On the 12th October I telephoned my GP surgery due to five weeks having passed since my hospital stay and scan. The receptionist stated there were no results from the scan but a letter had arrived on the 7th October for my GP and she wasn't at liberty to tell me what was written in the letter however I could speak with the doctor. I said I would contact Dr Tyagi myself.
I emailed Dr T later that day and asked if there were any results of my scan and could he update about my referral to London . I got a basic reply stating he had already written to my GP with a discharge summary and my scan was normal, he also said he would check the progress of the funding request. Yet again I never received a letter from Dr T informing me of my results, I had to call my GP surgery and then email him myself. How incompetent that a Neurologist will not communicate with a patient, all I'm looking for is to be copied in on the letters he is sending to my GP about my care. The basic lack of communication from him is awful not forgetting the mistakes he's made with mixing me up with another patient, sending me for a CT Angio to query a Carotid Artery Dissection instead of concentrating on the Vertebral Artery. He has been so evasive and not answered my question on two occasions on how he questioned the wrong artery.
I am becoming extremely bitter in the last few months with life in general. I honestly don't see a future for myself going forward with these debilitating symptoms. No one believes my symptoms, no one is interested in my symptoms and no one wants to investigate my symptoms. It is coming up to three years in the next few days since I decorated my living room, a living room I have not had the chance to relax and enjoy due to the on going headache and sound in my head. I am mentally exhausted trying to fight for a diagnosis and treatment. I need to be free from these symptoms. I feel so stupid I don't want to go back to my GP surgery. I am made to feel that I am wrong about what is going on within my own body. I do have something going on in my head, the headache,Pulsatile Tinnitus and neck pain are symptoms of an underlying cause. I do not have a mental health issue and I do not suffer from anxiety but I feel as if I am being judged that way.
Whirring Wanderer
Showing posts with label headache. Show all posts
Showing posts with label headache. Show all posts
Monday, 19 October 2015
Tuesday, 22 September 2015
September 2015 update
For those of you who are still following and have not keeled over yet....................................................
I still don't have any positive news. I went into hospital on the 31st August to the 4th September and had the Dihydroergotamine infusion over four days. I didn't tolerate the first two infusions very well and felt weak with no energy and the pressure in my head heightened as did the headache, I also developed a heavy feeling in the middle of my chest, overall I felt awful. I eventually told a nurse that I was having pins and needles over the left of my head which I have experienced on many occasions but this was far worse therefore it was decided that I have the infusion over three hours instead of the usual one hour. I explained to the nurse I was slightly concerned as I had obtained an opinion outwith the Nhs and a Vertebral Artery Dissection had been put forward as a possible cause of my on going symptoms and I felt that the drug infusion was constricting the artery hence more intense pins and needles. The nurse went away and came back stating it was in my notes that I definitely did not have a dissection at any point as Professor Keith Muir had a note in my file that he had read my MRA scan and there was no evidence of dissection. (I wonder what he thought the strange bulge in my vertebral artery is) My immediate thought is that he was asked to look for a carotid abnormality or dissection.
On day three I spoke with my neurologist Dr Tyagi who still hasn't answered my question on why he questioned the carotid artery being dissected instead of the vertebral. He suggested that he could apply for funding and send me to the National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery in London to which I agreed. He also requested another ECG because of the heavy feeling in my chest.
On day four I had a visit from a Dr George Gorrie a neurologist who Dr Tyagi had asked to come and speak with me regarding my symptoms. He let me explain my symptoms and asked a few questions. He said he had seen my scans and that they were normal. He questioned the doctor I had sent my scans to and said he wasn't just aware at how widely available these internet doctors were, who take money from people, I stopped him at that point to tell him it was a reputable doctor I sent my scans to that I paid a minimal fee and the reasons I sought answers was because I had suffered for nearly three years and no one was interested in helping me find a cause for my symptoms, he went on to say that our Nhs is a reputable free service that don't take money from people. I explained that the two other doctors I had opinions from did not charge me any money yet came up with the same diagnosis as Dr Shapiro in NY, his response was to say "interesting" and placed his hands on top of his head looking slightly bewildered. He had no notes with him and didn't take any he also hadn't read Dr Shapiro's report. He asked a few questions about family history and I explained my maternal line only live to mid 60's and its arterial issues they died from including brain haemorrhage and heart attack. He said my maternal grandmother probably fried her food!!! He asked me to lie flat until he had finished his ward round. On his return he came back with Dr Tyagi and two nurses, one of which was taking notes. Dr Gorrie asked how did I feel and I explained the headache was the same but the pressure deep within my neck was worse because my neck was slightly extended being flat on the bed so he decided to sit me up. Dr Tyagi suggested having another Mri scan but this time with contrast as they wanted to check the lining of my brain to rule out a condition and to rule out small tumours like a paraganglioma. Dr Gorrie then decided what hit the nail on the head for him that I did not have a carotid artery dissection was because the area in question of where my headache was is not consistent with a carotid tear. I honestly could not believe I was hearing the Carotid word again!!! I gave a nervous laugh and firmly said that's because its a vertebral dissection. He stared and said "oh ok". I could see Dr Tyagi slightly shifting from side to side and nodding to what I said but gave no corrections to Dr Gorrie. Dr Tyagi said he would arrange the scan and they then left the room and chatted outside in the corridor.
