Health Problems

The whole medical professional apparently

Had my MRI today. First half OK as normal. Then the girl who was going to do my contrast panicked and had a breakdown. She had a tough time find the vein and then started yelling she couldn't stop the bleeding. All while I'm laying down with my head in the MRI. I think it was bleeding under my skin or something. I'm going to have a bruise tomorrow the size of a softball. No contrast today.

Borzak_sl said:

The whole medical professional apparently

Had my MRI today. First half OK as normal. Then the girl who was going to do my contrast panicked and had a breakdown. She had a tough time find the vein and then started yelling she couldn't stop the bleeding. All while I'm laying down with my head in the MRI. I think it was bleeding under my skin or something. I'm going to have a bruise tomorrow the size of a softball. No contrast today.

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Sorry to hear that, hope you get better so they can get your MRI done.

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So, of course, when I finally start trying to get myself into shape, something happens...

Back at the start of the month, I got a tingling in my left thumb one day after work. Came and went a few times that night then it stopped. next day I had a very light dull ache in my upper left arm. Over the next few days had a bit of tingling/ 'pins-and-needles' feeling in that arm that happened just a bit each day. Eventually went away so I just chalked it up to maybe straining a muscle a bit too much. (In the funeral profession, down in Florida, this is our busiest time of year)

Well, come this past Friday, had stronger aching and tingling down the left arm. Thought "Oh fuck, here we go...". Reported it to my boss and we submitted the workman's comp claim on Monday, waiting to get a call so I can find out how to get this tested and hopefully fixed. I'm thinking its a pinched nerve in my shoulder, but I don't know.

While it may not be connected to the arm/shoulder issue, I'm now getting tingling in my left leg when I sit in my computer chair at home. Its a big Executive chair which I've had for a few years now and I know the seat cushion is not as it used to be. Before if i sat for a few hours and went to move, my butt would be sore for a minute and I'd have to stretch. Also, starting yesterday night I've had a bit of tingling in my right hand, which could be carpal tunnel or maybe connected to my left side issues. But then again, I'm right handed and relying on my right arm more because I'm trying to not use my left so I dunno. I'm worried if it all is connected, it could a pinched nerve in my back, which would not be good.

Been taking some Advil, since I've read that it should help with the swelling which may be putting pressure on the nerves. Of course this happens during the busiest time of the year, when the other fulltime embalmer is out for a few days himself, so I have to be there to get the work done. Been doing my best to not use the left arm and take it easy when I can. Thankfully, I have a part time employee who is a big help so been having him do stuff I'm worried may strain things more.

Thankfully, I have not noticed any weakness or lack of movement with anything. So I'm hoping its something that won't require surgery or anything like that. Just hoping I can get better, figure out what to do to not do it again and get myself in shape so I can handle the workload better. There are far too many people in my profession with bad shoulders/backs/knees and such for me to take this lightly.

No it's an MRI. They do 20 minutes without contrast, pull you out and give you contrast and do another 20 minutes with contrast. That's why they don't put an IV in and leave it. Never had the problem before. I guess she was in training. Every time in the past you just get out and they give it to you and do it all over again. This idiot kept saying you can't move your head so you can't get out. It doesn't work that way. Your head doesn't have to stay in one exact spot except when the MRI is actually taking an MRI. JFC.

I've been getting blood work once a week at least and no problems till this lady. No aspirin, at first she kept panicking she couldn't find the vein.

Kuriin_sl said:

They didn't put the IV in before you went in for the CT scan? (I am going to assume you meant CT and not MRI). Do you take aspirin or anything that prevents clotting? lol.


@Magimaster: Really tough to say. When I was reading it initially, it made me think of a potential MI. I know a lot of people hate going to the ED to see a provider; but, if something concerns you or your SO, follow your gut instinct and get it checked out. It could be much worse than you think (could be).

The butt thing could be a pinched sciatic nerve.

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potential MI?

Looking up, I'm guessing you meant Heart Attack? Yeah, I worried about that too, but I've been checking my BP each day and its been ok. My resting BP is around 130/80, haven't had any high spikes or anything that I can tell.

Heart attack (Myocardial infarction). Not so sure that's what it is based on the symptoms, but numbness in arm/shoulder/hand can sometimes be the only symptom.

The fact that you're getting it in multiple limbs makes that highly unlikely, though

Ambiturner_sl said:

Heart attack (Myocardial infarction). Not so sure that's what it is based on the symptoms, but numbness in arm/shoulder/hand can sometimes be the only symptom.

The fact that you're getting it in multiple limbs makes that highly unlikely, though

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Yeah, but I haven't had any numbness, was just the pin and needles and the aching. Was why I am thinking its maybe a nerve. If so, only question is whether its originsting in the spine or further out in the limb.

pharmakos_sl said:

i can see that happening. this sounds hokey and newagey, but i've always thought.... sometimes physical pain is due to some barely conscious tension that we are holding. pain relief can allow the body to release tension that was causing problems. helps get your brain out of the way and allow your body to do what it needs to do.

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There's a fair amount about pain management that sounds new agey but will actually work for some people.

Beyond the actual hard science of body pain, there is that psychological component to pain as well. We can, and do, male pills for the one. I believe we are coming to find out that chemical methods are far less effective than we had hoped for the other, though.

