Monday - MRI-day!!
My MRI scan was scheduled for 9.00am. I thought I might go on from there into the office as I felt fairly good.
I was apprehensive about the MRI scan of course. Wasn't sure what to expect. I visualised that I would be almost totally enclosed by the machine. But that wasn't the case. They provide a mirror above you so that you can see out of the scanner into the room, and through the window where the medical staff are. That's good coz it makes you think you have lots of space whereas in reality your head and shoulders are really enclosed in a little area. They provide ear plugs coz of the noise of the scanner.
They did a scan for about 30 minutes, during which time I actually just about went to sleep. The scanner stopped - but they left me lying in the MRI. Then I saw the female medic pointing to the screen and discussing with another male medic. Then they came in and the medic said they wanted to give me an injection of something to make the image of whatever they had found clearer on the scanner. I could hardly hear what they were saying coz of the ear plugs. So then I had another 15 minutes of scanning.
I was hoping that this scan would indicate exactly where the blood vessel was pressing on the trigeminal nerve. I was fairly sure that nothing else would be found. But during the scan, I had a bad feeling about it - the way they pointed at the computer screen and talked animatedly and then came to give me the injection of the contrast dye before doing another scan. I was now certain they had found something. Most likely a tumour.
Strange how when you think of a brain tumour, you immediately think of a cancerous one and immediately think the worst.
I didn't go into the office afterwards. During the afternoon I got more and more depressed. I walked on the beach and asked why this should happen to me now. Just when I had finally found happiness in a wonderful relationship, why should it be snatched away? I realised that I was starting to wallow in self-pity, so I decided to do a web search of the things they might have found.
I guess trying to self-diagnose using the Internet and based on little evidence is not always a good idea. In my case I felt much more positive about my future after I had done my search. It seemed to me that given all my symptoms, if I did have a tumour, then it was likely to be an acoustic neuroma - a benign tumour that causes deafness (which I certainly had in my right ear) and in some cases can cause TN.
This made me feel much better....
Showing posts with label MRI. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MRI. Show all posts
Monday, March 3, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Visit to the neurologist
Today the pains are bad - really bad. The frequency and severity of the attacks has increased over the last few days. I can hardly move without triggering an attack. I have found that pushing my finger on my neck at the base of my skull whilst simultaneously pushing my head back and to the left provides some relief. I have done this so much now that my neck is bruised and painful.
I have to go to see the neurologist today.
It is clear that I cannot drive like this, so I send an email to a colleague to drive me there. When he arrives, I slowly and carefully walk down the steps with my head pushed back. Every step causes a spasm. Clearly, vibrations are now triggers. I get into the car and indicate with my hand that I cannot speak. He drives slowly, avoiding the many potholes and bumps, and finally we arrive at the clinic. We make our way slowly to the office.
I whisper my name to the secretary of the neurologist. She gives me a form to fill-in. Even writing with the pen triggers more attacks. I have the feeling that the other people in the waiting room are staring at me as I sit unshaven, unwashed, with my head in a strange position and a miserable expression on my face - but I don't care. We are so strongly conditioned to "appear" in a certain way in public - but this terrible pain strips away all that social conditioning.
Finally I am called in to see the neurologist. He can see that I am in pain when I try to talk and so he couches his questions such that I can answer in single words. He confirms that I am indeed suffering from TN and says that I should have an MRI scan as soon as possible. He prescribes an immediate increase in my dose of tegretol - from 400mgs to 800mgs per day.
The secretary makes the appointment for the MRI for next Monday, March 3rd. Given that the previous person was told that they would have to wait until the following Friday, there was clearly some urgency indicated in my case.
The following video captures how we sufferers feel about trigeminal neuralgia and gives good images of the most used surgical procedure (bit gory - so be warned):
I have to go to see the neurologist today.
It is clear that I cannot drive like this, so I send an email to a colleague to drive me there. When he arrives, I slowly and carefully walk down the steps with my head pushed back. Every step causes a spasm. Clearly, vibrations are now triggers. I get into the car and indicate with my hand that I cannot speak. He drives slowly, avoiding the many potholes and bumps, and finally we arrive at the clinic. We make our way slowly to the office.
I whisper my name to the secretary of the neurologist. She gives me a form to fill-in. Even writing with the pen triggers more attacks. I have the feeling that the other people in the waiting room are staring at me as I sit unshaven, unwashed, with my head in a strange position and a miserable expression on my face - but I don't care. We are so strongly conditioned to "appear" in a certain way in public - but this terrible pain strips away all that social conditioning.
Finally I am called in to see the neurologist. He can see that I am in pain when I try to talk and so he couches his questions such that I can answer in single words. He confirms that I am indeed suffering from TN and says that I should have an MRI scan as soon as possible. He prescribes an immediate increase in my dose of tegretol - from 400mgs to 800mgs per day.
The secretary makes the appointment for the MRI for next Monday, March 3rd. Given that the previous person was told that they would have to wait until the following Friday, there was clearly some urgency indicated in my case.
The following video captures how we sufferers feel about trigeminal neuralgia and gives good images of the most used surgical procedure (bit gory - so be warned):
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