Posts by silentdriver23

Hey there, I could really use some perspective here,

So, about a year ago, I had surgery on my cervical spine following a pretty nasty accident—I took a fall from a significant height—which required a microdiscectomy and vertebral fusion. Interestingly enough, back when I had an MRI of my brain a year *before* that fall, everything looked perfectly normal. Since the trauma, though, I’ve been dealing with these muscle myoclonic jerks in my right shoulder and down my right leg. On top of that, there's this constant stabbing pain in my left ear; I saw an ENT, and while they said the ear itself is fine, my tonsils are in rough shape—apparently, if the strep issues keep up, I might need them out. I’m 32. And here's the weird part: whenever I make any sudden movement—standing up too fast or walking for too long—I get this dull, throbbing ache right above my left eye. It feels like my heart is pulsing in my head, and I get these dizzy spells where my vision goes dark, flashes of light appear, or even double vision. I am also just perpetually, bone-deep exhausted; I feel like I could sleep all day long. My neurologist sent me for follow-up imaging, specifically a brain MRI and an EEG, alongside a repeat scan of my neck. The brain MRI showed a small area on the left temporal side—about 9x6mm—where the signal intensity looks like cerebrospinal fluid, which essentially means it's a cyst. As for the EEG, it showed some low-voltage beta activity, but nothing regarding asymmetry or paroxysms, though there were quite a few muscle artifacts during the recording. Because of the symptoms, my neurologist actually put me on anti-epileptic medication. To make matters more complicated, I’m currently undergoing a sleep study because the nurses at the hospital noticed I was gasping for air and struggling to breathe in my sleep. My neurosurgeon basically told me that the cyst isn't something that requires surgery and wrote off the brain MRI as "normal." But I can't help but worry—how can I be sure this cyst won't grow, especially since it seemingly appeared after the trauma? Are these headaches and the pressure above my left eye somehow linked to this cyst? Should I just take the surgeon's advice and pretend it doesn't exist, or should I be pushing for regular monitoring? Thanks.

Hey everyone... just checking back in.

So, I’m back after my cervical spine surgery—they went with an artificial disc-vertebrosynthesis (cumCFRP)—and now they're running a battery of diagnostic tests for sleep apnea. My family has been telling me that I seem to be gasping and fighting for air in my sleep, so we can't ignore it. My neurologist sent me off to get an EEG first. If anyone here happens to understand what this specific finding actually means:

Throughout the entire recording, the dominant cerebral activity was low-voltage beta waves. There was no significant reaction to visual blocking. No asymmetry or paroxysms were noted. Findings on IFS and HV were similar. Conclusion: Low-voltage beta baseline cerebral activity.

Please, if anyone has any insight, does this have anything to do with sleep apnea? I'm currently sitting around waiting for my follow-up neurology appointment to see what the next move is.

Thanks, and take care.

Melissa Phillips4 said:I honestly don't think they'd let you walk out of the hospital the very next day if you'd had a blood transfusion.
Well, I had what was supposed to be a "routine" procedure—hardly routine, given I was stuck in a hospital bed for four days—so the idea that they’d just toss someone back into the world immediately after a transfusion feels... well, a bit illogical, doesn't it?

Thanks so much for all the input, everyone. It’s actually making me feel a bit more at ease now, and I suppose everything really did go according to plan, just like my discharge papers say. It's just that looming shadow of the next surgery that keeps me up at night.
Thanks again.

Melissa Phillips4 said:So you didn't see him at all—not even once—in the days following the surgery? It feels a bit off to me that nobody seems to have any real answers. Honestly, I suspect there might be something more complicated going on under the surface, and everyone is just playing dumb. You know how it is—there are certain doctors who treat a surgical procedure like they’re working on an inanimate object; they perform the operation and then suddenly act like the patient doesn't even exist.
I'm not sure how much can actually be uncovered or fixed now that everything has already played out and you've been discharged, though perhaps someone with more experience might have a better perspective.
If you're still feeling weak and looking pale, my advice would be to go ahead and get some blood work done just to see where your levels are at.

