god I'm so sick of this
― If I was a carpenter, and you were a douchebag (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 13 December 2012 20:52 (eleven years ago) link
fuck. they want me to get a follow-up MRI.
1. There is a question of a 6 mm mass at the right pontomedullaryjunction. Further evaluation with contrast is recommended withthin cut axial and coronal sequences at the level of the pons andmedulla. A repeat axial T2 fiesta sequence centered slightlylower than on the current examination may also be helpful.2. Mild mucosal sinus disease noted.
― If I was a carpenter, and you were a douchebag (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 14 December 2012 16:38 (eleven years ago) link
This could be good, though, right? It could and probably will be a totally fixable problem. And you won't have to feel like you're crazy anymore.
― just1n3, Friday, 14 December 2012 16:57 (eleven years ago) link
yeah at least they've maybe found 'something'? which is some kinda progress I guess?
ps - the only word that stands out in that is 'fiesta' :)
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 14 December 2012 16:59 (eleven years ago) link
I don't know what to make of this news tbh. there are a lot of qualifiers in the e-mail from my doctor that accompanied this news (that they aren't certain it's anything, usually they're benign and no treatment is required/recommended, he doesn't say whether or not this is a likely cause of my tinnitus)
its very frustrating. and I'm freaked out, of course
― If I was a carpenter, and you were a douchebag (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 14 December 2012 17:18 (eleven years ago) link
that's a pretty understandable reaction
― Jesus, the Total Douchebag (DJP), Friday, 14 December 2012 17:21 (eleven years ago) link
Probably the least expected/appropriate word to be used in a medical diagnosis.
Really hope these findings represent progress (in the form of treatment, and eradication of tinnitus.)
― Tarfumes The Escape Goat, Friday, 14 December 2012 17:27 (eleven years ago) link
The FIESTA (fast imaging employing steady-state acquisition) ultrafast pulse sequence provides high-resolution images with outstanding image contrast and high signal-to-noise ratio relative to the single-shot fast spin-echo (SSFSE) sequence. The purpose of this article is to illustrate the utility of the FIESTA sequence in oncologic imaging.
― Jesus, the Total Douchebag (DJP), Friday, 14 December 2012 17:33 (eleven years ago) link
got the follow-up MRI scheduled for monday so at least there were no delays there. not really looking forward to dealing with neurology dept, altho at least my wife has lots of experience with them.
― If I was a carpenter, and you were a douchebag (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 14 December 2012 17:37 (eleven years ago) link
in a weird way I just feel like, somewhat angrily, going about my normal business as much as I can cuz what can I even do with this information, nothing really.
― If I was a carpenter, and you were a douchebag (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 14 December 2012 18:06 (eleven years ago) link
well that sorta seems like the only thing you can do. stressing yourself out isn't going to help you know any more than what you know now. but I totally sympathize, like how do u get to that place of not worrying, easier said than done, I know.
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 14 December 2012 18:12 (eleven years ago) link
Wow, that's interesting. Amazing they didn't image the cerebellopontine angles and IAC's in detail the first time, given that tinnitus is your only complaint. About the only thing they could hope to find would be an acoustic neuroma or other small mass lesion there. Hope they're not charging you for the second scan.
Is the tinnitus right sided? Contact with nearby structures can sometimes sensitize an otherwise normally functioning cranial nerve. The commonest example of that is trigeminal neuralgia, in which the sensory nerve to the face starts to produce excruciating neuralgic pain without sensory loss or other dysfunction, usually because a blood vessel is resting against the nerve. The contact is enough to trigger hyperactivation of the nerve (and thus pain) but not to compress it and produce neuropathy (loss of function). By analogy I guess you could have neuralgic-type overactivity of the vestibulocochlear nerve, which exits at the ponto-medullary junction, producing tinnitus without hearing loss. I've never heard of that, but IANAENT.
If they end up blaming the nodule for your symptoms it should be treatable. Skull base surgery is a big deal in general but there are minimally invasive techniques available for trigeminal neuralgia at least. You'd need a subspecialist neurosurgeon or ENT.
