Been stuck in bed again this week. Anyone got any funny Doctor experiences to share?
First visit to ENT today to discuss CT findings and Eagle's this week also.
So that's.. Dr #54 total (sometimes they come 2 at a time), but ENT #1!
Alright. I hope I get credit for my extracurricular to finish this early.
This one wasn't that familiar with ES, but had at Least spoken to my previous surgeon, so I was hoping I didn't have to do the extra step of convincing him there actually Was an ongoing issue.
He was very interested in the history of my symptoms and accident, the brachial plexus injury, how and when it happened, the progression of the issues, etc. More so than Any of the previous Ortho's or Neuro docs! He even looked at my shoulder! I have to fight orthos to look at my shoulder! I was impressed, but kept feeling I had to diminish focus on my arm to let him know I understood that ES and the arm could be separate. He acknowledged that there clearly was an issue, and likely some kind of vascular phenomena causing all the brain fog, headaches, etc. but warned me that depending on who you ask some docs believe in ES and some don't. (Now there's a revelation, right?)
He got a little weirded out when palpating inside my mouth started to make my arm and face twitch, then gag. Palpating the left side did Nothing.
Doc said this was very unusual, Eagle's was very unusual, etcetc, and my CT wasn't even that dramatic. He didn't understand how it could be causing so many problems.
I convinced him to show me the test and explain it to me. To his credit, he was willing and took the time to point out orientations and land marks.
He flipped through and pointed to the screen saying how my styloid my be a little elongated, but it wasn't impressive.
"Hmm... That's true, but that's on my good side. Isn't that Bone there on my right?" I asked.
He looked confused a minute, adjusted some contrast, and flipped through the images again. "And it connects almost all the way from my hyoid to my skull. Wow!"
He got very quiet.
The tone of the visit suddenly changed, and he said he had to discuss this with his colleagues and try to find someone who was more familiar with Eagle's, and would be calling me back
Can't call this one a win, but at least I know if nothing else I've gotten handy at reading radiographs from all this medical drama!
Great that you were on the ball, and spotted he was looking at the wrong side- it pays to find out as much as you can beforehand...!
I really, really wish I could have been a fly on the wall when the original consultant I saw- who said 'this so called Eagle's Syndrome', and told me 'no, it can't affect blood vessels' was sent the CT Venogram results showing compression of BOTH jugular veins...
Hope that you hear back quickly from your ENT, and get referred to someone who can help!
Jules said:
I really, really wish I could have been a fly on the wall when the original consultant I saw- who said 'this so called Eagle's Syndrome', and told me 'no, it can't affect blood vessels' was sent the CT Venogram results showing compression of BOTH jugular veins...
Aaah.. I hope you envision a Three Stooges Style reading of the results.