I was sent home the very next day because, aside from some pain and general exhaustion, I didn't run into any major issues after the surgery. Even at high-end private hospitals, they tend to discharge patients after these kinds of procedures quite quickly. My doctor mentioned that being pale and feeling weak is perfectly standard following this type of operation, and her discharge papers noted that everything went smoothly without complications. For now, I've just been taking vitamins on my own initiative.

Melissa Phillips4 said:I honestly think they ought to have disclosed if there was a transfusion—even if it isn't explicitly noted on the discharge papers.
I can't fathom why they'd keep that under wraps... unless, of course, they're just terrified of any potential liability and want to cover their own tracks.
And besides, before any surgery, we’re all signing those waivers agreeing to whatever medical procedures become necessary, including possible transfusions, basically acknowledging we accept the risks—so, from a legal standpoint, they've already covered themselves.
Did you happen to ask the surgeon for specifics regarding the procedure?
My hunch is that if a transfusion actually occurred, they would have at least prescribed some iron supplements or something similar—you know, because you don't just give someone blood and then offer zero follow-up care or monitoring.

The thing is, the surgeon was nowhere to be found after the operation—he was stuck in some meeting or something—and he was just barking instructions at the nurses over the phone. And the nurses? They won't answer anything because they honestly don't have the answers. This is my sixth surgery overall—the first two were general anesthesia, while the others were just regional—and I know for a fact I've never bled like this or ended up with two hematomas. The amount of blood I saw on my clothes in the bag... it just doesn't seem right. There was so much of it, especially with those large clots. Given that they had to make an incision in my neck, part of me wonders if they nicked an artery, which might explain the secrecy. But what really eats at me is that I have another surgery scheduled in a few months at a different hospital, also under general anesthesia.

Melissa Sanchez8 said:Exactly—they’re legally obligated to document everything. And honestly, things aren't always "perfectly fine" just because you received a transfusion.
Thermal blankets are standard protocol when someone is dealing with hypothermia. If you lost a significant amount of blood, your blood pressure drops, but your body temperature tends to tank as well—especially during and after transfusions. It really comes down to how many units they pumped into you.
Usually, they’ll set up two IV lines because stabilizing a patient is much easier when you have multiple access points, though in your specific case, I’d wager one was dedicated to the transfusion while the other was just for standard fluids.

Sent from my MI Max using Reddit

Thanks for the insight. I’ve got another surgery coming up under general anesthesia in about six months, and naturally, the anxiety is setting in—especially since the discharge papers here say everything went perfectly, when in reality, who actually knows what happened behind those closed doors? My next procedure is scheduled at Mayo Clinic, so I can only sit here and pray that everything goes smoothly this time.

Kimberly Ward said:I’ve had my fair share of procedures—mostly just local anesthesia or those quick, short-acting sedation sessions—but I remember one specific instance where I woke up right there in the recovery room after the anesthesia wore off. Another time, during the pre-op phase, they just wrapped me up in a warm blanket and settled me into a room to wait. In my humble, non-medical opinion? Yes, they absolutely ought to know if a transfusion is necessary. And if anyone is asking—without naming names, of course—it could potentially be handled at a private clinic, depending on which hospital you're talking about.

It isn't some big secret, Rebro—honestly, I just want to say thank you for everything. ❤️

Kimberly Ward said:If you ask me—and I’ve seen enough of this to have an opinion—they really ought to have told you. I can't see any reason why they wouldn't, unless they were hiding behind some new, overly complicated HIPAA privacy regulation. As for the bruising—that venous path thing—it’s likely just their way of managing your blood pressure. In my book, they should have been upfront: "Hey, if you're feeling pale and weak, maybe check in with your doctor about iron supplements or just try to fix it naturally." And look, regarding that weakness... honestly, you're going to feel wiped out after any surgery. It's just part of the deal. One thing I didn't catch, though—did they wake you up right there in the OR, or did you drift back on your own?

They woke me up—I remember them lightly tapping on my face—and then they immediately wrapped me in a thermal blanket and whisked me off to a room, where they helped me get dressed and cleaned up all the blood.

Kimberly Ward said:From what I understand, before any kind of surgery, you have to sign a waiver regarding blood transfusions. In my own experience—and I’m looking at my discharge papers here—one of them actually specifies the type used and how I reacted, but the other two just leave it completely blank. Perhaps that's because it was my first time under anesthesia? I can't say for sure about the rest of the details.