Later in the afternoon around 4pm Dr Tracey Baird visited me, a very pleasant woman. I explained my symptoms on how and when they started and I also gave a bit more of the background on how I came to be given the diagnosis by Dr Shapiro as she was taking notes where as Dr Gorrie didn't. I told her all about the sound in my head and how I'd related it to Pulsatile Tinnitus by searching the internet, I gave her a website to look at. I explained how I was able to find out Dr Shapiro's details to send my scans to. Dr Baird's response was that "any doctor can have a glossy website and take all your money and we need to be aware of these sort of things that's why we have the Nhs" I explained Dr Shapiro didn't just have a glossy website but was also a very well known Neurointerventionalist in New York and was from the Langone medical centre http://www.med.nyu.edu/ Dr Baird went on to say that my question of whether I had suffered a dissection or not could never be answered. I explained that Dr Shapiro could tell by doing a cerebral angiogram and a balloon test occlusion on the artery, it would show the false side of the lumen and if the pulsing noise stopped with the balloon test then it would confirm the diagnosis and the artery could be fixed at the same time eliminating the pulsatile tinnitus hopefully reducing my headaches and other symptoms. Dr Baird however told me that under no circumstances would that be carried out here in Scotland and not to trust the other doctor as what he was proposing to do I was at high risk of death. I said it was highly unlikely considering Dr Shapiro carried out these operations every day and that as the Nhs were not helping me I might have no choice but to go America and have the treatment there as no one can read my scans properly. Dr Baird continued to say she too had read my scans and that all arteries were normal. I asked her which artery and she looked puzzled, I said I had a question were you asked to look at my scans in regards to a Carotid dissection and she said YES! OH MY FLUFFING GOODNESS SAKES I couldn't believe it, yet again the wrong artery! I asked that she correct what was written on my notes because I believed Dr Tyagi had made a mistake and had yet to correct it within my file and clearly he was asking his colleagues to look at the wrong artery. Dr Baird wrote down the information I was telling her and I asked had she read Dr Shapiro's report to which she looked through the file she had on her knee which contained a few sheets of A4 paper and then said no she hadn't read it or seen it!!! At this point I wanted to say fuck off get out my room I'm going home, I trust none of you fuckers! Of course I never and instead I got my phone out and showed Dr Baird images from my MRA & CTA and asked if she thought my images were normal but she wouldn't answer, only repeating that she would need to go back and re-look them and if anything it would be another artery or vein sitting on top of one another showing on my images. When I pointed out a marked image sent by Dr Shapiro and asked what she thought the double lumen was she said to her it looked as if another artery was in the way and was sitting on top or crossing over it, I said it was showing on numerous images and showing both on my MRA & CTA, two scans can not be wrong on what its showing, again she said she would re-look my scans but wouldn't admit my images were abnormal, she maintained they were normal. I asked a few further questions on why I wasn't able to exercise due to the headache and sound becoming louder in my head yet I never got a constructive answer, I put it to Dr Baird that if I had nothing wrong then I could go ahead and do overhead painting again and she said "well no I wouldn't do that when you have an on going condition" she went on to say its like when anyone has a health condition they need to adapt for example people diagnosed with diabetes have to take steps to adapt to their health. The issue I have with that statement is that I don't have a diagnosed condition, I have a huge list of symptoms that no one is interested in investigating and getting to the bottom of them. Pulsatile Tinnitus is not a condition it is an underlying symptom of a vascular condition and needs a full on medical work up to see what is causing it. Dr Baird left and I sat for an hour going through my scans on my phone, there was no other artery or vein crossing over my vertebral from any angle!
On Friday 4th September before I left the hospital I was taken for an MRI with contrast, as of today 22nd Sept I am still waiting on the results and/or a follow up appointment to discuss the next steps.
Thanks for reading
Whirring Wanderer
I still don't have any positive news. I went into hospital on the 31st August to the 4th September and had the Dihydroergotamine infusion over four days. I didn't tolerate the first two infusions very well and felt weak with no energy and the pressure in my head heightened as did the headache, I also developed a heavy feeling in the middle of my chest, overall I felt awful. I eventually told a nurse that I was having pins and needles over the left of my head which I have experienced on many occasions but this was far worse therefore it was decided that I have the infusion over three hours instead of the usual one hour. I explained to the nurse I was slightly concerned as I had obtained an opinion outwith the Nhs and a Vertebral Artery Dissection had been put forward as a possible cause of my on going symptoms and I felt that the drug infusion was constricting the artery hence more intense pins and needles. The nurse went away and came back stating it was in my notes that I definitely did not have a dissection at any point as Professor Keith Muir had a note in my file that he had read my MRA scan and there was no evidence of dissection. (I wonder what he thought the strange bulge in my vertebral artery is) My immediate thought is that he was asked to look for a carotid abnormality or dissection.
On day three I spoke with my neurologist Dr Tyagi who still hasn't answered my question on why he questioned the carotid artery being dissected instead of the vertebral. He suggested that he could apply for funding and send me to the National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery in London to which I agreed. He also requested another ECG because of the heavy feeling in my chest.
On day four I had a visit from a Dr George Gorrie a neurologist who Dr Tyagi had asked to come and speak with me regarding my symptoms. He let me explain my symptoms and asked a few questions. He said he had seen my scans and that they were normal. He questioned the doctor I had sent my scans to and said he wasn't just aware at how widely available these internet doctors were, who take money from people, I stopped him at that point to tell him it was a reputable doctor I sent my scans to that I paid a minimal fee and the reasons I sought answers was because I had suffered for nearly three years and no one was interested in helping me find a cause for my symptoms, he went on to say that our Nhs is a reputable free service that don't take money from people. I explained that the two other doctors I had opinions from did not charge me any money yet came up with the same diagnosis as Dr Shapiro in NY, his response was to say "interesting" and placed his hands on top of his head looking slightly bewildered. He had no notes with him and didn't take any he also hadn't read Dr Shapiro's report. He asked a few questions about family history and I explained my maternal line only live to mid 60's and its arterial issues they died from including brain haemorrhage and heart attack. He said my maternal grandmother probably fried her food!!! He asked me to lie flat until he had finished his ward round. On his return he came back with Dr Tyagi and two nurses, one of which was taking notes. Dr Gorrie asked how did I feel and I explained the headache was the same but the pressure deep within my neck was worse because my neck was slightly extended being flat on the bed so he decided to sit me up. Dr Tyagi suggested having another Mri scan but this time with contrast as they wanted to check the lining of my brain to rule out a condition and to rule out small tumours like a paraganglioma. Dr Gorrie then decided what hit the nail on the head for him that I did not have a carotid artery dissection was because the area in question of where my headache was is not consistent with a carotid tear. I honestly could not believe I was hearing the Carotid word again!!! I gave a nervous laugh and firmly said that's because its a vertebral dissection. He stared and said "oh ok". I could see Dr Tyagi slightly shifting from side to side and nodding to what I said but gave no corrections to Dr Gorrie. Dr Tyagi said he would arrange the scan and they then left the room and chatted outside in the corridor.