Again by analogy to TGN, treatment for neuralgic pain might help your symptoms. Tegretol is usually first line, but gabapentin or other anticonvulsants might help. If I was your neuro, knowing what you've been through, I'd be willing to try if your symptoms are on the same side as the nodule. No guarantee it would help but might do.
― Plasmon, Friday, 14 December 2012 19:50 (eleven years ago) link
oddly, the tinnitus is actually in my left ear
― If I was a carpenter, and you were a douchebag (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 14 December 2012 20:23 (eleven years ago) link
(really appreciate the additional perspective btw)
― If I was a carpenter, and you were a douchebag (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 14 December 2012 20:26 (eleven years ago) link
I feel like I am sorta back where I started with this - there is no explanation for why I have tinnitus, and as such my brain will either become habituated to it at some point (not yet, unfortunately), or it will go away. which is not really all that encouraging in my current state but wtf can I do.
― If I was a carpenter, and you were a douchebag (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 14 December 2012 21:04 (eleven years ago) link
My theory shot down by actual facts! Sigh. Probably would've just made your ENT roll his/her eyes anyway.
The tiny nodule doesn't sound dangerous, in and of itself. MRI often finds tiny incidental flaws in otherwise healthy people. Like news anchors complaining that their pancake makeup looks terrible now that everyone has HDTV, sometimes a little less detail would be nice.
The good news about a normal (or unremarkable, which is the best we can hope for given the likelihood of finding at least one tiny flaws) MRI is that there's no evidence that your symptoms are part of a progressive or permanent disease/condition. As long as everything looks normal, there can be hope that it'll eventually go back to working normally as well.
Fingers crossed for you.
― Plasmon, Friday, 14 December 2012 21:43 (eleven years ago) link
yeah the odds seem low that whatever is there - if it is there at all - is related to my tinnitus. in which case they'll probably say eh we don't know what it is but don't worry about it.
tbh this is a familiar position for me. this is not the first time I have had a major, yet entirely inexplicable, health crisis (this would actually be the third). I should be used to not having an explanation for things by now, I guess.
― If I was a carpenter, and you were a douchebag (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 14 December 2012 22:08 (eleven years ago) link
stay strong shakey. i'm of the belief that more information is good, though it can be very unsettling to do the learning.
― before and after broscience (goole), Friday, 14 December 2012 22:12 (eleven years ago) link
a couple years ago I abruptly contracted this which was totally alarming/debilitating. no one knew why I got it, and it took a few weeks to properly diagnose it. no cure/medicine for it apart from some meds to control the pain and swelling symptoms. and gradually it just went away, after about a year. why did I get it? who the fuck knows.
― If I was a carpenter, and you were a douchebag (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 14 December 2012 22:17 (eleven years ago) link
blimey.
― Una Stubbs' Tears (Trayce), Saturday, 15 December 2012 06:19 (eleven years ago) link
Shakey, good luck with your Monday scan.
I developed tinnitus a couple of years ago, along with some hearing loss in the left ear. I always thought it was rock n'roll related, but diagnostic tests (including MRI) said, apparently, nay; that it was likely a viral infection back in the day that caused some damage to the ear nerve, and left the little follicles on permanent vibrate mode. My ENT gave me a slip of paper with the official, Latin name for my condition, but I forget what it was. On the one hand I was glad to hear it wasn't part of some progressive disease; on the other, I was told there was nothing to be done. So I'm working on getting used to the thousand high-pitched crickets I hear constantly... I had a car accident at age 20 that messed up my ulnar nerve and set up an unpleasant kind of electric buzzing feeling in my left hand... so I have some practice with something of the ilk, which has helped, but still...
Anyhow, I wish you the best.
― collardio gelatinous, Saturday, 15 December 2012 06:43 (eleven years ago) link
fuck you tinnitus
follow-up MRI today
― If I was a carpenter, and you were a douchebag (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 17 December 2012 16:27 (eleven years ago) link
good luck Shakey
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Monday, 17 December 2012 16:52 (eleven years ago) link
my worst fear is that they tell me the MRI shows me something that a) is the cause of my tinnitus (like nerve damage or something) and b) cannot be treated
best case scenario is, I guess, that they don't find anything significant and still have no explanation for the tinnitus. I'm kind of past the point where I expect them to find anything they actually can treat.
