worryworttx
07-30-2004, 06:49 PM
Ladies,
Thank you all so much for all the great posts...I went to see my ENT today because I thought that I was getting tubes in my ears but she is not sure that, that is the problem.
She immediatley ordered a MRI of the brain and and ENG. I have had a MRI before, but what about the ENG?
Here very 1st. words that came out of her mouth was that for a young woman (in thier mid 30's) they want to rule out MS right away. I told her that I know that I was a stressed out and anxiety ridden person, but that I didn't think that dizziness and leg weakness, dropping things, flinging my pen around when I am trying to write was all in my head. She agreed. I was almost in tears...
Just wanted to know what I could expect from that one test.
Hope everyone is well and thank you all again.
Bec :wave:
Thank you all so much for all the great posts...I went to see my ENT today because I thought that I was getting tubes in my ears but she is not sure that, that is the problem.
She immediatley ordered a MRI of the brain and and ENG. I have had a MRI before, but what about the ENG?
Here very 1st. words that came out of her mouth was that for a young woman (in thier mid 30's) they want to rule out MS right away. I told her that I know that I was a stressed out and anxiety ridden person, but that I didn't think that dizziness and leg weakness, dropping things, flinging my pen around when I am trying to write was all in my head. She agreed. I was almost in tears...
Just wanted to know what I could expect from that one test.
Hope everyone is well and thank you all again.
Bec :wave:
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Jewel2
07-30-2004, 07:52 PM
Hmmm. I'm very glad your ENT is listening to you and ordering some tests, but...you don't really 'rule out' MS. Usually it works the other way around. You rule out other things and are kind of left with MS. For example, let's say your MRI turns out clean. That doesn't necessarily mean you don't have MS. An MS diagnosis is a combination of tests and a history of symptoms.
I'm not sure what an ENG is.
Don't take me wrong. I'm very happy that a doctor is taking you seriously and ordering tests. Will you be following up with a neurologist? I wouldn't think that an ENT is really qualified to diagnose or rule out MS, but I've been known to be wrong on occasion.:rolleyes:
Please keep us posted.
Take care,
:wave:
Julie
I'm not sure what an ENG is.
Don't take me wrong. I'm very happy that a doctor is taking you seriously and ordering tests. Will you be following up with a neurologist? I wouldn't think that an ENT is really qualified to diagnose or rule out MS, but I've been known to be wrong on occasion.:rolleyes:
Please keep us posted.
Take care,
:wave:
Julie
Jewel2
07-31-2004, 12:43 PM
It takes me a while sometimes, but I'm guessing you mean an EMG. If so, it's not a good diagnostic tool to find MS, but what it might do is discover some nerve damage in the nerves themselves that would mean it is less likely it's MS, because generally MS doesn't cause that type of nerve damage. I hope that makes sense. And I hope you really were referring to an EMG. :rolleyes:
Regards,
Julie
:)
Regards,
Julie
:)
elecchic1022
08-04-2004, 09:33 AM
Hi Bec,
My ENT ordered an ENG for me when I had my last flare-up. I had dizziness, so he wanted to rule out any middle ear problems.
The test is very easy, and it takes about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Mine was done in a tiny office, not in a hospital. No gowns, just street clothes.
What it involves is placing electrodes/sensors around the eye area. These will measure eye movements as you watch stimuli. The eye responds to ear sensations like dizziness.
You are going to in a dark room with the person who gives you the test. Then, while sitting, you will be asked to follow these scrolling dots that will be moving right to left, then left to right. After that, they are moving from top to bottom, and then bottom to top.
The 2nd part of the test, is the repositioning test. You lay down with the tech assisting you, with your head hanging off the table. You are told to look to the right (or left), and then brought back into a sitting position. This is repeated for the opposite direction.
The last part is using both cold and warm air insterted into your ears (not at the same time). Each ear gets 1 minute cold, then 1 minute warm. Then you are asked to do a mental exercise between each session....like naming boys names beginning from A to Z.
I don't recall it being painful at all. Just time consuming. I failed the repositioning test. That is what sent me to the neuro. I was dx'd with vertigo as a symptom, and rx'd Antivert. It was my 2nd flare-up, and he also started me on Avonex weekly injections.
I hope this clears some things up for you. Wouldn't it be something if you have already had this done, and that it is fresher in your memory than mine, and you could tell me a thing or two!! :bouncing:
Jewel is right, they start eliminating other things to come to an MS conclusion, and that may take some time to figure out. MS is sneaky and puzzling. And when you are in "limbo", it can mess with your head!
All the best to you!!
Chrissy
My ENT ordered an ENG for me when I had my last flare-up. I had dizziness, so he wanted to rule out any middle ear problems.
The test is very easy, and it takes about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Mine was done in a tiny office, not in a hospital. No gowns, just street clothes.
What it involves is placing electrodes/sensors around the eye area. These will measure eye movements as you watch stimuli. The eye responds to ear sensations like dizziness.
You are going to in a dark room with the person who gives you the test. Then, while sitting, you will be asked to follow these scrolling dots that will be moving right to left, then left to right. After that, they are moving from top to bottom, and then bottom to top.
The 2nd part of the test, is the repositioning test. You lay down with the tech assisting you, with your head hanging off the table. You are told to look to the right (or left), and then brought back into a sitting position. This is repeated for the opposite direction.
The last part is using both cold and warm air insterted into your ears (not at the same time). Each ear gets 1 minute cold, then 1 minute warm. Then you are asked to do a mental exercise between each session....like naming boys names beginning from A to Z.
I don't recall it being painful at all. Just time consuming. I failed the repositioning test. That is what sent me to the neuro. I was dx'd with vertigo as a symptom, and rx'd Antivert. It was my 2nd flare-up, and he also started me on Avonex weekly injections.
I hope this clears some things up for you. Wouldn't it be something if you have already had this done, and that it is fresher in your memory than mine, and you could tell me a thing or two!! :bouncing:
Jewel is right, they start eliminating other things to come to an MS conclusion, and that may take some time to figure out. MS is sneaky and puzzling. And when you are in "limbo", it can mess with your head!
All the best to you!!
Chrissy
elecchic1022
08-04-2004, 09:38 AM
Hi again Bec,
I almost forgot, you mention that you have a lot of stress and anxiety in your daily life.
Stress can do a number on you whether you have MS of not. If you have MS, it can cause you to have a flare-up.
You might want to talk to the doctor about stress modifying techniques, or even an Rx like Xanax. You are definitely going to have to pick and choose what is worthy of stressing over in your life. Not easy to do, but when you decide, you will feel much better!
Take care and stop stressing, just breathe ;)
Chrissy
I almost forgot, you mention that you have a lot of stress and anxiety in your daily life.
Stress can do a number on you whether you have MS of not. If you have MS, it can cause you to have a flare-up.
You might want to talk to the doctor about stress modifying techniques, or even an Rx like Xanax. You are definitely going to have to pick and choose what is worthy of stressing over in your life. Not easy to do, but when you decide, you will feel much better!
Take care and stop stressing, just breathe ;)
Chrissy