  It's not
just because they might fall asleep at the wheel.  If I can't type properly, I
would think that driving would be a problem as well, especially when one would
have to make a quick decision.

I'll let you all know how things turn out.  I wonder if I'll fall asleep.
Will the BANG BANG BANG of the MRI keep me awake, or will I have a whole new
song worked out from the rythym of the drum.

Take care,
Julie