Magimaster_sl said:

Yeah, but I haven't had any numbness, was just the pin and needles and the aching. Was why I am thinking its maybe a nerve. If so, only question is whether its originsting in the spine or further out in the limb.

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pins and needles (parasthesia) typically goes hand in hand with numbness. Both can be caused by an MI and the upper left arm is probably the most common place to experience it outside of the chest. Like I said, the fact that you're having this in multiple different locations in different limbs makes me think a heart attack is unlikely, but it's also not a single nerve either. There's no nerve or spinal area that that would give you the tingling sensation in left arm, right arm, and left leg. If the left leg tingling feels like it shoots down the back of your leg starting from the butt area that's a classic sciatic nerve issue.

Definitely something to get checked as there's probably something bigger going on rather than 3 unrelated similar issues that all came around the same time. Ever check your blood sugar or have any diabetes symptoms? (excessive thirst/urination, dizziness, blurred vision, fatigue)

Ambiturner_sl said:

pins and needles (parasthesia) typically goes hand in hand with numbness. Both can be caused by an MI and the upper left arm is probably the most common place to experience it outside of the chest. Like I said, the fact that you're having this in multiple different locations in different limbs makes me think a heart attack is unlikely, but it's also not a single nerve either. There's no nerve or spinal area that that would give you the tingling sensation in left arm, right arm, and left leg. If the left leg tingling feels like it shoots down the back of your leg starting from the butt area that's a classic sciatic nerve issue.

Definitely something to get checked as there's probably something bigger going on rather than 3 unrelated similar issues that all came around the same time. Ever check your blood sugar or have any diabetes symptoms? (excessive thirst/urination, dizziness, blurred vision, fatigue)

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Had blood work done back in January when they diagnosed my kidney stones. I don't know if they specifically looked at my blood sugar, but I know it all came back ok. Havent had any of those other symptoms that I am aware of ( I know I used to not drink enough water before I was diagnosed with the kidney stones, I drink a lot more now)

More hate for the medical profession. The message I got from the Dr. said EXTENSIVE changes in my MRI consistent with MS and he referred me to their MS specialist. That was it. I already knew I had lesions from ADEM. That was kind of a kick in the nuts till I read the actual report on the MRI. That's all he said other than it was consistent with MS. Already knew these lesions were there. Nothing new. Sounds like good news to me but the Dr. made it sound like it was pretty definitive.

Does this sound like extensive changes? I know that with ADEM there's a chance that some of the lesions will eventually resolve.

Overall intensity of the findings appear slightly decreased from prior with some lesions appearing slightly smaller. The appearances highly suggestive of demyelinating disease. No definite new lesions identified. Further characterization limited by noncontrast technique.

The optic nerves appear slightly asymmetric in size with the right optic nerve appearing slightly smaller than the left. This finding is likely unchanged from prior.

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So basically nothing changed and some stuff actually less than before. But the first message from the Dr. was pretty end of the world. Highly suggestive of demyelinating disease, well that is both MS and ADEM. So back to square one.

Frenzied Wombat_sl said:

Just get a nose job and be done with it.. Everybody I've ever known that's had a deviated septum has eventually gotten a nose job to fix their issues for good.

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Second opinions are difficult on obummercare. and I'm not convinced it's a septal deflection in the first place. I sorta feel as though it wouldn't have taken me 33 years to notice I had a deviated septum.

Anyone know anything about angina? A lot of the symptoms I have now are similar, making an appointment with another cardiologist. I get to where I can't breathe no matter what. Mostly I'll wake up or be woken up from a faster heart rate and can't breathe at all. It seems to go away after some time. The taking of the tramador seemed to help, maybe it was relaxing. Faster heart rate, can't breathe, extreme shortness of breath, and extreme tiredness. But when it passes in 30 minutes to an hour or so it's like nothing happened. Not tired or nothing.

Increased heart rate and severe shortness of breath are not symptoms of MS/ADEM. But when you go to someplace that has your medical records now they want to blame everything on either MS/ADEM it seems even if you went with your arm cut off they would blame it on that.

Had 2 EKG's and a 48 hour Holter monitor but nothing abnormal showed up but I didn't have an episode then. Also had the sonogram they check your arteries in your neck, no blockage.

All my blood work says I'm fit as I can be, just can't breathe.

I don't have the EKG. I've had two in the last years and the cardiologist said there was nothing out of the ordinary. Most times it happens at rest, or even sleeping. I had an episode early this morning which is why I got up. After lunch I went out and picked up pine cones and mowed the yard for 2 hours without an issue. When I'm not having an episode everything is pretty normal. Can excercise and do whatever, worked up a pretty good sweat today. I do have chest pain but I don't know how to describe it.

All my blood work has come back OK except my white blood count at times. Up and then down, up and then normal. My blood oxygen has been OK and such.

I start at a new hospital with the cariologist after my experience with my MRI. Still ticks me off. Get the message from the Dr. saying extensive changes in my MRI when the report didn't say that at all. I can only guess they meant changes from "normal" but they had my MRI's from the past which is what the radiologist compared it to.

The MRI was some of the best news I've had in a while. No new lesions, nothing. The lesions I had were smaller than before and some possibly resolved.

Nope.

I had 2 echos in the last year with the last one in January.