Posted by Eva on August 17, 2000 at 13:41:08:In Reply to: Re: Advice for everyone posted by Janine on August 17, 2000 at 13:25:44:
YUP, incidental. I couldn't believe it. My primary care physician finally returned my call and she said, "Eva, we didn't find the cause of your migraines, but incidentally, we found a mass in the geometric center of your brain. Not too worry." HA.
She suggested that I see a neurosurgeon. It was he who explained why he was unsure whether is was a cyst or a tumor (color, size, etc). He was the most honest of them all. He explained that normally these things aren't dangerous but the only way to know whether it was a cyst or tumor was to do a biopsy. Neither he nor I was anxious to do brain surgery so he then referred me to the head of neurosurgery at University of MD hospital and the head of tumor surgery of Johns Hopkins Hospital. Doesn't sound very incidental, does it?
It was the Johns Hopkins doctor that uncovered the symptomatic reflexes (but didn't bother to worry me with them). It is extremely frustrating, but I am doing my best to be patient and go through the followup MRIs as directed.
I have found that its hard to get most doctors to answer questions regarding something that they are not too familiar with. Reports say that a small percent of these pineal "masses" are dangerous, so they tell us not to sweat it. I really think that the treatment you receive is directly related to the physician you see and not your condition. Sad, but true.
Please, tell me about your symptoms/treatment.
In the mean time, take care.
- Re: Advice for everyone Janine 8/17/00 (1)
- Re: Advice for everyone Patrick 9/18/00 (0)