Thanks for the reply. And yes, of course, I signed the consent for a transfusion, but I'd still really like to know if they actually went through with it. When I tried asking questions at the hospital, nobody would give me a straight answer—they just kept throwing out lines about how they can regulate blood pressure with a couple of units of O-negative, which feels more like a brush-off than an actual medical explanation. Since I'm still feeling pale and weak even ten days later, seeing the sheer volume of blood involved just makes me wonder: aren't they legally obligated to note a transfusion on the discharge summary? Mine just says everything "proceeded normally," which isn't exactly helpful when you don't feel normal.

I have a question... So, I recently underwent a C5-C6 microdiscectomy at the NEA, which included an implant. Everything went smoothly from a clinical standpoint, but the aftermath has left me feeling incredibly disoriented. When they woke me up in the recovery room, I felt like I’d been through a war zone—just covered in needle marks everywhere. To make matters worse, I had bruising spreading down my left arm and leg, while my right leg and shoulder were mottled and blue. They had me wrapped tightly in one of those thermal warming blankets, and apparently, they stripped me down to my undergarments from what I was wearing when they put me under. My clothes were tucked away in a bag soaked with blood—honestly, it was pretty gruesome. What I’m really wondering about is this: if I received a blood transfusion during the procedure, are they actually required to document that in the discharge papers? Because according to my paperwork, everything was "perfectly normal." Also, does anyone know why I ended up with such extensive bruising or why they had me bundled up in that thermal blanket? Thanks

I’m 33 years old, and I went through a pretty traumatic fall about eight months ago. To make matters worse, it took specialists five whole months just to realize there was an actual fracture in my humerus and a tear in my supraspinatus tendon—they were all too busy blaming every bit of pain on a C5-C6 disc prolapse in my neck instead.
Here’s what the MRI on my cervical spine shows: Progression of findings at the C5-C6 level involving disc herniation, with the disc making tight contact against the ventral contour of the spinal cord, along with reduced foraminal space on the right side and displacement of the posterior longitudinal ligament. There are also osteochondrotic degenerative changes in the discs from C4 through C7.
And here is the MRI report for my right shoulder: A multi-fragmentary impaction fracture in the tuberculum area, featuring a defect in the convexity of the anterior tuberculum—essentially affecting the entire attachment site for the supraspinatus tendon. The defect measures 25x11mm. There is also visible linear hyperintensity in the anterior glenoid labrum area, so I can't rule out a lesion there either. Additionally, there is synovial reaction around the long head of the biceps tendon and osteoarthritis in the acromioclavicular joint.

I finally had surgery a month ago—a shoulder arthroscopy—but the orthopedic surgeon basically just cleaned up the inflammation and worked on range of motion. I did ten days of rehab, only to have an ultrasound show that the tear is still the dominant issue and the defect wasn't actually repaired during the procedure. I have an appointment scheduled with Dr. Smith in September to address both the neck and the shoulder, but does anyone have any advice on what else I should be doing? I'm terrified of my shoulder freezing up, and honestly, the pain is becoming unbearable. Am I looking at another surgery???

Thanks,

Sandra Vaughn50 said:A negative dexamethasone suppression test, especially when paired with normal ACTH levels, effectively rules out Cushing syndrome.

Thanks for the input... honestly, I can finally breathe a little easier now... THANK YOU.

I’m hoping someone might be able to shed some light on this.
Everything in my lab work looks perfectly normal—except for my urinary free cortisol, which is through the roof at around 1600. I did undergo the dexamethasone suppression test, and the result was <22. A whole battery of other tests has been run, including ACTH levels, which all seem fine, though I haven't had an MRI yet because no one has actually put in the referral. My doctors keep circling back to a potential case of Cushing, constantly pointing to those sky-high cortisol numbers in my urine while my bloodwork remains unremarkable. To make matters more complicated, I'm dealing with high blood pressure, irregular cycles, and noticeable thickening around my neck and midsection... What exactly is the "smoking gun" they need to find to be absolutely certain it's Cushing? It’s such a rare diagnosis, and honestly, the uncertainty is terrifying me...

