It has been a while since I have been here so forgive any unanswered comments or messages. Had been caring for my 15 year old dog with kidney failure. She is the light of my life, and I can’t believe it has been a month since I had to help her cross the Rainbow Bridge. Has anyone else here been through this? Grieving is quite a journey. I tell you what…the crying has NOT been helping the pain in the throat lol.
Anyhoo, I saw Dr. Anderson at Lahey in Burlington a few weeks ago, and it was a much better experience than the first ENT I saw at Brigham and Womens in Boston. I know I found at least one post here from someone who had surgery with Dr. Anderson. He actually felt around in there when all the other guy did was shove the camera down my throat lol. So his first reaction was that he thought I had more of a stylohyoid ligament calcification/joint formation and not ESP although it looks pretty darn long to me lol. He ordered CAT SCAN no contrast and not 3D. I cant remember both reasons why but I asked if he ever does the 3D with contrast and he said no, it “complicates” the visuals more than helps or something to that effect.
I see him tomorrow to review the cat scan. I looked at it myself (had copy sent to me) and I dont know if I just cant navigate the software (no patience) but most of the images look like MRI type and only 2 are my lovely skeleton haha. I can’t make much sense of it. I do know that I had a freaky flare up for a day that made me realize I have been doing better in general than when this first all started (when I keep to my anti inflammatory regimen and don’t chew things…HAH). But the more I read the more I think there is HYOID BONE involvement. Me no likey any of this.
His initial impression was that Im best off to get my jaw situated first (severe malocclusion and the jaw deviation contributes to pressure being placed on whatever). He tries to avoid the surgery he guesses I would need since it is very invasive. So we will see what he says tomorrow.
ANYONE ELSE HAD A DR SAY THEY DONT LIKE THE 3D CT FOR THIS AREA? I was really surprised.
My CT scan was not 3D, but the styloid processes stood out starkly and were very easy to visualize on the scan. I suspect the doctor may be correct that a 3D scan would show a lot more other elements that may disrupt the visualization of the calcified/ossified portion of the ligament.
Just read your profile & noted your fear of having a second surgery because you still have so much pain after the first one. Since you have/had bilateral elongated styloids &/or calcified ligaments, it is very common for the pain on the unoperated side to increase after the first side is taken care of. The pain/symptoms can still seem to be on both sides if they’re bad enough. The pain & other symptoms I had from my remaining elongated styloid after my first surgery was almost unbearable some days. Having the second surgery to remove it stopped all that. I have been nearly symptom free since my second surgery which was in Aug. 2015. You may need to get your second styloid/ligament taken care of to stop/reduce the pain you currently have. I hope this encourages you.
Ah. Thanks for the clarification. If you’re anywhere near California, you could try Dr. Samji in San Jose. If not, he does phone consults (for a fee). You could always try contacting his office (see US Doctor List under HOME tab above) to see what’s involved w/ & the cost for a phone consult.
The dr that did my 1st removal only does intra oral removal, this calcification has to be done external too close to carotid artery. I am meeting with an ENT who I was referred to by a Vascular surgeon. He’s done 2 of these surgeries. California is too far. My 1st surgery was done March 2015 and I have been in pain still. I agree having it removed will remove a lot of the pain…keeping my fingers crossed that there is a dr out there will do the surgery.
Like many of us, I was scarred too about possible things that could go wrong…but I am so happy I had my first done that I did my second full removal 3 months later. I am very happy with the results.
