Yuck- Neurologist visit

I finally got into the neurologist yesterday. He found no reason to be interested in the weight loss vs. tremor returning thing. I find it frustrating that is seems related but all the MDs are like "interesting" and then move on. UGH! Other than that I love my doc but seriously why does no one think anything of the switch on my tremor flipping with weight loss? :rolleyes:

He did not put my back on Mysoline which made me happy. Something about a drug with a long half life that breaks down to phenobarbital really gives me the creeps. Plus I had to take super high estrogen BC which cannot be good for you. Otherwise I had no complaints about Mysoline but phenabarbitol is a bit scary. So we are trying Inderol which is cool since I can take it as needed. May not be cool if it makes me pass out, we will see when it is filled this afternoon.

The crappy thing is I asked why neurologists and my GP keep asking if I have had scans. My doctor said honestly he doesn't know why he never sent me probably because the docs at Baylor didn't so good, lets do it to "dot the i's and cross the t's". So I ask a question and wind up getting sent for a MRI which he thinks will change nothing. I don't know why but I am totally weirded out by the MRI. I tried to get DH to take me (whenever it is) but he said "it is no big deal and I don't know if I can get off". Ugh, I know it is no big deal but I don't want to wait alone. :o

On a side note, my blood pressure was high yesterday 141/92. They used some kind of new thingy that goes on your wrist and looks like a polar HR monitor. I wonder how good that is to use on someone who cannot stop shaking in their wrists? Anyway my BP is usually much lower like 110/60 so I am not thinking too much of it and the doctor didn't even notice it was high on the chart. Besides inderol will lower BP so it is all good I guess.

I wonder why I feel like I have more questions today than answers? At least the bright side is since we switched meds I am on a 3 month visit window instead of 12 month like I once was.

I just watched an inservice at work (I work at a children's hospital) about blood pressure. The guy giving it was of the opinion that the wrist style bp monitors are pretty useless... Anyway, unless you get consistently high readings (at least 3, I think) then you shouldn't have to worry.

I have never had an MRI, only been witness to one....I agree, they do seem scary. If you can not find someone to go with then, let us know when you are going so that we can keep you in our thoughts. Maybe with so many of us 'with you' atleast in though it might not be as scary.

Neuro stuff can be such a pian *ss to figure out. Hopefully you get some good solid answers soon.

I've had two MRI's back to back - head and then IAC's (inner auditory canals)back when my migraines were getting pretty bad. I thought they'd do both at the same time, run the head, get the extra cuts of the IAC's when they got there, and then continue on with the rest of the head. Nope. Two separate exams. Anyway, the MRI wasn't scary at all, and I fell asleep. The tech informed me he new I was asleep when I started snoring. Gee thanks.

So try to relax, it isn't bad at all.

Amanda, how much of you are they scanning? Are they using any contrast medium? How long do they expect it to take? What kind of machine?

There is no reason to be concerned unless you are claustrophobic or have had reactions to a contrast medium like Gadolinium (assuming they are even giving you any).

The first MRI I had was of my head only and was done in a open MRI - a big flat disk over my head and I could see the room. You are not enclosed. I am mildly claustrophobic but needed no medication. No problems.

The most recent one was two series of my head and then all the way down to my lumbar region. Two frickin' hours in a tube up to my hips. Xanax is WONDERFUL but you must have someone to drive you home. They will not allow you to drive yourself home if you've been given any medication to deal with the claustrophobia.

And if you think you need Xanax, you need to tell them ahead of time and arrive early.

There is no reason to be scared but you should find out the answers to the questions at the top.

One other note: I can't handle ear plugs but they'll try to make you use them as the magnets are very loud. Since my head is always immobilized, I have them put lots of padding against my ears. That with the Xanax and I'm in another world.

Oh yeah. The tech also put a tissue over my eyes and somehow that fakes you into not thinking about that tube just inches away. I'm becoming quite the expert in patience, relaxation and noise management with these.:rolleyes:

Eden- Thanks I wasn't too concerned in fact I couldn't see how using one of those was good for someone with a tremor. My BP is always good and yesterday my appointment was late, the receptionist misplaced my new insurance card when she was scanning it and I didn't want to be at a neuro again. So it was no shock to have high BP.