Thanks, and best wishes.

Thanks again for getting back to me... I realized I neglected to mention that I’ve dropped 20 pounds in just a few months without even trying—no diet, nothing. After doing some digging into adrenal issues, I'm feeling pretty torn about whether I should just pay out of pocket for an MRI privately, especially since none of my doctors seem willing to order one for me. Honestly, I'm terrified there might be something going on with my pituitary gland... 🙂 I get these sudden spikes in blood pressure, followed by bouts of dizziness and nausea, and then, just as quickly, everything just stops

Thanks for the reply
The lab is currently processing my plasma renin activity, aldosterone, metanephrine, normetanephrine, and 5-HIAA...
It looks like I'll be waiting quite a while for those results to actually come back.

And I should probably mention—not that it helps much—that my blood pressure is all over the place. It’s constantly swinging—one minute it’s spiking in the morning (say, 170/100), and then by the evening, it’s dropped down to something like 100/70.

Could someone please help me make sense of these labs? I’m 28 years old, and for five years now, I’ve been seeing cardiologists due to high blood pressure—I actually had a syncopal episode once when my pressure hit 210/115—and sinus tachycardia (hitting 150 bpm). I have damage to my C5-C7 cervical vertebrae, which I know is the culprit behind my frequent headaches. They also noted a 40% stenosis in my right carotid artery. I was prescribed Lybrol 2.5 mg. It’s been a year since that fainting spell, and here I am again, back at the cardiologist because of persistent palpitations, drowsiness, chronic fatigue, hypertension, sudden headaches, facial and neck flushing, and nausea accompanied by vomiting. Now, they've referred me to both a nephrologist and an endocrinologist. Here are the results:

ERC 4.25 (3.86-5.08), Hb 132 (119-157), Hct 0.384 (0.356-0.470), MCV 90.2 (83-97.2), MCH 31.1 (27.4-33.9), MCHC 329 Distr (320-345), RDW-CW 13.6% (9-15), Lke 5.5 (3.4-9.7), Tre 278 (158-421), MPV 7.4 (6.8-10.4)
Cortisol (s) 396 (101.2-535.7) Free urinary cortisol 1609 (100-379), ACTH 3.4 (1.6-13.9), TSH 2.500 (0.340-5600) FT4 5.33 (3.80-6), FT4 8.92 (7.90-14.20)
AST 18 (8-30), ALT 20 (10-36), ALP 47 (54-119), GGT 21 (9-35), Amy_s 55 (23-91), CK 102 (17-153),Na(s) 137 (137-146), K(s) 3.9 (3.9-5.1), Ca(s) 2.46 (2.14-2.53), Mg (s) 0.82 (0.65-1.05), LDL C 3.26 (b>.
URINE:
Appearance: clear, yellow color, SG 1.020 (1.002-1.030), PH 6 (4.5-9), ERC (u-s) 3-5 ERC/HPE (0-2), LKC 20-30 LKC/HPF (0-2), Epithelial cells: slightly present (0-2), Mucus: slightly present (neg), Bacteria: quite present (neg), PV 1.0 (0.70-1.27), INR 1.02, aPTT (R) 0.98 (0.80-1.20), Tp-du 155mg (font>,
Performed dexamethasone suppression test: 22 (101.2-535)
Chest X-ray: normal
Abdominal Ultrasound: normal
Echocardiogram: slightly tachycardic (95-105), discrete TR, otherwise normal
Blood pressure Holter: normal
ECG Holter: dominant sinus rhythm, average rate 85, minimum 46, maximum 146 during sleep, total QRS count 122053, 14 VES (0%), 324 SVES (0.3%), max RR interval 1.6 sec
ECG findings: HR 81 sinus rhythm, intermediate electrical axis, PR 0.126 sec, QRS 0.085 sec, QTc 0.424 sec. BP 150/90

They just keep bouncing me from the cardiologist to the endocrinologist, and they honestly don't seem to know what to do—they just keep saying "stress." I'm still only taking Lybrol, and I don't feel good at all... I have these terrible headaches along with nausea...

Help ....