July 7th, 2011
I had a neurologist appointment today. It was a follow up from the hospital. I feel like pulling my hair out now I'm so frustrated. Here's what happened:
The Neurologist called me into his office to chat. He reviewed my MRA and MRI of my brain that I brought on DVD. I also brought about a 75 page stack of paperwork from the hospital with doctor comments, notes and diagnoses. He did a quick review of the DVD and then talked to me about why I went to the ER on June 23rd. After chatting with me for a few minutes he told me that he strongly believes that I had a complicated migraine, not a TIA. He told me that there may or may not be a heart issue, but that I should NOT be on Coumadin. He stressed how dangerous coumadin is and that I didn't have a TIA, so it would be unnecessary. I am usually a very non-confrontational person, but I did get a little snippy with him and told him that maybe he and the other doctors should get together and make up their minds! I cannot have one doctor telling me to take Coumadin or risk a massive stroke, get discharged from the hospital with TIA written as my diagnosis, and then have other doctors telling me to get off Coumadin and that I didn't have a stroke. Make up your damned minds!! The neurologist recommends I get a second opinion from another cardiologist. I totally agree with second opinions--My cardiologist was already sending my films off to other cardiologists for second and third opinions on the myxoma. The neurologist told me several times that he doesn't want me on Coumadin, but it's my choice. Sorry, but I'm going to listen to the Cardiologist on this one. If my heart doctor who HAS seen my TEE films and my echo tells me that the myxoma puts me at high risk for stroke, I'm going to take his word. This neurologist hasn't seen my TEE films or my echo. So how can he tell me to get off of Coumadin.
And now, really, did I have a TIA or not? The neurologist did say that even though he thinks I only had a complicated migraine and not a TIA, he still believes that I should see a different cardiologist and make sure that I don't actually have a myxoma.
I just don't understand how two different neurologists can tell me that there's probably nothing wrong with my heart when they haven't even seem my TEE results. And reading TEE results isn't their specialty, so why are they telling me what to do when it comes to my heart health?!
My plan is to call my cardiologist in the morning and see what they have to say about this. I am finding this entire thing to be incredibly frustrating. It's quite the roller coaster to have one doctor tell me I have a heart tumor and will need surgery and then another one tell me the next day I'm fine.
Grrrrr.
The one thing that made me feel a bit better is what my dad told me today: the more complicated the case the more varied opinions from doctors that I'm going to have. I just have to accept that fact now and not let them get to me. And then John said something that made sense too---If I was a 60 year old overweight woman would the neurologists be saying anything different, or are they biased because I am young and healthy?
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