Coyote- Thanks you're very sweet. I am still waiting for the imaging center to call me to set it up.

Beth- I am good at sleeping anywhere so maybe I can have your luck. I did that during an EEG, the most magical test ever since the encourage you to sleep and conduct it in a dim room.

Sadie- The sheet just says "Routine MRI". I don't think they are doing on contrast dye but at least now I know what to ask the schedulers thank you so much for that. I am not claustraphobic per se but I do get panic attacks if I am not in control of my situation. So the first one you described would be okay but in a tube would probably mean a panic attack.

I had 3 closed MRIs last year; head and neck, lumbar, and upper spine. I am mildly claustrophobic, but you could still see out part way. I just did deep breathing. I did have Gandolin with the head and neck and was quite concerned because I AM allergic to IV contrast dye they use with CT scans. But I had no problems with the MRI.
I can get panicky, too in these situations, but I was determined not to take drugs for this. I went by myself and it was fine.
Robyn

2 closed MRI's in the last year. I kept my eyes closed the whole time, and counted. The tech would tell me how long the scan would last, and I'd start counting :rolleyes:

Aggie_Ama,

This could be completely out of left field since I really don't know any of your medical history - I do remember you mentioning the tremor & weight loss before but can't really remember the details.

But there are cases with fat soluble drugs that the drugs are stored in your fat deposits - and when you lose weight, those drugs are then released back into your system. that can play havoc with some random drug tests, btw.

So if you were on any sort of drug in the past - possibly when you lose weight, it's getting released back into your system and causes the tremors.

Catriona- I read that but I think it is more to do with the cycle of tremors. I tried the Inderol tonight so I guess we shall see how it goes. I hope it works since 60 pills were only $4.52!

My DH is cruising for a bruisin on the MRI I swear. He basically told me I was being a drama queen about it and it was no big deal and why on earth would I even consider asking about Xanax. Grrrr. My mom volunteered to drive me if it is an enclosed and I go the Xanax route, she knows I am a drama queen but thinks if I am going to be all worked up about it I might as well check on what type it and if I want Xanax then okay. My husband knows I get all panicky if I feel trapped and he has only had his knee MRI'd like he knows anything. Stupid boy.

I barely handled the MRI on my knee and I freaked out when I had an OPEN MRI on my shoulder - that was embarrassing! Nothing wrong with being a little freaked out by the containment in the tube. Better living through pharmacology! (and the fact that I'm a pharmacologist has nothing to do with that! :) ).

I can no longer count how many MRI's I've had.
I was freaked out at first, now i fall asleep.

Take a washcloth with you, see if you can run it under hot water right before the procedure, fold it up and put it over your eyes.

If you wear a sports bra, t-shirt and plain cycling tights (no metal zippers) you don't have to wear any fashionable gowns.

Act-u-ally . . . . I was told at my last MRI that they don't like to do that (let you wear your own clothes) because some fabric creates an artifact in the image, particular knits like in sports bras. So the tech let me slide this time but she said never again (with a smiley stinky eye :p).

This office didn't know me and was most impressed though that I showed up with nothing with metal. I was kind of surprised that they were surprised. If you have one, you should know the routine.

I've never heard that :confused:

I hadn't either but why risk it. I'm on a PPO instead of an HMO for the first time in years. Having just paid 20% of the bill for a two series MRI from my head to my kidneys, I don't want to have to do it again because of my sports bra. :eek: :eek:

So got the report today: MS lesions unchanged, vertebral bodies look great (no osteoporosis??), confirmation of my self-diagnosed lipoma, and several small renal cystic structures of 1 cm in right kidney requiring follow-up ultra-sound. Oh crap. And what is a "central disc osteophyte complex at the C4-5 level?" I've got some research to do during my insomnia until that ultrasound.