Since June of 2020, things have really turned the focus to COVID-19 and Trump. Since my health hasn't been acting up lately, I've been avoiding hospitals and doctors offices for the time being. I'm waiting for the vaccine to be distributed amongst most of the population before restarting any doctor or hospital visits, it's so scary out there. Anyway, nothing major to report for now, so I guess that's a really good sign. Hopefully it stays that way.
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No change in health to report. The biggest challenge is keeping blood pressures down to 120/80. Continuing heart medicine Metoprolol Succ ER 50 MG to help with that, and for the most part, it's helping. The vivid dreams that are a result of it are weird sometimes, but I guess that's a fair trade-off as a side effect.
Happy Mothers day Mom. Love you lots!! So got to see the doctor this month regarding my test results in November '19. Doctor says everything is pretty much the same, no change, but will have to continue annual MRI's in order to make sure no changes occur. And of course I will have to continue with my heart medication to keep the pressure and heartrate to below 120/80. Not easy, considering all this COVID-19 mess going on. Was taking 1 tablet daily of Triamterene HCTZ 37.5 - 25 MG ZP, but the side effect of bad muscle cramps was just too much for me to deal with, so I stopped taking those. Now I'm just taking a daily dose of Metoprolol SUCC ER 50 MG. The only noticeable side effect from Metoprolol is very vivid dreams (as my doctor notified me I might have).
One thing I did discover about my health this month that was not mentioned to me by any of my four doctors. Hypertension is a likely factor in my hearing loss, headaches, double vision and dizziness (vertigo). I had no idea until I started taking my own blood pressure at home, and the machine kept telling me I had hypertension, so I looked it up. WOW!! Sometimes YOU are your best doctor. So finally got the results for my MRI done in November of 2019, and they are as follows:
Study ResultImpressionIMPRESSION: 1. Left anterior cerebral artery A2 small saccular aneurysm with less than 10% interval change. 2. Vein of Galen and deep cerebral developmental venous anomaly. 3. Cerebellar developmental venous anomaly.. NarrativeHISTORY: 56 year-old male with left A2 saccular aneurysm and developmental venous anomalies. TECHNIQUE: Axial images were reconstructed from the foramen magnum to the vertex before the administration of intravenous contrast. Helical data were acquired from C2 to the vertex during the bolus administration of intravenous contrast. Axial reconstructions, maximum intensity projections, and 3D volume rendering were focused on the cerebrovasculature. Multiple dose reduction techniques were utilized as documented in the electronic procedure record. Images in DICOM format are available to providers securely, media free, with patient authorization. COMPARISON: cerebral angiography 04/16/2019 RESULT: CT head: Brain and meninges: No intracerebral hemorrhage nor extra-axial hematoma. No territorial infarct. No mass effect, midline shift, nor hydrocephalus. Hyperdense widening of vein of Galen. Mineralization of bilateral lentiform nuclei. Sinuses: The visualized paranasal sinuses and mastoid air cells are clear. Orbits: No mass effect. Bone: The calvarium is without depressed fracture. CTA head: RICA: Fusiform dilatation lacerocavernous junction maximally 6.5mm without change. RMCA: Normal course and regular tapering caliber. RACA: RA2 short segment fusiform dilatation 3.4mm unchanged. RECA: Normal course and regular tapering caliber. LICA: Normal course and regular caliber. LMCA: Normal course and regular tapering caliber. LACA: LA2 saccular aneurysm 2.5mm x 2.2mm x 2.4mm with less than 10% interval change. LECA: Normal course and regular tapering caliber. ACoA: Small. RVA: Tortuous with normal caliber giving rise to RPICA then codominant supply to BA. LVA: Moderately tortuous with normal caliber giving rise to LPICA then codominant supply to BA. BA: Slightly tortuous proximally with regular caliber. LPCA: Normal course and regular tapering caliber. RPCA Normal course and regular tapering caliber. CTV brain: Superior cerebellar vein is prominent. VoG and SS are prominent. So what does this all mean? Not sure, it seems from what I have read, that nothing has changed, but I still need the doctor to confirm. Because of this COVID-19 pandemic, doctors are encouraging virtual visits using ZOOM. So now I'm waiting for that to happen. On another note. On the forth week of this month, I had another vertigo incident (third one this month two in January). It seems my hearing issue is now co-relating with vertigo. When my left hearing goes out now, it seems vertigo now accompanies it. Not sure why, but just another issue to have to deal with I guess. February isn't feeling like a good month. Feeling my age, getting tired real easy, left ear hearing is mostly gone and suddenly now I have involuntary twitching throughout my body parts when I try to go to sleep. Not sure what all this means, just documenting for future reference now at this point.
