feelbad

this could be symptomatic of a few different things actually.it is just a matter of testing certain things and ruling them in or out and moving onto the next possibility.have they ever actually checked your thyroid?you can have some pretty incredible symptoms if your thyroid is hypo.just one thought for you.as far as answering the questions on your other post,you can also have an angiogram done on your brain,not just your heart(the test is exactly the same and done in the same way,only in a different heavily arterial structure).they just go into the groin area(the femoral artery) and snake a cath up thru your arterial structures on up to the base of the brain area and shoot dye into the arteries up there.after that a very different type of "x ray' is taken.this just really is the very best way to really see all of the arteries within the brain to see any odd vascular formations such as AVM or aneurysm,or other strange things that can be within an artery.it is a very definitive type of test.it shows all the arteries in a very clear way without any other brain structures there to hide things from view.i have had to have several of these done.this is normally done AFTER they happen to find something arterial on the other scans and not normally done before.it gives the docs and the neuro interventional radiologist who would be doing something with like say an aneurysm?the best possible view before doing any real procedures.tho it 'can' be done at any time,since it does involve some risk,they just don't usually send you for one unless there is something found upon another type of scan like the MRI or MRA.once my aneurysm was actually confirmed with the MRA,i was sent for one just to see what treatment options i had.thankfully it was able to be coiled so i did not have to have part of my freaking skull removed for the craniotomy which involves clipping off the aneurysm from the blood supply.

the MRI with contrast really would be most helpful for you right now.that contrast is really a big help when you are trying to "find' something that needs to be found within just about any organ.it clarifys things a bit better.the MRA is kind of like an angio in that it only highlights the arterial structures within the brain and nothing else.but this is a much safer simpler procedure since it is done basically the very same way an MRI is done.you just lie in that tube and the difference in the test is actually just done from the tech end,you don;t have to actually DO anything but lie there,just like the MRI.

honestly,for what your symptoms currently are and what you are looking at here i would really speak with your doc about the contrast and possibly adding the MRA to the "to do' list.it can all be done all at one time so it really would not be any big deal for your doc to just write that order for you.since you are going to have that MRI done anyway,it would just save time and probably money too to have it done all at the very same time.this really would be the ideal way to go for you and would be looking at ALL the possible areas that could be causing your symptoms.just speak with your doc about this and make your case with him for having this all done.it really should not be an issue for him to do for you.i do wish you luck and hope they can at least find the source of the symptoms.not having any real Dx when you are having your types of symptoms just sucks.been there done that one to death.please keep me posted on how things go,K? take care, FB

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3-22-01,herniated C-6-7
11-20-01,placement of hardware for failed fusion
9-22-03,removal of cavernous hemangioma that was inside spinal cord. Neuro damage to L hand L leg and R leg.