Later in the afternoon around 4pm Dr Tracey Baird visited me, a very pleasant woman. I explained my symptoms on how and when they started and I also gave a bit more of the background on how I came to be given the diagnosis by Dr Shapiro as she was taking notes where as Dr Gorrie didn't. I told her all about the sound in my head and how I'd related it to Pulsatile Tinnitus by searching the internet, I gave her a website to look at. I explained how I was able to find out Dr Shapiro's details to send my scans to. Dr Baird's response was that "any doctor can have a glossy website and take all your money and we need to be aware of these sort of things that's why we have the Nhs" I explained Dr Shapiro didn't just have a glossy website but was also a very well known Neurointerventionalist in New York and was from the Langone medical centre http://www.med.nyu.edu/ Dr Baird went on to say that my question of whether I had suffered a dissection or not could never be answered. I explained that Dr Shapiro could tell by doing a cerebral angiogram and a balloon test occlusion on the artery, it would show the false side of the lumen and if the pulsing noise stopped with the balloon test then it would confirm the diagnosis and the artery could be fixed at the same time eliminating the pulsatile tinnitus hopefully reducing my headaches and other symptoms. Dr Baird however told me that under no circumstances would that be carried out here in Scotland and not to trust the other doctor as what he was proposing to do I was at high risk of death. I said it was highly unlikely considering Dr Shapiro carried out these operations every day and that as the Nhs were not helping me I might have no choice but to go America and have the treatment there as no one can read my scans properly. Dr Baird continued to say she too had read my scans and that all arteries were normal. I asked her which artery and she looked puzzled, I said I had a question were you asked to look at my scans in regards to a Carotid dissection and she said YES! OH MY FLUFFING GOODNESS SAKES I couldn't believe it, yet again the wrong artery! I asked that she correct what was written on my notes because I believed Dr Tyagi had made a mistake and had yet to correct it within my file and clearly he was asking his colleagues to look at the wrong artery. Dr Baird wrote down the information I was telling her and I asked had she read Dr Shapiro's report to which she looked through the file she had on her knee which contained a few sheets of A4 paper and then said no she hadn't read it or seen it!!! At this point I wanted to say fuck off get out my room I'm going home, I trust none of you fuckers! Of course I never and instead I got my phone out and showed Dr Baird images from my MRA & CTA and asked if she thought my images were normal but she wouldn't answer, only repeating that she would need to go back and re-look them and if anything it would be another artery or vein sitting on top of one another showing on my images. When I pointed out a marked image sent by Dr Shapiro and asked what she thought the double lumen was she said to her it looked as if another artery was in the way and was sitting on top or crossing over it, I said it was showing on numerous images and showing both on my MRA & CTA, two scans can not be wrong on what its showing, again she said she would re-look my scans but wouldn't admit my images were abnormal, she maintained they were normal. I asked a few further questions on why I wasn't able to exercise due to the headache and sound becoming louder in my head yet I never got a constructive answer, I put it to Dr Baird that if I had nothing wrong then I could go ahead and do overhead painting again and she said "well no I wouldn't do that when you have an on going condition" she went on to say its like when anyone has a health condition they need to adapt for example people diagnosed with diabetes have to take steps to adapt to their health. The issue I have with that statement is that I don't have a diagnosed condition, I have a huge list of symptoms that no one is interested in investigating and getting to the bottom of them. Pulsatile Tinnitus is not a condition it is an underlying symptom of a vascular condition and needs a full on medical work up to see what is causing it. Dr Baird left and I sat for an hour going through my scans on my phone, there was no other artery or vein crossing over my vertebral from any angle!
On Friday 4th September before I left the hospital I was taken for an MRI with contrast, as of today 22nd Sept I am still waiting on the results and/or a follow up appointment to discuss the next steps.
Thanks for reading
Whirring Wanderer
Tuesday, 23 June 2015
June 2015 Update
I have nothing positive to update as yet. I received my appointment through for the drug infusion for November 2015, it also states MRI scan & Review. It looks like they are planning to do a scan whilst I am in hospital in November. I find it entirely unacceptable I have been begging for help since November 2012 and now I need to wait over three years for treatment.
On Wednesday 3rd June I received a letter from a hospital in Glasgow called New Victoria Hospital stating they could not contact me by telephone to arrange my MRA and could I telephone them within one week or my appointment for the scan would be cancelled. I thought it strange as Dr Tyagi did say at my previous appointment that one of the three options was that he could arrange for all my scans to be repeated but he would see no need, I had chosen option one which was the drug infusion. Now I was thinking Dr T was on my side and he had gone out his way to arrange another scan. I telephoned the New Victoria Hospital over the following days and never got a response it was a constant answer phone, I left two voice mails with my telephone number, CHI number & date of birth. To be honest I was totally confused as I did not have any missed calls on any of my telephones from the standard 0800 6783393 Nhs number. I have given my telephone numbers to numerous medical staff who have asked for it over the last 2 and a half years so this baffled me. On the third day after not receiving a response from New Victoria Hosp I emailed Dr Tyagi to let him know I had received such letter and that I was confused. I also reminded him I had requested a copy of my CTA on three previous occasions and had yet to receive it. His response was "I am confused as well because I received an email from the neuro-radiologists questioning why I was asking for an MRI scan when a CT angiogram had been normal (I have written to you in this regard). Let me make enquiries and I will revert to you"
It gets more confusing, later that day the post arrived and I did indeed have a letter from Dr T stating that my request for MRA had been refused due to having a normal CTA. I never requested an MRA in the first place and does Dr T actually know what he is doing, he is the only one who is able to request scans. I still had no answer to what had gone wrong with the letters and his promised "let me make enquiries and revert to you" has never happened. He never does what he states he will do. Yesterday on the 22nd June I sent another email stating I wish to make a subject access request and this was now my 5th time requesting a copy of my CTA scan that was carried out on the 19th March and had been requested on five occasions since 8th April. Dr T responded "I have requested for the CT angiogram images on a cd again this afternoon." Now this is the first time he has ever acknowledged that he has requested my scan, in previous emails he said he would do it for me and then nothing or he would disregard it in the other emails and only answer part of my queries. I also asked twice at my previous appointment with him on the 20th May if he could please get a copy of the CTA to me and he said he would.
I am getting closer to the end of a very long rope. What do I have to do to get doctor's to listen to me.
I HAVE A SOUND IN MY HEAD THAT SOUNDS LIKE A BABY'S ULTRASOUND, I HAVE A CONSTANT LEFT SIDED HEADACHE, I HAVE CONSTANT LEFT SIDE NECK AND EAR PRESSURE, I HAVE A BLUR IN MY LEFT EYE, I HAVE BALANCE ISSUES WHERE I GET PULLED TO THE LEFT SIDE, I AM EXHAUSTED BY LATE AFTERNOON, MY HEAD BECOMES EXTREMELY HEAVY, EVERYTHING I DO NEEDS TO BE DONE AT A SNAILS PACE.
Maybe I have severe psychological issues, maybe my mind is not as sound as I think it is, is my brain sending false signals, maybe I don't have a sound in my head, maybe I'm imagining it all? And maybe Elvis Presley is still alive and maybe all doctors who are covering each others backsides need to take responsibility for their failings in treating me fairly!
