Showing posts with label MRI. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MRI. Show all posts
Monday, March 28, 2011
Headache Log : MRI of neck - RESULTS
I don't think I've ever gotten results so quickly! Only 6 hours after my MRI the neurologists office called to tell me the scan of my neck was normal. No issues with my vessels there. Nothing to be concerned about.
Headache Log : MRI of neck
Had an MRI performed on my neck VERY early this morning. I had to be at the clinic at 6:30 AM. I am going to be tired the rest of the day.
No contrast this time though. I was all prepared for it - mentally - and they didn't use it.
They are looking at the blood vessels in my neck and signs of an impending stroke. I'll keep you updated on the findings.
No contrast this time though. I was all prepared for it - mentally - and they didn't use it.
They are looking at the blood vessels in my neck and signs of an impending stroke. I'll keep you updated on the findings.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Headache Log : Blood & MRI Results
Vitamin D levels are fine.
MRI......not so fine. There was a white spot. It's on the right side of my brain either on the back of my frontal lobe or the front of my temporal lobe - kind of hard to tell exactly which lobe it's on. Nothing to be TOO concerned about Paula the PA tells me. It's a "non-specific white spot". These things are common in migraine sufferers.
She warns me that if I google it I'll find all sorts of scary things about white spots being an indication that I have Multiple Sclerosis, but the radiologist doesn't believe there's any reason for us to be concerned about that.
Multiple Sclerosis - even though she said I don't need to be concerned I can't help the shiver that just went through me at the sound of those words.
She also wants to run more tests. She wants to make sure I'm not susceptible to a stroke. This is another word that causes me to shiver.
MRI......not so fine. There was a white spot. It's on the right side of my brain either on the back of my frontal lobe or the front of my temporal lobe - kind of hard to tell exactly which lobe it's on. Nothing to be TOO concerned about Paula the PA tells me. It's a "non-specific white spot". These things are common in migraine sufferers.
She warns me that if I google it I'll find all sorts of scary things about white spots being an indication that I have Multiple Sclerosis, but the radiologist doesn't believe there's any reason for us to be concerned about that.
Multiple Sclerosis - even though she said I don't need to be concerned I can't help the shiver that just went through me at the sound of those words.
She also wants to run more tests. She wants to make sure I'm not susceptible to a stroke. This is another word that causes me to shiver.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Headache Log: MRI
Saturday, March 12 I got the MRI done. I've had one done before, but it was 10 years ago, so I don't exactly remember everything. I certainly don't remember it being so frickin' loud! I guess it goes without saying I had a headache :( and the noise from that machine was killing me.
I had an IV in my left arm and they explained that the contrast was kept at room temperature so it would feel cold in my arm going in. What they didn't say is that I'd feel it in most of my body. I freaked for a few seconds. It hit my face and my face felt like it was going numb. When it hit my chest I felt as though I couldn't breathe deeply. When it hit my stomach I thought I was going to throw up. And when it hit my brain I thought I was going to pass out. I worried I was having a reaction to it. I learn later that I was.
I had an IV in my left arm and they explained that the contrast was kept at room temperature so it would feel cold in my arm going in. What they didn't say is that I'd feel it in most of my body. I freaked for a few seconds. It hit my face and my face felt like it was going numb. When it hit my chest I felt as though I couldn't breathe deeply. When it hit my stomach I thought I was going to throw up. And when it hit my brain I thought I was going to pass out. I worried I was having a reaction to it. I learn later that I was.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Headache Log : Dr Reichert
"How's your mood been?" Dr Reichert wants to know. "Have you been depressed?"
I've had a constant headache since February 14, my mood has not been good. Of course I've been depressed at times. It's pretty hard not to get depressed and discouraged.
Dr. Reichert is just as thorough as his PA. He has discussed with Paula everything that she and I spoke about and he wants to take me off of Topomax. He wants to put me on Cymbalta instead. Cymbalta is an anti-depressant, an SNRI (I actually know what this is!), that is also used to prevent migraines, to treat sufferers of chronic pain, musculoskeletal pain, fibromyalgia, and some forms of neuropathy. Well, I see little wrong with that - so long as I can stand the side effects. Paula explains that there are few complaints about the side effects of Cymbalta.
He also wants to run some blood work to check my hormomes and to see if I have a vitamin D deficiency. I explain that I just had blood work run by my GI doctor a month ago and my TSH levels were normal. Ok, hormone level test out, but vitamin D test is still needed.
And he wants to have an MRI done. Unlike the MRI done 10 years ago he wants to look at the blood vessels in my head and check my blood flow. Then he causually throws out a word like embolism. Yes, EMBOLISM!!! He wants to see if I have an embolism! Of course I remain as calm as he does.
Finally, I ask him if he knows anything about occipital neuralgia. He says he is aware of it. He'd like to see how I respond to the medication first. See what the MRI reveals. And see if the physical therapy helps.
I leave his office full of optimism. Almost optimistic enough to cancel my date with the plastic surgeon and the Botox injections - ALMOST.
I've had a constant headache since February 14, my mood has not been good. Of course I've been depressed at times. It's pretty hard not to get depressed and discouraged.
Dr. Reichert is just as thorough as his PA. He has discussed with Paula everything that she and I spoke about and he wants to take me off of Topomax. He wants to put me on Cymbalta instead. Cymbalta is an anti-depressant, an SNRI (I actually know what this is!), that is also used to prevent migraines, to treat sufferers of chronic pain, musculoskeletal pain, fibromyalgia, and some forms of neuropathy. Well, I see little wrong with that - so long as I can stand the side effects. Paula explains that there are few complaints about the side effects of Cymbalta.
He also wants to run some blood work to check my hormomes and to see if I have a vitamin D deficiency. I explain that I just had blood work run by my GI doctor a month ago and my TSH levels were normal. Ok, hormone level test out, but vitamin D test is still needed.
And he wants to have an MRI done. Unlike the MRI done 10 years ago he wants to look at the blood vessels in my head and check my blood flow. Then he causually throws out a word like embolism. Yes, EMBOLISM!!! He wants to see if I have an embolism! Of course I remain as calm as he does.
Finally, I ask him if he knows anything about occipital neuralgia. He says he is aware of it. He'd like to see how I respond to the medication first. See what the MRI reveals. And see if the physical therapy helps.
I leave his office full of optimism. Almost optimistic enough to cancel my date with the plastic surgeon and the Botox injections - ALMOST.
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