Taking charge and asking for an MRI.

[cas]

Dear friends,

I appreciate the seven responses to my question last week.  I finally told the Doctor I want an MRI.  She told me I had to go to the emergency room because it would take a few weeks to refer me to a neurologist.  So I did.  I got in my car drove to Atlanta and walked into the emergency room .  I meet the smartest ER doctor who actually listened to my symptoms and told me it sounded like AN.  I was shocked.  I told him about my research and the ANA website.  He was impressed.   

The good news is the MRI showed a cyst on my left side sinus.  This is very common and can be treated easily or removed at a later date.

I learned several wonderful things from all of you:  You all are funny, loving, caring, and determined to help others , thank you!  I also learned that only YOU can take care of yourself and that we she all be more assertive in health issues.  Just as you all listened to me, I think that some doctors could do a better job in this area.

Thank you for your information and friendship.  What did people do before the internet?  What a great tool for all.

God Bless you all

CAS

[ppearl214]

CAS, this is fab news and tickled that many here were able to help you with research and thoughts/inputs.  I, for one, truly do understand what it means to take charge of your own healthcare and commend you for doing the same. great news it's not AN and hoping you are feeling better soon.

But, a true lesson for many... if we do not take charge of our own medical and ask or demand as needed when we know our own bodies better than any dr, etc, then, we are left (many times) to the mercy of our dr's, practictioners, etc.  You know how you feel physically, it's up to us to be able to tell (or demand) that our doctors take care of us.  If they choose not too, well, certainly a red flag with me that they are nervous and I'll take their house pmt elsewhere.

Phyl

[Battyp]

Amen to that one...had I of not been assertive I'd be dead!

cas yeah good news!!!

see it's still good news monday

[SKT]

I agree - generally you know when something's not right with you. It's so important to get yourself referred to a specialist - AN symptoms can be put down to so many other less serious things. 

[Larry]

Woooooo  Hoooooooo

Thats great news Cas. Your cyst is a welcome intruder compared to other rotten little buggars (oooh, can I say that on this site?) too bad, I just did.


Laz

[thecakes]

   When I saw my first MRI my tumor was the size of a quarter, it was all white and stuck out like a sore thumb.  I know this sounds silly but I'd love to have kept it and show this to my friends.

[Joef]

LOL .. yep, I still have a copy of the first MRI with what looks like an egg in my head ... my mother still won't look at it .. 

[minnkris]

Congrats Cas, glad all is working out well for you.

Where I live, (or maybe its just my doctors) it is my responsibility to take care of my MRI's. I have a fine collection of 3. Just got the last one done last week and found out I don't need to have another one until 2008. I hope I can remember where I put the other 3 in 2 years time.

[thecakes]

   Where I come from you give the mri's to the dr. and thats it.  Do you think I can just ask for my mri's back?

[SKT]

Cakes - the MRIs are actually your property - you have every right to ask for them

[Boppie]

I have had MRI's, Nuclear scans, ultraounds, bone density tests.  Copies of my all tests and written reports reside in my house.  I go to the XRay department and request a copy, period.  I have never been turned down.  Some places want a little money for a copy,  but most offices will give you one copy free (for the films).  I have never been charged for a paper copy of the diagnostician's report.  Your test results are yours, it's the law - also, we have open records law here in Texas.  How about your state? 

[SKT]

i'm from Australia - the patient owns the scans - once the doctors have examined the scans, they return them to you.

[Battyp]

Cakes I think that's just a scare tactic!  I've had to get copies to give to other docs and they tell me DO NOT open these( the are either stapled or taped at the top).  The first thing I do is open and burn a copy (as mine are on cd) and make a copy of the report.  Now remembering where I put them is a whole different ball game!  LOL

[ppearl214]

In the USA, the MRI scans are the property of us. Typically, we have to sign a release from the MRI Imaging center when given to us, but after that... they belong to us... was actually thinging of re-doing the walls of my office with my films!  I especially love the way my eyes look on the films!  Then, I could get my co-workers to play "find the whatamajig?"... find the AN, find the Chiari 1 Malformation and as an added bonus, find the Choroidal Cyst (that last bugger is a tough one to find, but when you find it on the films, it sure does stick out like a sore thumb!)

[***Leigh***]

Wallpaper scans - I like.  Not sure what the deal is with who owns the scans here in the UK.  I guess I would definitely be entitled to a copy of the ones I had done privately but not sure about the one I've had done on the NHS!  Then again I'm sure with the Data Access you can get copies of anything about you that Companies hold on file.... assume that applies to medical reports.   Will need to look into it!

L