On Wednesday 3rd June I received a letter from a hospital in Glasgow called New Victoria Hospital stating they could not contact me by telephone to arrange my MRA and could I telephone them within one week or my appointment for the scan would be cancelled. I thought it strange as Dr Tyagi did say at my previous appointment that one of the three options was that he could arrange for all my scans to be repeated but he would see no need, I had chosen option one which was the drug infusion. Now I was thinking Dr T was on my side and he had gone out his way to arrange another scan. I telephoned the New Victoria Hospital over the following days and never got a response it was a constant answer phone, I left two voice mails with my telephone number, CHI number & date of birth. To be honest I was totally confused as I did not have any missed calls on any of my telephones from the standard 0800 6783393 Nhs number. I have given my telephone numbers to numerous medical staff who have asked for it over the last 2 and a half years so this baffled me. On the third day after not receiving a response from New Victoria Hosp I emailed Dr Tyagi to let him know I had received such letter and that I was confused. I also reminded him I had requested a copy of my CTA on three previous occasions and had yet to receive it. His response was "I am confused as well because I received an email from the neuro-radiologists questioning why I was asking for an MRI scan when a CT angiogram had been normal (I have written to you in this regard). Let me make enquiries and I will revert to you"
It gets more confusing, later that day the post arrived and I did indeed have a letter from Dr T stating that my request for MRA had been refused due to having a normal CTA. I never requested an MRA in the first place and does Dr T actually know what he is doing, he is the only one who is able to request scans. I still had no answer to what had gone wrong with the letters and his promised "let me make enquiries and revert to you" has never happened. He never does what he states he will do. Yesterday on the 22nd June I sent another email stating I wish to make a subject access request and this was now my 5th time requesting a copy of my CTA scan that was carried out on the 19th March and had been requested on five occasions since 8th April. Dr T responded "I have requested for the CT angiogram images on a cd again this afternoon." Now this is the first time he has ever acknowledged that he has requested my scan, in previous emails he said he would do it for me and then nothing or he would disregard it in the other emails and only answer part of my queries. I also asked twice at my previous appointment with him on the 20th May if he could please get a copy of the CTA to me and he said he would.
I am getting closer to the end of a very long rope. What do I have to do to get doctor's to listen to me.
I HAVE A SOUND IN MY HEAD THAT SOUNDS LIKE A BABY'S ULTRASOUND, I HAVE A CONSTANT LEFT SIDED HEADACHE, I HAVE CONSTANT LEFT SIDE NECK AND EAR PRESSURE, I HAVE A BLUR IN MY LEFT EYE, I HAVE BALANCE ISSUES WHERE I GET PULLED TO THE LEFT SIDE, I AM EXHAUSTED BY LATE AFTERNOON, MY HEAD BECOMES EXTREMELY HEAVY, EVERYTHING I DO NEEDS TO BE DONE AT A SNAILS PACE.
Maybe I have severe psychological issues, maybe my mind is not as sound as I think it is, is my brain sending false signals, maybe I don't have a sound in my head, maybe I'm imagining it all? And maybe Elvis Presley is still alive and maybe all doctors who are covering each others backsides need to take responsibility for their failings in treating me fairly!
Saturday, 23 May 2015
My scan Images
Above is a link to view a few of my scan images that I can see an abnormality on the vertebral around V3 level at the atlas loop. Two Interventional Radiologists from New York and India have reported on my scans. Another doctor from Florida suggested a healed vertebral artery dissection where a haematoma has penetrated the three layers of the artery and created a double lumen of the artery which basically means the artery has two channels at a small part of the artery at the back of the atlas loop where blood flow is being pushed through both channels. I now understand why I am hearing the turbulent rhythmic sound in my head, its due to the blood flow, I can imagine if a hose had water pumping through it and the hose split into two channels and then met up again then the sound would be turbulent.
I believe my symptoms are real and of someone who has experienced a VAD. I can see the images are showing evidence of a VAD. The NHS (National Health Service) do not agree and state my MRA scan is normal. My Neurologist Dr Tyagi stated to me and Mr Wanderer that the scan has picked up something that is not there and that the scan is normal. I have unfortunately lost trust in all of these doctor's who have constantly closed doors and not allowed proper investigations to take place when I first presented. My MRA was arranged by myself two years after my symptoms started as my GP would not refer me to Neurology.
While I have researched constantly on my symptoms I won't stop until I have definite answers. I speak with so many sufferers who are experiencing pulsatile tinnitus and many do indeed receive a diagnosis. It takes an astute doctor to question what their patient is presenting with, unfortunately for the rest of us our doctor's put us into the tinnitus bracket even though we explain a baby ultrasound rhythmic sound in time with the pulse. There are many doctors who will also agree that their patient is suffering from pulsatile tinnitus and believe it needs no medical work up as they assume it is normal tinnitus which simply pulses. This is a myth and after searching through hundreds of medical reports of which I would say 80% were all blood flow restrictions within the head and the other 20% were tumors. I came across an extensive list of possible causes of pulsatile tinnitus. A few of which were Carotid Dissection, Vertebral Dissection, Aneurysm in the arteries and veins, Dural Arteriovenous Fistula, Stenosis of the sigmoid and transverse sinuses (veins leading to the jugular) Ateriovenous Malformation, Temporal bone defects, Superior Canal Dehiscence & High riding jugular bulb. The most important thing to remember is most of these causes can be diagnosed and can be treated. Doctor's need to realise that any small stenosis either in the veins or arteries carries a risk of stroke. I would immediately think that doctor's would want to investigate pulsatile tinnitus symptoms when any of their patients present with it.
It leads me to question how much training are GP's in the UK given on tinnitus and pulsatile tinnitus? Surely with advancing medicine refresher courses and on going training would cover pulsatile tinnitus. And finally PULSATILE TINNITUS IS NOT TINNITUS My acronym suits this condition perfectly which is RATS. Rhythmic Arteriovenous Tinnitus Sounds! When a patient presents with RATS a GP should ask the patient to take their pulse with three fingers on their wrist and see if the sound in their head matches what they feel on their wrist, another option is to ask the patient to tap out the rhythm with a finger on the desk.
All for now Whirring Wanderer
Thursday, 29 January 2015
January 2015 It is not all in my head!!!
Still suffering and still searching for answers. I found a Neurointerventialist in New York by googling and reading reviews. The Whooshers.com website that I have visited often also had good things to say about him and many patients in New York and beyond have reached out to him and been treated successfully. Whooshers website is an interesting read, I found the web site by typing in wooshing and headache. I made contact with Dr Shapiro of Langone Medical Centre in December and sent my Mra/Mrv on disc by post on the 2nd January.
