First to say thank you everyone for this site :) Especially Emma with her detail about Drs and symptoms and she seems to read, research most everyone’s posts. I was diagnosed locally with ES and my local drs know and respect Dr. Cognetti. My local drs did not go over my reports just set up the appt with Cognetti. All which I am grateful for but the wait is frustrating as my appt is Sept 5 J
2 questions ..1. does the dr ever put the option of surgery or no surgery in your lap to decide? 2. What test shows if the Carotid or nerves are affected by ES or does the surgeon find when in surgery? Because it looks on written report that my carotid is ok but have symptoms like everyone else.
1. The choice to have surgery or not is always yours. Only you can decide if you want to have surgery. The surgeons and most of us here feel that surgery is the only solution. Many of our members have suffered for years with pain, and exhausted all other therapies. If you know that you have ES and choose to wait on surgery, that is your privilege. I waited 2.5 years because I had other worse health issues and I had to prioritize. My surgeon also suggested to do surgery when it became a quality of life issue. Well it was a quality of life issue, but I needed to have my thyroid removed first because I had cancer. Then that brought up other issues. Finally this past February, I had surgery. It took awhile to heal and I am much better. The answer to number 2, I really don't know, maybe someone else can help because I do not believe I have any carotid issues as in the Vascular Eagles. If you are having ear pain, throat pain like strept, swallowing issues or lump in your throat, even eye pain, and many others, then you have Classic Eagles and could have carotid involvement and may not know it.Sometimes it is discovered in surgery.