Good news from my neurologist

I had my followup appointment with my neurologist today.  She was able to run the necessary tests from my lumbar puncture.  Everything came back negative – no MS, lupus, or infectious diseases.  The lab took blood to test my Vitamin B12, homocysteine and methylmalonic acid levels to verify that they are stabilizing.
I asked why my [...]

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Back on my feet

It’s been a bit over a week since my lumbar puncture.  The first couple of days afterward I felt reasonably good.  However I had a class on Saturday and Sunday last weekend that kept me on my feet for 8 hours each day.  I pushed myself a little too hard getting through that class and [...]

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Always have to do things the hard way

Quick post-lp update… I survived my lumbar puncture today.  It was somewhat less than ideal though.  The doctor had a lot of trouble getting fluid out of my spine and he was only able to collect 1/3 of the amount necessary to do the tests my neurologist wanted.  Also the spinal needle grazed some of [...]

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Lumbar Puncture… because “Spinal Tap” sounds too fun

My lumbar puncture is scheduled for Thursday afternoon.  We’re going ahead with it because although the B12 shots seem to be helping, I’m still having new neurological symptoms pop up this week.  My neurologist wants to test my cerebrospinal fluid for evidence that may point to or eliminate conditions besides B12 deficiency that could be [...]

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How I Learned to Shoot Myself Up

Happy New Year everyone!  I’m usually too lazy to make New Years resolutions so I just end up with some vague intentions floating around my head like “learn new things” or “limit chocolate intake to one pound per day”.  This year is off to a smashing start because it’s only two days old and I’ve [...]

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More test results, a disappointingly boring abnormality and daily B12 shots

My docs have been surprisingly busy over the holidays.  Here’s the current status:
* Most of my blood work came back normal, including my B12 levels.  However, several tests related to B12 metabolism (like homocysteine) came back way out of whack.  The current working theory is that even though my B12 levels have always tested normal, [...]

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Happy Holidays

Happy holidays, everybody!  I hope that your celebrations are joyful and have just the right level of debauchery.  You have certainly brought me much happiness during the last tumultuous month.
The quick health update:  My body is getting better slowly.  Yesterday I had no numbness or muscle weakness and I went on my first serious walk [...]

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Cautious Optimism

I had my brain MRI and first neuro appointment today.  I will spare you the several hours of frustration due to a clerical mistake on the appointment calendar.  Suffice it to say my head got photo’ed and I got to meet my neuro.
She didn’t have a lot of time to look at my scan.  She [...]

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A note on MRIs, piercings and catharsis

Health status: legs are better today, hands are worse. I feel alert and chipper after 11.5 hours of sleep. If you haven’t seen me much lately, it’s because I must spend half my existence unconscious in order to be functional during the other half. This delights the pile of cats on [...]

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Waiting

Healthwise I am doing a bit better today. I have more hand function and leg strength than I’ve had in weeks. I’m not sure if I’m experiencing a remission or if this is a benefit of the yoga I did yesterday. My energy level is OK, though it still takes 10-11 hours [...]

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