7th January I was expected to be at a Pain Clinic appointment for another Occipital Nerve injection but I forgot about it and I'm ashamed to say I forgot to cancel it. Dr Meiklejohn will think I am extremely rude. The truth is I am extremely exhausted and can't function properly and do not want to keep going to numerous appointments when doctors have no interest in helping me. I have lost all trust in them, I feel like I'm a burden to them and a hypochondriac.
On the 19th January my doctor surgery called to state a prescription had been written for me by the doctor and is waiting to be collected. I have yet to collect it as I am unsure about taking it when I still don't know what is wrong with me. I have waited since the 12th December for the new prescription and I'm sure I can wait a bit longer until the Neurointerventionalist has had a look at my scans, then if nothing is found I will take the new prescription.
TUESDAY 27TH JAN 2015 DIAGNOSIS
I emailed the Neurointerventionalist Dr Shapiro in New York for a timescale of when he is able to view my scans. In the evening he called, I wasn't going to answer the phone as it was showing "outside area" and normally it's marketing calls. Dr Shapiro had emailed me a few images and asked that I switch on my computer to talk through the images. The phone call lasted 45 minutes. Diagnosis; A possible fenestration of the vertebral artery or a Vertebral Artery Dissection (VAD) that has healed separating the artery into two separate channels. The fenestration would cause no clinical symptoms however a vertebral artery dissection would cause all of my symptoms. This all makes sense when I read the symptoms of a VAD and then compare to my own suffering. I believe when my wooshing baby ultrasound noise changed to a whirr is when the artery was healing to form the two channels. I was actually hearing turbulent blood flow!!! I knew there was something wrong, there had to be, I am not imagining all these symptoms. Dr Shapiro suggests a cerebral angiogram to confirm his diagnosis and a balloon occlusion test which would close off the artery to see if it stopped the sound in my head and if so a stent could be placed to help with my symptoms.
WEDNESDAY 28TH JANUARY
I walked and partly staggered 2.2miles to my GP surgery to see Dr Stevenson. I explained I had sent my scans to New York and showed him the images I had been sent from the Neurointerventionalist. The doctor showed a little uneasiness in his seat and stated he wasn't an expert on these type of things and to move forward he would need a report so that it could be sent back to the radiographer at the private hospital where I had the scan carried out. I explained I would not be paying for any treatment or appointments under private care but the doctor explained it had to be referred back there for another opinion. It was very much a pass the buck attitude. Dr St. gave me the GP surgeries email address to forward the report. I emailed the Neurointerventionalist and asked if he would kindly write a report of his findings for my doctor so they could act on it. Thankfully just two hours later he did and I forwarded it my doctor and to the Neurologist Dr Tyagi.
THURSDAY 29TH JANUARY 3.40pm
My GP surgery called to say the doctor had read the report and that an urgent referral had been arranged to Neurology. I asked if I would be contacted by letter or telephone which was confirmed that I would receive an appointment by letter.
It looks like my journey on the NHS roller-coaster is not over just yet.
All for now
Whooshing Wanderer
7th January I was expected to be at a Pain Clinic appointment for another Occipital Nerve injection but I forgot about it and I'm ashamed to say I forgot to cancel it. Dr Meiklejohn will think I am extremely rude. The truth is I am extremely exhausted and can't function properly and do not want to keep going to numerous appointments when doctors have no interest in helping me. I have lost all trust in them, I feel like I'm a burden to them and a hypochondriac.
On the 19th January my doctor surgery called to state a prescription had been written for me by the doctor and is waiting to be collected. I have yet to collect it as I am unsure about taking it when I still don't know what is wrong with me. I have waited since the 12th December for the new prescription and I'm sure I can wait a bit longer until the Neurointerventionalist has had a look at my scans, then if nothing is found I will take the new prescription.
TUESDAY 27TH JAN 2015 DIAGNOSIS
I emailed the Neurointerventionalist Dr Shapiro in New York for a timescale of when he is able to view my scans. In the evening he called, I wasn't going to answer the phone as it was showing "outside area" and normally it's marketing calls. Dr Shapiro had emailed me a few images and asked that I switch on my computer to talk through the images. The phone call lasted 45 minutes. Diagnosis; A possible fenestration of the vertebral artery or a Vertebral Artery Dissection (VAD) that has healed separating the artery into two separate channels. The fenestration would cause no clinical symptoms however a vertebral artery dissection would cause all of my symptoms. This all makes sense when I read the symptoms of a VAD and then compare to my own suffering. I believe when my wooshing baby ultrasound noise changed to a whirr is when the artery was healing to form the two channels. I was actually hearing turbulent blood flow!!! I knew there was something wrong, there had to be, I am not imagining all these symptoms. Dr Shapiro suggests a cerebral angiogram to confirm his diagnosis and a balloon occlusion test which would close off the artery to see if it stopped the sound in my head and if so a stent could be placed to help with my symptoms.
WEDNESDAY 28TH JANUARY
I walked and partly staggered 2.2miles to my GP surgery to see Dr Stevenson. I explained I had sent my scans to New York and showed him the images I had been sent from the Neurointerventionalist. The doctor showed a little uneasiness in his seat and stated he wasn't an expert on these type of things and to move forward he would need a report so that it could be sent back to the radiographer at the private hospital where I had the scan carried out. I explained I would not be paying for any treatment or appointments under private care but the doctor explained it had to be referred back there for another opinion. It was very much a pass the buck attitude. Dr St. gave me the GP surgeries email address to forward the report. I emailed the Neurointerventionalist and asked if he would kindly write a report of his findings for my doctor so they could act on it. Thankfully just two hours later he did and I forwarded it my doctor and to the Neurologist Dr Tyagi.
THURSDAY 29TH JANUARY 3.40pm
My GP surgery called to say the doctor had read the report and that an urgent referral had been arranged to Neurology. I asked if I would be contacted by letter or telephone which was confirmed that I would receive an appointment by letter.
It looks like my journey on the NHS roller-coaster is not over just yet.
All for now
Whooshing Wanderer
Wednesday, 1 October 2014
September 2014 Update
Unfortunately the referral didn't go through, my doctor surgery called to say there was no consultant of that name and could I give another name if I still wished to be referred. I called the Spire Hospital and apparently I had chosen a doctor who had not worked there in some time and they couldn't give me access to that type of consultant however they emailed later in the day to say I could see the ENT specialist for tinnitus re-training for a package price of £5000. I sent a reply email explaining I used the term pulsatile tinnitus and not tinnitus. I have decided to use the pulsatile tinnitus term instead of tinnitus because anyone I speak with assumes its just ringing I hear and nothing can be done. I constantly remind everyone that although I have developed buzzing tinnitus my so called main tinnitus does not buzz or ring it wooshes and whirrs!!!