New, hopefully a better year, but no. Looks like things are getting even weirder. Not only has my left ear ringing returned, but now it's accompanied by severe dizziness. Two times this month (weeks three and four), I was at work and had to take an extended break to wait for it to go away. Not sure what all this means, but I'm definitely not going to spend another 3000 dollar deducible for doctors to tell me they don't know what is causing my ear ringing, like last year. It's the the 26th of January and still no call from the doctor regarding my test results. I give up. Whatever happens, happens...
Well, been a month and no return call regarding my results from last month. Oh well, maybe with all the holiday hullabaloo, things will get underway next month. So glad the holidays are over and we can get on with some, hopefully normalcy.
Went to the hospital to get my six month procedure. Had a tomographic angiography done to see if my brain aneurysm has stayed the same, or is growing. Awaiting the doctors review and diagnosis.
Interesting note about this recent procedure. Hearing in my left ear had returned about three months ago, just as strangely as it had been lost, it returned. Now that I've had this procedure done, my hearing immediately has gone again. So weird. Something to ask the doctor about. I give up! The more I talk with these doctors, the more I realize why guys don't go and see them unless they are on deaths bed. It's ridicules how little they know or how subtle their answers are to my questions. So at this point, I have an aneurysm that can't be operated on because of the high risk, and a hearing problem that no one can seem to figure out. Guess I'll just live with the issues I have until it's my time. No more doctors, no more wasting 4000. dollars on needless doctor visits.
Due to symptoms similar to heart attacks or stokes, it was suggested I see a Cardiologist. For now, kinda good news I guess. Doctor says that the aneurysm I have should not cause a problem if it doesn't grow. The dangers of removing it are too great for it's current size. I'm currently on high blood pressure medication to prevent the aneurysm from growing. Doctor says I will undergo another procedure 6 months from now to see what it's doing then, and if no growth is discovered, I can live with this aneurysm for the rest of my life with no issues. For now, I'm currently undergoing heart test to make sure no problems exists there, so I'll updated on that later. Currently awaiting results on my echo cardiogram, and then have a nuclear stress test due this Thursday the 16th, so lots more to look forward to.
Interesting thing about all this, three different doctors have told me that my intermittent hearing problem in my left ear has nothing to do with the aneurysm, which is what started this whole thing to begin with. Now I have a follow-up visit with my Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist to see what is causing physical pain in my right ear which has just started bothering me. Funny, I never experienced any problems until I turned 55 in October of '18, and now I'm falling apart. Getting old isn't for sissy's. UPDATE: Results from echo cardiogram and nuclear stress test come back negative for anything. Another visit to the ENT specialist has the doctor puzzled as to why my hearing loss is intermittent, and when I do lose my hearing, why it is so bad. The ENT doctor is going to have me see another ENT specialist to see if maybe between the two, they can figure this out. Just when I think things are getting better. Just had to go to the ER because an ingrown pubic hair decided to reek havoc on my scrotum. A pimple-sized growth quickly turned into a golf ball sized infection. Doctor had to cut the scrotum open to get all the puss out. What a year this has been. |