Now that the ringing in my ears has finally faded away after the follow-up MRIs, it's time to write about the subsequent analysis with the latest neurologist to see me, this time at the Rosario Hospital (or to give it its real name, Hospital Nuestra Señora del Rosario).
When I was booked in at the same hospital to have the MRIs done, I was also booked in for an appointment with Dra Herrera who is meant to be Sanitas' number 1 DR for MS.
The new MRIs were also to include a different type of MRI, this one was a type of scan to determine if my MS symptoms (remember that MS is ordinarily diagnosed by exclusion, various different symptoms and test results combine to give the most probable cause) were caused because of a venal blockage in the veins draining the central nervous system.
If a blockage was found here during the MRI, it might have led to further investigation into whether or not a treatment plan based on CCSVI (Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency), and unblocking the veins, or not.
It should be made clear that CCSVI is still undergoing other trials to test whether it is a suitable diagnosis and if the proposed treatment plan (a balloon stent to unblock the vein), risky enough anyway, was effective enough to warrant its use.
When I got to the hospital though for my 2pm appointment (and to collect the MRI results), I was waiting until 2.45 before I was called and told that Dra Herrera could still see me, but that she was very busy and they didn't to leave me waiting outside for hours, so another DR was available instead.
Dr Casals introduced himself and we went into his office.
I described my case history for the fourth time (I had now seen four different Neurologists after the original MRIs) and as I had brought all the previous notes, scan results, Lumbar Puncture results and so on with me, I was able to pass them to him on request.
He decided to look at the oldest MRIs without reading the medical reports so that later, when he compared those with the most recent ones, he'd be able to ascertain for himself what the conclusions were, and then see if the medical summaries provided, matched up with his medical opinion.
He went through the old scans and then followed up by examining the latest ones, and then he seemed to look a little concerned - I asked him what the matter was.
"Well, it looks like there is a new active lesion here in the new scans that wasn't in the old ones"
Hmm, not a great feeling - partially because it was almost like being diagnosed with MS again, and also because I had been so convinced I was feeling better and following a suitable treatment plan (vitamins/diet), it felt like everything had been undone in one minute.
Dr Casals went back to the older scans.
"Ahhh, found it.", he said. "I must have missed it on the first pass. Well, if it had been a new lesion, that would have been bad news, however, it seems to be the previous one which might still have been active in the last three months so...there's nothing to worry about."
I removed myself from the floor and re-seated myself.
Hey pop-pickers, how'd you like a look at my Axial Flair MRI scan...
Hmm, not the most endearing pick-up line but here it is:
And I think this one is the Coronal T1 image although I'm not too sure about that.
Sure beats offering if someone wants to pop up and see your etchings.
Anyway, we then chatted for a while (in English, mercifully), and he viewed the low number of lesions and their small size, as actually not being drug-worthy, in that, interferons and other drug based immune-system suppressants, are too hard-core with too many risks to the immune system.
Whilst he wasn't overly impressed with the idea of either CCSVI, nor diet approaches, he did also acknowledge that, whilst treatment ASAP was best, it had to be weighed against risks/current disease phase/quality of life.
Knowing I was moving back to the U.K., he suggested the following:
- that I should try to get to an MS clinic as soon as possible, using the work & results obtained in Spain - since the groundwork had already been done, there's no point in waiting on referrals from other DRs in the NHS, in order to eventually get seen for a first MRI.
- to get a new scan in the U.K. within about three months, along with new multi-mode visual evoked potential (VEP) tests.
These new tests will be used comparatively with the current two older sets of results to track disease progression, or hopefully, lack of progression.
So, in summary - nothing much has changed since the last scans done along with the original diagnosis. I have to simply carry on being awesome (San Diego...Anchorman), be aware of any changes and keep myself informed.
When I get to the UK, get hooked up with an MS clinic and carry on from there.
Oh yes, and meanwhile, I've now lost 7kg :D
What's that? "Oh hello waistline - where've you been all my adult life?"
So, assuming nothing happens meanwhile, my next blog will be from the not-so-sunny, U.K.
I can hardly wait...
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