I searched compulsively on the internet looking for a Neuroradiologist but couldn't find one I could get access to. In desperation I contacted the British Society of Neuroradiologists for doctor's names in Scotland that I could approach but unfortunately the email was bleak and stated they could not give out private information and suggested to go through my GP, little did they know I had visited my GP numerous times and they would no longer assist me on trying to find an answer to my symptoms. On the 22nd August I found a neurologist called Dr Tyagi who is a headache specialist so I quickly arranged an appointment for the following week on the 28th August. I called my GP surgery and gave them the new doctor's name to be referred to and asked that a referral be typed up to take with me. I collected the referral which I have to say was very poor and said LEFT SIDED FACIAL PAIN (the diagnosis that the private ENT Mr Marshall sent me with his bill) no other symptoms were noted and nothing else written on it, this proved my original thoughts that Dr Stevenson should have written the referral whilst I was at my last appointment with him. My appointment came round and my husband and I drove just under an hour to the appointment. I handed over my two pages of typed symptoms. (See bottom of the page for the list)
Dr Tyagi listened to everything I had to say and he used the word "pulsatile" to describe the sound I was hearing in my head. He did a quick examination, looked at my eyes and listened to my head with a stethoscope, he said he could not hear anything. To be honest no one would of heard anything in that room as there were several noises including a loud buzzing ceiling light. The consultant said the cause of the symptoms could be one of three options. The first thing he said was an AVM or AVF he mentioned imaging would be needed but went on to say this was highly unlikely and sort of ruled it out, then he moved on to say about a rare type of migraine but he ruled that out after discussing it as I did not have sickness/nausea. He then said there was a chance it could be nerve damage of the Occipital nerve and asked me some questions which my answers were no, my symptoms clearly to me did not fit the pattern he was suggesting. Dr T suggested I take Pregabalin and if there was any nerve issues that it would help, he also stated he could refer me back to the pain clinic for a nerve block injection. He wrote a letter requesting my doctor prescribe Pregablin and gave it to me to give to my doctor. He said he would be happy to see me through the NHS and keep me under clinical review. He said on leaving he had not met anyone with such symptoms and it was rare what I was experiencing.
On Monday morning of the 1st September I was at work and asked a colleague to fax my prescription request letter to my GP surgery as I had not used a fax machine in years. In the afternoon at 3.05pm my Manager asked for a word in the office next door, I thought it was about my new roles within the company that were given to me on Wednesday 27th August. On the Wednesday there had been a meeting between myself, my manager, the office manager from the office downstairs and also the repulsive woman I worked beside who has the title of Business Development Manager but really should have had the title passive aggressive bully. I had the misfortune of working beside her for eighteen months and she was a vile woman towards me, I tried my best to get along with her. She was furious that the previous Wednesday I had been given new roles within the company, very minor roles but they were greatly appreciated by me. The word in the office next door was my marching order, I was told there was no longer a role within the company for me and that I was to leave that day and not come back, apparently the company was struggling financially and it was not viable to keep me on. Between me finishing work on the Wednesday and returning on the Monday something had gone wrong, or had it? Was it the bully? was it my prescription? or was it a combination of both? I was too physically and mentally exhausted to argue, I deleted all the files I had worked on for the past eighteen months, cleared my drawer and left. Three weeks later a new job was advertised by the company with a new job title, so much for the company struggling financially. Again I was ill to do anything about it.
I started the pregabalin on the 4th September and apart from it making me extremely tired and spaced out it has done nothing for the headache, ear pain/pressure and the noise in my head. I received a copy of the letter Dr Tyagi sent to my GP stating "I am unable to explain her noises in her head and the sound but the pulsatile nature of it may suggest that this may be related to her headache syndrome" "I think the pain symptoms are best attributed to occipital neuropathy/neuralgia"
A few days later Dr T. sent another letter to say he had reviewed my Nhs MRI scan and it was completely normal which I am very pleased about. I just keep wondering what is causing all these debilitating symptoms and nothing is being found. I still have a niggling that something is being missed!
I emailed Dr T the other evening on the 29th Sept explaining the pregabalin was doing nothing to help me and I also stated that I have developed a new symptom over the last few weeks in which my head and ear on the left side is very sensitive to certain sounds and I get a shock feeling and pain at the sounds of a car passing, cutlery clanging and certain voices. I was a bit worried in case this was a side effect of the pregabalin or it could have developed before I started taking it and I have not noticed, I honestly don't know anymore. Dr T. responded this morning suggesting I take Amitriptyline or Duloxetine and should these not help arrange the nerve block. I am rather upset now because I don't want to be abusing my body with multiple prescription drugs when I don't know what is causing my symptoms. Obviously I am expected to just keep quiet and take the prescription until December when my next appointment is. The drug he recommended Duloxetine is for people with anxiety and depression, I have neither although by doctors not helping me and by not investigating my symptoms it will end up causing me to have anxiety. It seems to me that doctors automatically assume patients who make contact multiple times with their doctor over a medical problem are assigned a label of having anxiety and depression. Do doctors not realise I went to them with a rhythmic baby ultrasound noise in my head and a constant headache, surely that can not be normal for a 30yr old woman, I never went to them about feeling low and worrying. I emailed Dr T. back asking him if he can forward me on to another consultant who can carry out imaging starting with an Mra & Mrv because the drug he recommended is not for me as I do not have anxiety and the bottom line is that I am still suffering with this dreadful headache, neck pressure, ear pressure and noise in my head. He wrote back saying he would organise the scan. I've had enough battling with the Nhs and trying to get doctors to listen and take my symptoms seriously but I should not need to be paying private and researching all my symptoms, surely doctors should be looking into my symptoms. Maybe NHS GP's do not research patients symptoms anymore.
I have all these questions running through my mind.
Why is no one interested in helping me?
What is causing the pulsating tinnitus and headache and the other array of symptoms?
Why would a fit and otherwise healthy 30 year old get pulsatile tinnitus and headache after overhead painting?
Why does every doctor try and separate all the symptoms that started around the same time.
Why can't I exercise? Why do I have pressure in my neck and head when I try to walk longer distances.
Why when my heart rate rises does my neck feel a deep vibrating and a lot of pressure, this also happens when I bend forward.
Below is what I had typed and gave to Dr Tyagi at the appointment.
Till next time, thanks for reading.
