I finally received in the mail today approval for a visit to the movement disorder specialist at Rush. Yay! I called to make the appointment and was told they needed a consultation request from my doctor. Booo!
Fortunately, today was my follow-up with my neurologist. So there is news:
There is a new spot on my brain. Today was the first day I actually got to see the blasted report and images (the douchetastic duo weren't exactly good about that) without having to crane awkwardly or get pushy . This new one is on the left toward the front. Just a little dark spot. There's a similar one on the right that's been there a while. Could be from migraines, could be something else.
Cervical spine shows a bit of wear and tear, but nothing terribly out of the ordinary.
With this in mind, we may do a repeat spinal tap in a couple of months to check for signs of MS again. I am absolutely thrilled by this prospect.
Actually, my current neurologist has a soul and basic human compassion and has already assured me she will give me meds as needed and be sure they use a very small diameter needle this time so hopefully we won't have a repeat of the 12-day long spinal headache, nausea, vomiting, insomnia, crying jags and nightmares. You know, after I was told a spinal tap was "nothing. You'll be back up and around the next day, no problem. Just take some Tylenol and it will be fine." And then, when we called and told them about spinal headache, etc., etc., "oh, well, just come by the clinic on Monday and we'll try to fit you in." Because being upright and waiting in a waiting room is such a fun prospect when being prone is pretty much the only way to keep from puking from the spinal headache. I was totally going to just toddle on over to the medical center. No need to send me to the ER for a blood patch or meds for the excruciating pain or anything. (Yeah, still ever so slightly bitter about that. Jerks.)
In the meantime, she is going to get in touch with the guy at Rush and see what he has to say, try to get me in to see him and we'll all decide whether to do the spinal tap or not.
Also, I'm about ready to mutiny the next time they want me to do the heel-toe balance walk. It sucks, I can't do it, I weave all over and almost fall and very nearly strain muscles trying to keep from falling. Kind of tired of it.
2 comments:
That sounds exactly like my own spinal tap experience. I'm willing to bet none of the doctors or technicians involved have ever had one. Here's hoping your new doctor does a better job.
The thing is the residents who did the actually tap itself were great. It was even her first time (she was supervised by the chief resident) and it was fine. I was freaking out but they were really nice and helped me chill out and it was okay.
But they weren't who I was supposed to contact for after-care. Instead it was the Douchetastic Duo.
And, yeah, I doubt they've ever had one. I suspect that's why there's conflicting information about after-effects, etc. The doctors who have had them are like "yeah, this sucks: here's various ideas how to fix it" and the ones who haven't are all "suck it up, Nancy, it can't possibly be that bad. Take some Tylenol and lie down and think of England."
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