― If I was a carpenter, and you were a douchebag (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 17 December 2012 16:54 (eleven years ago) link
fingers crossed, dude.
― EZ Snappin, Monday, 17 December 2012 16:54 (eleven years ago) link
not to be suzy-glass-half-full but there's also option c which is that they find something and can address it. <3
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Monday, 17 December 2012 17:00 (eleven years ago) link
If they end up blaming the nodule for your symptoms it should be treatable.
this is what I'm really concerned about - how likely is this
― If I was a carpenter, and you were a douchebag (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 17 December 2012 17:14 (eleven years ago) link
I guess it's not really likely - the full text from my ENT is below:
your MRI shows a normal exam for the left side - there is no mass/tumor or other lesion on or near the nerves of hearing on the left side.
Incidentally, a possible small mass was seen on the right side. Masses in this area are commonly benign. The radiologist recommends another more detailed MRI focusing on this area to better evaluate and confirm this finding.
A mild amount of allergies/mucosal inflammation was noted in your nose and sinuses.
I will go ahead and order the recommended MRI for you. I have also copied the conclusion of the MRI report for you below. If the new MRI does show a small mass on the left side, we can reach out to our neurology/neurosurgery doctors for advice, but most often, these lesions are monitored (usually be checking another MRI in 6 or more months), and often no intervention is recommended unless they are growing.
― If I was a carpenter, and you were a douchebag (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 17 December 2012 17:31 (eleven years ago) link
good luck, Shakey!
― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 17 December 2012 17:33 (eleven years ago) link
on a different note - bluegrass does not seem to be very popular on filesharing sites, unfortunately. if anybody has a bunch of shit they could, say, dropbox to me, that would be much appreciated
― If I was a carpenter, and you were a douchebag (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 17 December 2012 17:47 (eleven years ago) link
talked to my ENT again...
sinus symptoms β mild inflammation, likely not the cause of this type of tinnitus but who knows. Recommends Flonase (once or twice a day) + Oceanspray (throughout the day) which should reduce inflammation after a month.MRI results β possible mass is not in an area related to hearing on the left side. Left side does not show any growths or damage. Neurologist input recommended in case there is anything being missed or there is some underlying problem. Main issue will be if mass is growing, which will require a follow-up in 6 mos. Is possible mass, if itβs there at all, has been there since birth or for years. If mass requires treatment, options are surgery and radiation, both of which require serious consideration of pros/cons.Tinnitus in general β in cases where no direct cause is discernible, resolution varies widely. previous patient had it for roughly a year, over the course of which it diminished and faded, although was eventually accompanied by hearing loss. Follow-up hearing test recommended in 3-6 months
so yeah. off to the radiologist again in an hour or so
― If I was a carpenter, and you were a douchebag (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 17 December 2012 21:45 (eleven years ago) link
Good luck, bro.
― schwantz, Monday, 17 December 2012 21:54 (eleven years ago) link
Bee Gees today
god second MRI was so annoying, had to wait an hour in the waiting room. on the plus side, when it was done the radiologist said he'd taken the scan from three different angles and didn't see anything.
― If I was a carpenter, and you were a douchebag (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 18 December 2012 16:28 (eleven years ago) link
I'm sorry there's no magic wand I could wave nor an obvious & treatable physical issue your doctors could take care of for you.
But at least you have the Bee Gees.
― EZ Snappin, Tuesday, 18 December 2012 16:31 (eleven years ago) link
I am trying very hard to maintain a positive attitude about the lack of a diagnosable cause, and that if I can just learn to cope with this it will get better/go away. trying to focus on the excitement of new babby, rather than my bullshit, even tho I am reminded of it every second of every day
― If I was a carpenter, and you were a douchebag (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 18 December 2012 16:58 (eleven years ago) link
new babby is a good thing to focus on
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 18 December 2012 17:38 (eleven years ago) link
I'm gonna get through this goddammit
― If I was a carpenter, and you were a douchebag (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 18 December 2012 22:06 (eleven years ago) link
you can do it
the Bee Gees and Dolly and bluegrass will help you! and new babby!