I searched compulsively on the internet looking for a Neuroradiologist but couldn't find one I could get access to. In desperation I contacted the British Society of Neuroradiologists for doctor's names in Scotland that I could approach but unfortunately the email was bleak and stated they could not give out private information and suggested to go through my GP, little did they know I had visited my GP numerous times and they would no longer assist me on trying to find an answer to my symptoms. On the 22nd August I found a neurologist called Dr Tyagi who is a headache specialist so I quickly arranged an appointment for the following week on the 28th August. I called my GP surgery and gave them the new doctor's name to be referred to and asked that a referral be typed up to take with me. I collected the referral which I have to say was very poor and said LEFT SIDED FACIAL PAIN (the diagnosis that the private ENT Mr Marshall sent me with his bill) no other symptoms were noted and nothing else written on it, this proved my original thoughts that Dr Stevenson should have written the referral whilst I was at my last appointment with him. My appointment came round and my husband and I drove just under an hour to the appointment. I handed over my two pages of typed symptoms. (See bottom of the page for the list)
Dr Tyagi listened to everything I had to say and he used the word "pulsatile" to describe the sound I was hearing in my head. He did a quick examination, looked at my eyes and listened to my head with a stethoscope, he said he could not hear anything. To be honest no one would of heard anything in that room as there were several noises including a loud buzzing ceiling light. The consultant said the cause of the symptoms could be one of three options. The first thing he said was an AVM or AVF he mentioned imaging would be needed but went on to say this was highly unlikely and sort of ruled it out, then he moved on to say about a rare type of migraine but he ruled that out after discussing it as I did not have sickness/nausea. He then said there was a chance it could be nerve damage of the Occipital nerve and asked me some questions which my answers were no, my symptoms clearly to me did not fit the pattern he was suggesting. Dr T suggested I take Pregabalin and if there was any nerve issues that it would help, he also stated he could refer me back to the pain clinic for a nerve block injection. He wrote a letter requesting my doctor prescribe Pregablin and gave it to me to give to my doctor. He said he would be happy to see me through the NHS and keep me under clinical review. He said on leaving he had not met anyone with such symptoms and it was rare what I was experiencing.
On Monday morning of the 1st September I was at work and asked a colleague to fax my prescription request letter to my GP surgery as I had not used a fax machine in years. In the afternoon at 3.05pm my Manager asked for a word in the office next door, I thought it was about my new roles within the company that were given to me on Wednesday 27th August. On the Wednesday there had been a meeting between myself, my manager, the office manager from the office downstairs and also the repulsive woman I worked beside who has the title of Business Development Manager but really should have had the title passive aggressive bully. I had the misfortune of working beside her for eighteen months and she was a vile woman towards me, I tried my best to get along with her. She was furious that the previous Wednesday I had been given new roles within the company, very minor roles but they were greatly appreciated by me. The word in the office next door was my marching order, I was told there was no longer a role within the company for me and that I was to leave that day and not come back, apparently the company was struggling financially and it was not viable to keep me on. Between me finishing work on the Wednesday and returning on the Monday something had gone wrong, or had it? Was it the bully? was it my prescription? or was it a combination of both? I was too physically and mentally exhausted to argue, I deleted all the files I had worked on for the past eighteen months, cleared my drawer and left. Three weeks later a new job was advertised by the company with a new job title, so much for the company struggling financially. Again I was ill to do anything about it.
I started the pregabalin on the 4th September and apart from it making me extremely tired and spaced out it has done nothing for the headache, ear pain/pressure and the noise in my head. I received a copy of the letter Dr Tyagi sent to my GP stating "I am unable to explain her noises in her head and the sound but the pulsatile nature of it may suggest that this may be related to her headache syndrome" "I think the pain symptoms are best attributed to occipital neuropathy/neuralgia"
A few days later Dr T. sent another letter to say he had reviewed my Nhs MRI scan and it was completely normal which I am very pleased about. I just keep wondering what is causing all these debilitating symptoms and nothing is being found. I still have a niggling that something is being missed!
I emailed Dr T the other evening on the 29th Sept explaining the pregabalin was doing nothing to help me and I also stated that I have developed a new symptom over the last few weeks in which my head and ear on the left side is very sensitive to certain sounds and I get a shock feeling and pain at the sounds of a car passing, cutlery clanging and certain voices. I was a bit worried in case this was a side effect of the pregabalin or it could have developed before I started taking it and I have not noticed, I honestly don't know anymore. Dr T. responded this morning suggesting I take Amitriptyline or Duloxetine and should these not help arrange the nerve block. I am rather upset now because I don't want to be abusing my body with multiple prescription drugs when I don't know what is causing my symptoms. Obviously I am expected to just keep quiet and take the prescription until December when my next appointment is. The drug he recommended Duloxetine is for people with anxiety and depression, I have neither although by doctors not helping me and by not investigating my symptoms it will end up causing me to have anxiety. It seems to me that doctors automatically assume patients who make contact multiple times with their doctor over a medical problem are assigned a label of having anxiety and depression. Do doctors not realise I went to them with a rhythmic baby ultrasound noise in my head and a constant headache, surely that can not be normal for a 30yr old woman, I never went to them about feeling low and worrying. I emailed Dr T. back asking him if he can forward me on to another consultant who can carry out imaging starting with an Mra & Mrv because the drug he recommended is not for me as I do not have anxiety and the bottom line is that I am still suffering with this dreadful headache, neck pressure, ear pressure and noise in my head. He wrote back saying he would organise the scan. I've had enough battling with the Nhs and trying to get doctors to listen and take my symptoms seriously but I should not need to be paying private and researching all my symptoms, surely doctors should be looking into my symptoms. Maybe NHS GP's do not research patients symptoms anymore.
I have all these questions running through my mind.
Why is no one interested in helping me?
What is causing the pulsating tinnitus and headache and the other array of symptoms?
Why would a fit and otherwise healthy 30 year old get pulsatile tinnitus and headache after overhead painting?
Why does every doctor try and separate all the symptoms that started around the same time.
Why can't I exercise? Why do I have pressure in my neck and head when I try to walk longer distances.
Why when my heart rate rises does my neck feel a deep vibrating and a lot of pressure, this also happens when I bend forward.
Below is what I had typed and gave to Dr Tyagi at the appointment.
Symptoms
Sitting on the
sofa one evening on 24th
October 2012 I became aware of a noise, I turned the television off
and said to my husband I could hear a pulsing noise. I went to bed
but couldn't sleep the noise was coming from my left ear and there
was a deep pressure feeling, I eventually drifted off around 3am.
