so, I have terrible dizziness- yes, I know it can be my bartonella or RMSF, and I also have non stop 24/7 tinnitus.
and also floaters and visual flashes have seemed to come back along with right sided body twitches and spasms.
I am thinking maybe I should get an MRI or Spect SCan. ??
Am I just being overly cautious? is this all from my bart and RMSF? or does lyme and babs give you lasting symptoms?
Are these tests harmful?
Posted by bigstan (Member # 11699) on :
You have my symptoms except for visual flashes. Both tests aren't harmful. The MRI is a giant magnetic tube you will lie down and slowly guided into the tube halfway. It can be claustrophobic. It is very loud with clanging noises and if you need contrast the scan is repeated twice. About 20 min per scan. You will get ear plugs that help. Tinnitus sucks as its bad for me also.
The SPECT scan looks for blood flow to brain. You will be given am injection of a nuclear isotope. Then lie back as circular cameras slowly click around your head. Taking pictures this is not claustrophobic at all. The nuclear material is safe and works its way out of your system in a few days time. Drink lots of water to help flush.
Bart, RMSF, LD, and Babs all can give you these symptoms.
Hope this helps.
Posted by surprise (Member # 34987) on :
Sooo, I thought you had a new practitioner that was giving you specific herbal/ homeopathic remedies and you thought you were well?
I thought you didn't have insurance, these tests are big bucks...I guess I would ask what they are looking for, and if found, how they plan to treat- and do you need medical insurance for this-
I'm sorry. It can be a long haul, when chronic, unfortunately.
Posted by LisaK (Member # 41384) on :
yes, surprise, I am BETTER, but I never said all done.
I got retested for lyme today and it is all gone! YAY!!! I hope it is for real. I don't trust any tests or drs any more.
I start my bart treatment next week.
I still have to treat for bart, RMSF, Blasto, and some other parasite or something (tired brain now). So I am still quite ill but WAY better than I was when I first joined here.
I don't have insurance, but my "new" pronounced symtoms just have me a bit worried. I am having some anxiety flairs I think and feeling nervous.
I called around my area to ask about self pay prices. The cheapest I found was $500 and they accept payments.
BUT.... the local hospital has me on their charity deal and I only have to pay 90% of the bill if I go to their drs.
They previously ruled that the charity people could not have MRIs paid for with this, but now it has changed, so I was just thinking to maybe do it.
My lyme dr would tell me to wait. I wouldn't tell him unless there was something there. He says he will check for heavy metals after all my treatments if the tinnitus is still there.
Posted by LisaK (Member # 41384) on :
so my neurologist doesn't think I should get a spect scan.
??
Posted by MichaelTampa (Member # 24868) on :
Either of these test could be harmful, as is the case with many types of treatments. Magnetic radiation. Radioactive substances. Sometimes the harm they do is small and the body can recover and it is no big deal. That is the best case scenario, and probably happens sometimes. It is a matter of weighing risk/harm with potential benefit of whatever knowledge you might gain.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
You can't tell if you're well by a test. You go by symptoms.
Hope you are truly well, but it doesn't sound like it.
Posted by LisaK (Member # 41384) on :
I am treating for bart now. so.... and grasping the reality that healing isn't the same as curing.
I wanted an MRI a month ago, but now I don't really know why I wanted it. Maybe to rule out something, just to make me feel better- peace of mind- that nothing is in there?
as you all know, after years of SO MANY symptoms it is a wonder if they all are from "this" or if there "could be" something else....
Posted by Razzle (Member # 30398) on :
MRI is NOT nuclear...there is no radiation from an MRI...