Finally the results of my MRI

Anonymous · October 2007

Well, I finally called Duke today to see if they had received the results for my brain MRI. The triage nurse promptly called me back and said they had not. Soooo, I call Delaney Radiology (that's here) and told them that my onc had not received the report. The girl looked it up and said they had faxed it on the 5th. Well, leave it to Duke to lose my brain! Laughing Anyway, it was faxed and the PA called me. First things she said was, are you seeing your primary care doctor this month? I told her I would see him in December. She wanted his fax number. I asked her what was the result on the MRI. She said not mets, BUT I have chronic small vessel disease. Well, I thought small vessel disease was always chronic! So, I then gave her my pcp's fax number. Oh, she wanted to tell me to take an aspirin a day and to make sure my blood pressure was in check.

I'm just getting oldER and oldER and oldER!

So, I don't know if I can blame all my problems on Arimidex. I told a friend they were going to find dementia. Close. Surprised

iodine · October 2007

WTH is that??? At least they found your brain and there is NO METS. What happened to the large vessel? At least you got the results. Let us know how the aspirin works out. (BTW, if you're on NSAIDs, or VitE, ck with your doc first)

LuAnnH · October 2007

I have heard of arimidex doing lots of stuff but never anything with vessels. I am relieved this is not mets, hopefully it will be something you can fix in the snap of a finger.

Anonymous · October 2007

Good results, Shirley....celebrate! Small vessels? Well, it seems to me that you've hinted in the past that you'd like something in/on your body to be small, right? Wink

And I know what you mean about Duke losing your brain....I lost mine here a long time ago!!

~Marin

AnneW · October 2007

Congrats on no mets, Shirley.

Look at it this way--any time you forget something, you can blame the small vessel issue...And for what it's worth, this may not be a new thing in your brain.

Anne

Member_of_the_Club · October 2007

Getting older is the goal, right? Congrats on no mets an thannks for sharing tteh good news.

Anonymous · October 2007

It's hard for me to explain this disease. Wonder why? Must be those small vessels in my brain. LOL

My brother was just dxd with it and my father also had. My mother probably does too. However, she IS 91!

When my brother was first dxd they had to see a neuro to determine whether it was SVD or MS. I believe I'd rather have SVD than MS.

My SIL asked one of the doctors about my brother's dx. He told her that he had 2 to 3 years to live. To make their memories now. I thought, WTH are you telling him this for! So, my other brother and I searched the internet and there was no such prognosis. I was sooooo angry! We told him what we found and we also sent them "stuff" on this disease. When my brother went to see his shrink (have I told you that I'm nuts? Laughing ..must run in the family) he said that the doctor who told my SIL that was crazy. Poor brother, he was quite depressed (even more so than usual) when he thought he was doomed in the VERY near future. Already started talking to his kids about taking care of my SIL.

Here's just a little of what I found without going into too much medical stuff. Many people are walking around with this disease.

http://www.stroke.org.uk/research/funded_research/research_projects_programme_grants/research_region/london/what_causes.html

About a quarter of strokes are caused by a reduction of blood supply in the small blood vessels deep in the brain. The same disease can also cause cognitive impairment and dementia. Most patients with the disease have high blood pressure, but why some individuals develop this disease and others do not is unknown. One theory is that the lining of the blood vessels does not function normally. The reasons for this are unknown, but studies have shown that genetic predisposition may increase risk.

Anonymous · October 2007

Dotti, I as the my onc's PA if I could continue to take my fish oil and she said yes. I'm not on Nsaids, only if I have some kind of pain or fever. My large vessels? Uh, good question. I don't know enough about the anatomy of the brain and I don't have much of one left. LOL

LuAnn, nope, this isn't from Arimidex. This probably has been going on for a few years. No cure for it. No fixes. What's done is done. Only lifestyle changes e.g. monitoring bp closely, fat intake, weight, etc (all those fun things) that will hopefully keep in from progressing. That is something I'll need to speak with my pcp about.

Marin, HAHA! Yep, I CAN tell my docs that there is SOMETHING small about my body...my brain may be a bit smaller also. I would like to see the MRI. Or do I? Undecided

Anne, I plan to blame my memory loss on both Armidex AND small vessel disease! If I did that people would for sure think I was loopy. Besides that, I'll probably forget that I have SVD. Laughing

Yep, MOTC, getting oldER is the goal. I'm also very happy for you that your tests came out B9!

Shirley

tawyna1 · October 2007

well shirley,

i am glad it is not mets. sorry about the vessel diease.

my mom has had mini strokes. when she forgets she blames it on that.

best of health to you god bless Smile

JoanofArdmore · October 2007

"Small Vessel disease".

?????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Since your family is not strange to this disease, and since THEY are not on femara, my big mouth is shut.I wont scream "It IS from the femara."

Since your mom is 91, and since the docs have put paid to the stupid "enjoy your family" instruction to your poor brother, then I think it's not time to worry.Right?

But.."small vessel disease"?Did they just make that up? Duke?They lose your brain and make up queer things?

Shirley, is having floaters an indication of SMD?

And how are your floaters, anyway?What did these docs say about THEM?

Big love, j

JoanofArdmore · October 2007

Shirley, I've been mulling this news and fretting gently.

All I can think of s that "energy-making dark chocolate."It also makes our veins flexible.Which is its most important attribute.Flexible small vessels would be, I think, a good thing.

You think?

j

gsg · October 2007

hi, Shirley. I haven't been on here a lot and didn't know you were going through these tests. how frightening thinking you might have brain mets. I'm so happy and relieved for you that it's not cancer.

and if you'd like to borrow my signature, feel free!

suave · October 2007

I have to say that many of us have so many body problems we just don't know it. I, for example have some problem with the uterus. If a pelvic sonogram wasn't done I wouldn't know. What I mean is that I think as we get older those things are normal and so many people have it they just don't know it.

Anonymous · October 2007

Tawyna, so that's what's been causing my memory problems. LOL

Joan, it isn't the AIs that cause this problem. I probably had it before bc. As we age sometimes this happens. The PA wanted to make sure I took an aspirin and it's important to control the bp. Sure don't want to have a stroke. And, I NEED TO EXERCISE AND EAT BETTER. I need to do that just because.... The floaters are the same. The ophthalmologist is the one that said it was vitreous detachment. I'm sure that's what it is. And can happen to aged eyes and people with diabetes and who know who else. The thing we need to be aware of is if the floaters change, see flashing lights or something that looks like a curtain falls...that could mean retinal detachment. Floaters are very common. But mine did change one day, and I mean CHANGE. Hence, that's why I called the opthalmolgist. Don't fret. Wink

Patrice, as always, you make me laugh. I do SO love your signature. At least I can say I can't remember jack because I'm on Arimidex, had chemo, and now SVD. Good excuse, huh? Laughing To tell you the truth I really was not that concerned that it was brain mets. I know that sounds silly. It just so happened that I mentioned this to the PA and she said let's look at your brain. So, WE did.

Suave, you're right. We have changes as we age. I'm just beggining to feel like I'm aging too quickly. Frown Darn, I'm not THAT old! I'm 61. Shoot, my dad probably walked around with SVD for 20 years AT LEAST.

Shirley

Finally the results of my MRI

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