In the morning I had a headache deep on the left side which was on
the top of my head and above my ear. Later in the day I felt an ache
pressure feeling in my neck below my ear lobe. I had a doctor's
appointment a few weeks away that I had previously arranged and I
would mention it then if it hadn't gone away. In the mean time I
realised the noise was like my pre natal scans it was a baby's
ultrasound noise, it became more noticeable and loud that I tried to
convince my husband he could hear it by putting his ear to my head
but he heard nothing. I had no idea what it was and still don't.
- I have a constant whirring noise from within my head on the left side, this was originally a baby ultrasound noise woosh woosh woosh or whoaw whoaw whoaw sound that quietened down to a distant bass drum after some months then settled at a whirr that is a constant rhythm like a turbulence sound.
- A few days after the baby ultrasound noise started I also noticed a low pitch electrical noise, I thought I had left the tv on standby or my mobile phone charging but soon realised the noise was where ever I was.
- The headache is constant and has never left since 2012, I describe it as a dull constant ache and at times I would say its a pressure headache, it is above the ear and diagonally above the ear towards the back of the head and at times slightly on the top but still all left sided, I can draw a line round where the headache stays and its all left sided. I realised one day leaning my head on my hand caused the electrical noise to get louder. Another thing I realised last year in 2013 is when the headache feels more of a pressure I can put weight on the top of my head with both my hands and the pressure slightly goes and the electrical sound is quieter. As soon as I release the weight of my hands the pressure and electrical noise returns. When my headache is more pressurised the whirr noise seems louder. My headache is very noticeable first thing in the morning when standing its as if my head is trying to adjust to its new position after laying down all night. I also have pressure in the temple area when bending forward.
- I have pressure and a strange ache in my neck on my left side below the ear lobe, this is not sore to press or touch as it is deep within my neck, if I bend forward to pick anything up from the floor the pressure in my neck gets really bad and I get a loud woosh sound for a few seconds however this sound seems different to my original baby ultrasound noise, I call it my roar sound. This happens first thing in the morning when getting out of bed, bending over and walking up the stairs and occasionally getting up from sitting to standing. I try and fool it by getting out of bed really slowly by rolling on to my side, sitting up slowly and standing slowly but the roar appears. The pressure and ache in my neck doesn't bother me too much and comes and goes depending what I'm doing. I would say I more notice it when I'm moving around more, walking home from work and my heart rate is higher. The pressure in my neck also returns when I first lie down then it settles down.
- I have pressure and a deep ache felt inside the left ear behind the ear drum, feels as if something is pushing from the inside out, the ear creaks and pops constantly through out the day. I feel my ear pressure is worse when the headache is more pressurised.
- I developed a low pitch buzzing noise in my right ear months after initial symptoms but this sound is different to the left ear electrical noise and resembles all different sounds like an alarm, mosquito’s and ringing, originally these sounds would wake me but they don't bother me now and I'm used to them.
- I developed pressure and a dull ache behind my left eye around 7 months after initial symptoms started, my eye creaks on its own and squelches when touched, I noticed this originally when applying make-up, this is not an every day thing but when my headache is worse then my eye creaks. Around the same time I noticed a blur from my left eye that resembles haze lines, a water blotch and some times a spiders web it mainly happens when I'm walking.I occasionally have a pressure on the left side of my nose at the bridge more noticeable when walking and on an odd occasion a strange sensation over my cheek bone but only lasts for seconds.
Till next time, thanks for reading.
Whirring Wanderer
Friday, 11 October 2013
Introducing myself! October 2013
Hi I am Whirring Wanderer, I am nearing my 32nd year. I am married to the lovely Mr Wanderer and we have two little wanderers. My little wanderers are my life but I have something else that has taken over my life in the last year that is keeping me from living my normal life, it all started last October. So I have found myself wandering from doctor to doctor in the hope of receiving some answers to what I am suffering from.
Several years ago I did a lot of wandering in fact 11 years of wandering until I was diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Hypermobile type. I honestly could not tell you how many doctors offices I wandered in and out of before the diagnosis. A great site for support for those with the condition is hypermobility.org
I had been dealing with the hypermobility the best I could with lots of walking and exercise to keep my muscle tone strong. I can't at the moment exercise but I am hoping to get back to it, its a bit of a vicious circle as I need to exercise to keep my muscles and joints strong but I can't exercise due to the new symptoms that developed last year.
I started to hear a noise one evening in October 2012 whilst watching TV, by a noise I mean a woosh noise deep within my ear, as the evening wore on I could feel pressure behind my ear deep inside my head. I went to bed just after 11pm and couldn't sleep as the noise was so loud, eventually I drifted off in the early hours.
I woke up the next morning with a headache, it was very strange, I was never bothered by headaches. Not only did I have a headache but I also still had this woosh noise. The rest of the day I felt lousy with no energy, the headache and noise stayed. Over the following weeks I developed more symptoms. I couldn't understand what could be causing the symptoms but I wondered having done two days of overhead painting of my ceiling around a week previous, I started thinking if I'd done something to my neck and head. I had a previously arranged GP appointment for November and thought I'm mention it then. I am one of those annoying laid back people who takes a wait and see approach to see if the body can heal its self before annoying a GP.
Several years ago I did a lot of wandering in fact 11 years of wandering until I was diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Hypermobile type. I honestly could not tell you how many doctors offices I wandered in and out of before the diagnosis. A great site for support for those with the condition is hypermobility.org
I had been dealing with the hypermobility the best I could with lots of walking and exercise to keep my muscle tone strong. I can't at the moment exercise but I am hoping to get back to it, its a bit of a vicious circle as I need to exercise to keep my muscles and joints strong but I can't exercise due to the new symptoms that developed last year.
I started to hear a noise one evening in October 2012 whilst watching TV, by a noise I mean a woosh noise deep within my ear, as the evening wore on I could feel pressure behind my ear deep inside my head. I went to bed just after 11pm and couldn't sleep as the noise was so loud, eventually I drifted off in the early hours.
I woke up the next morning with a headache, it was very strange, I was never bothered by headaches. Not only did I have a headache but I also still had this woosh noise. The rest of the day I felt lousy with no energy, the headache and noise stayed. Over the following weeks I developed more symptoms. I couldn't understand what could be causing the symptoms but I wondered having done two days of overhead painting of my ceiling around a week previous, I started thinking if I'd done something to my neck and head. I had a previously arranged GP appointment for November and thought I'm mention it then. I am one of those annoying laid back people who takes a wait and see approach to see if the body can heal its self before annoying a GP.
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