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 18 December 2012 22:08 (eleven years ago) link
I don't mean to hijack this thread -- much love to you, Shakey, and I hope you find comfort -- but lately I have been getting an irregular pulse (for lack of a better word) in my right ear when I have a couple of drinks. Not every time I drink, but only when I drink. Doesn't seem connected to my heartbeat. Googling suggests it might be tinnitus or similar. Anyone ever experience anything like this?
― Sax Blatterday (jaymc), Wednesday, 19 December 2012 05:19 (eleven years ago) link
could be - tinnitus presents in a pretty wide spectrum, so who knows
in other news: another day with this bullshit! the usual 5 hours of heavy sleep followed by a couple hours of tossing and turning and weird dreams. trying to keep a lid on anxiety over this MRI thing. I sort of want this period of tests and questions to just be over so I can just focus on dealing with/enduring the tinnitus.
― If I was a carpenter, and you were a douchebag (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 19 December 2012 16:57 (eleven years ago) link
well not sort of, I definitely want it to be over
― If I was a carpenter, and you were a douchebag (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 19 December 2012 17:01 (eleven years ago) link
good luck, Shakey. - a fellow sufferer
― Zweitgeist (doo dah), Wednesday, 19 December 2012 18:26 (eleven years ago) link
@jaymc: Pulsatile tinnitus can be a warning sign of bad things (increased intracranial pressure, abnormal blood vessels -- but in those cases it usually syncs with the pulse.
Weird auditory experiences are not rare among the wider spectrum of weird sensory experiences. As long as you're not losing hearing or feeling off balance I wouldn't expect a sinister cause. If it's something that doesn't bother you too much or too often, all the better.
Probably a good idea to mention this to your doctor but I doubt s/he'll get too excited.
― Plasmon, Wednesday, 19 December 2012 18:28 (eleven years ago) link
Thanks for the response -- yeah, I'll prob make a doc appt., anyway.
― Sax Blatterday (jaymc), Wednesday, 19 December 2012 19:36 (eleven years ago) link
gah fuck you tinnitus
I dunno how many times I can listen to the same 200 bluegrass songs
― If I was a carpenter, and you were a douchebag (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 19 December 2012 22:20 (eleven years ago) link
Shakey I think I said it earlier - I mean, if your battle is to conquer tinnitus, all power to you. I learned to live with mine, and now, even though I'm certain it's louder than it was initially (I stand in front of a very loud drummer on about 1/3 of the nights I spend all year), I never notice it. "Adjust to this as reality and learn to be ok with it" was a winning strategy for me personally, and not one that I'm secretly resentful about or anything - I am cool with a ringing in my right ear. Doesn't bother me any more or cost me a minute of sleep. I got here through a process of "ok, this is reality, no point in being mad that the sky's blue no matter how I feel about blue." I recommend this strategy - I would/will do the same thing if I find myself facing, say, chronic pain, for which I feel tinnitus has prepared me in the nick of time, because my hand has not felt right for a year now.
― too many encores (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Wednesday, 19 December 2012 23:03 (eleven years ago) link
maybe it's yr left hand :)
(sorry)
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, 19 December 2012 23:05 (eleven years ago) link
"Adjust to this as reality and learn to be ok with it"
yeah that's where I'm at and I'm trying, I swear. feel like I keep getting derailed by taking more tests to find out what it is (this MRI has definitely freaked me out), at this point I'm ready to accept that it's inexplicable and I just have to work through it. maybe it will go away, maybe I will just learn to deal with it, but I feel like that path looked a little clear/easier to me without worrying about some weird lesion on my brain nahmean
xp
― If I was a carpenter, and you were a douchebag (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 19 December 2012 23:06 (eleven years ago) link
clearER
― If I was a carpenter, and you were a douchebag (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 19 December 2012 23:07 (eleven years ago) link
like okay if we've exhausted all explanations for it, then the path forward is just management and goddammit I am strong enough that I will do that
― If I was a carpenter, and you were a douchebag (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 19 December 2012 23:49 (eleven years ago) link