want to beat dr with my MRI report (a much-repeated vent)

[KPeveler]

Ok, I usually try not to vent here, but this just drives me mad. The only good dr I have right now who is actually treating me did an MRI at my request. It has been a year since my last one. This time, 2 tiny lesions were found in my brain, AND "major flow voids were noted in teh base of brain" and i have no idea what that means, but it has never been noted before, AND i have a reversed cervical lordosis, AND extensive sinus disease.

I got this report, read it, then called my dr to check in. I got a call back from the assistant, and you know what she said?

"everything was normal"

WHAT?????? No, it's not normal. If nothing else, tell me to see an ENT for the "extensive sinus disease" or something...


GAH! I HATE having to read my own MRI reports to find out what REALLY happened!

Why does modern medicine have to stink so much??

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I understand your frustration. I've been having similar communication issues with my doctors. I hope that you are able to get everything sorted out in time for your wedding.

 

[honugirl]

I totally know how you feel. I've spent so much time going over labs and stuff from before and when they tell me they're normal, I've found a lot of abnormal stuff. Hang in there! You'll get through it. Doctors suck sometimes.

 

[Libbyt]

I'll join you in the over-the-head-beating exercise........here's my rant for the day: we've been trying to get my daughter in for an electrophysiology workup. The scheduling nurse was supposed to find out HOW to discontinue some of her meds (gradually or all at once) and let me know. This woman has driven me crazy in this whole process - very uncooperative and hard to deal with. Well, last night I get a message from her, very long and drawn out, she's flipping pages in her calendar, very carefully calculating "let's see, the procedure is on the 2th, count back the days" yada, yada, yada.........and she finally says she must take her last dose on the 16th. That's it. NO INFO about HOW that's supposed to happen, which is what I've been WAITING to find out. GRRRRHHH.

Why does EVERYTHING have to be so dang hard??

Libby

 

[carrollchristoph]

While I hate to throw water on a good rant (lord knows everyone needs to rant!), I would encourage you to talk to you doctor directly. It may be that he or she doesn't know what the assistant told you (and was told by the same person that the MRI was "normal"). Most of the time doctors are too busy seeing patients and have no idea about the bad conditions in the waiting rooms, rude receptionists, etc. Of course, there are exceptions...

Good luck!

 

[ireland_nicole]

Oh honey, I'm so sorry; I hope you're able to get this straightened out soon- if it helps any, we've been there.

 

[Notatourist]

Kpeeler-

I'm going to give a suggestion and high five you on the rant....

I'm undergoing chemo. My first round was hell, the staff kept giving me ideas for how to handle certain things, but the blood tests afterward were hilarious because I had FOUR SEPERATE NURSES telling me four seperate things.

The kicker was an injection to boost white blood cells that caused me so much pain...but I digress.

Talking with friends I discovered that I had to go to the top (the doc) and ask that one nurse give me results.

Just got off the phone with her and the results are great this week.

Go to the doc or head nurse, explain the issue and if they won't help you, leave the practice. I almost had to.

 

[KPeveler]

I am calling tomorrow to make an appt - It may be that all those things mean nothing, but I feel better to have the dr say it. I dont think they ever really looked at it, because they didnt tell me about the extensive sinus disease, which clearly warrants a visit to my ENT!

 

[jt'smom]

i'd get right on checking on the 2 lesions in your brain. lesions are another word for tumor, and while it may be nothing, you should get a copy of your mri on disk and get a neurosurgeon appt. i have a malignant brainstem tumor, and on my very first mri report it was listed as a "lesion in the left-side of my brainstem". don't mean to scare you, but definitely don't let that go!!!

 

[dansamy]

Lesions can also mean other things besides tumors. Multiple sclerosis produces lesions.

 

[michelle9343]

I feel your pain. My DD has been going through the same kind of thing. After her last MRI and CT of her brain many issues were found but because she is an extreme challenge medically speaking the Dr just dismiss everything. We have been living though he-- trying to get a neurologist and ENT to take care of her. Hang in there and feel free to rant all you need.

Just a side note my DD MRI showed severe sinus disease so she had a CT which showed both maxillary sinuses were filled with cysts.