Posts by restlessangler

Maria Fisher46 said:Hi there,

P. oval is a yeast—though some people refer to it as a fungus—that's thought to play a role in certain skin conditions, specifically things like seborrheic dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, or even some types of psoriasis. If one of those diagnoses is confirmed (since just testing for P. oval isn't always enough on its own), then an antifungal is usually added to the standard treatment plan...

That being said, it makes total sense to go through with the full workup you were advised to do. Even if P. oval shows up, it doesn't automatically rule out other underlying causes for what's happening with your skin.

The tests you sent over are designed to see if there's an immunological reason behind these changes—specifically looking for Lupus, since similar skin issues can pop up with discoid or systemic lupus erythematosus.

Best regards. 🙂

Thank you so much for the response 🙂
I had a feeling that might be the case, but I didn't want to just jump to conclusions without being sure... 🙂

I just really hope this isn't because of the medication—it’s pretty much the only thing that’s actually helped my headaches for almost a year now... 😢 I honestly don't know what I'd do without it.
We'll see, though. I'm not stressing out about it; at this point, waiting is just my "normal," so I'm mostly just trying to get a general idea of what's going on while I wait for the full lab results to come back so I can head to the doctor...

Thanks so much for all the info, 😘 we'll figure things out as they come and hopefully be a bit smarter about it next time 😬

melloworca6 said:I totally get what you mean—I think I actually know what your doctor is aiming for by running these tests... so I was just wondering if you've been dealing with any other symptoms besides this one.

Also, just curious, were you taking any medications right before this happened and being out in the sun?

I started taking Tegretol about 3 or 4 days before my beach volleyball match.
I did mention that to her, but she kind of brushed it off—she said that even though it's smart to bring up, she still doubts the medication is the culprit.
If these tests don't turn up anything, they told me I'll need a biopsy. She didn't want to jump straight to that since we're talking about the face, after all... so we have to run these first.

Do you happen to know what this positive result means? P. oval

melloworca6 said:These are immune system tests—basically different antibodies targeting different things. Just a heads-up, waiting for these results can sometimes take a while... last time I dealt with this, they were having reagent shortages and it took me nearly two and a half months to get anything back.

Are you dealing with any other symptoms besides what you mentioned?

Regarding those spots or blisters—no, nothing else there.
The blisters showed up just like I described, after spending about six hours out in the sun. It wasn't my first time being out (I don't play much, but I'm not super sensitive to the sun either), though. Once I ended up in the hospital—because of the inflamed lymph nodes—things really flared up; it was super red and swollen. As my fever started dropping, it calmed down a bit and went back to how it usually looks (just some redness, but not as intense)... over the next couple of weeks, it seemed to be improving, but then suddenly it flared up again, and it's been like that ever since...

When I touch it, it feels slightly raised, and over the last two and a half months, I've had this feeling that it's getting larger, though not at an extreme speed...

Like I said, I have "inflamed" lymph nodes—under my arm since I was sick, and near my ear for about two weeks now—but I'm honestly not sure if there's a connection there.

Here’s a photo of how it looks when it's relatively okay; you can't see much, but it's a little swollen. It's on both sides—the left side is milder, while the right one is pretty intense.

I’m looking for some insight regarding some red, inflamed patches on my cheekbones. They showed up about two and a half months ago after I spent some time out in the sun—I was playing beach volleyball, and honestly, I suspect my sunglasses might have irritated the area while I was out there.
The itching comes and goes, and while the changes aren't extreme, they seem to be gradually getting a bit worse...
Since then, I’ve been dealing with an illness (chronic lymph node inflammation that required IV fluids and antibiotics), and I noticed that during that time, the skin issue flared up significantly. It got really swollen and bright red, though things settled down somewhat once my fever finally broke—it wasn't quite as extreme then.

I'm not sure if this is relevant, but I’ve been dealing with various issues lately, especially following that recent illness mentioned above, and I noticed a lymph node under my arm isn't shrinking back down. On top of that, a node popped up behind my right ear about two weeks ago—I had one behind my left ear previously—and they just won't go away...

Test results #1:
P. oval (positive/several) and Demodex folliculorum (negative). I'm wondering what that positive result actually means—could this be the underlying cause of everything?

I still need to go in for Test #2.
Blood work: ANF, anti ds DNA, anti Ro SSA, anti La SSB (if anyone could explain what exactly these tests are looking for). I'm heading in the day after tomorrow, but apparently, it takes about three weeks to get the results back, so I won't be able to sit down with my doctor until then.

Thanks nalaziti for any help you can give.

At any local pharmacy

vividsailor7 said:You really need to check out the conclusion or comments section on that report—it'll give you more context. Honestly, it’s best to dive into the specifics with whichever neurologist referred you for the EEG...

I definitely know I need to get the full breakdown from my neurologist.

I only posted this because my appointment isn't until next week, so I figured maybe I could make some sense of the technical jargon while I wait... It’s been a year of being shuffled from one specialist to another—I know how the process works by now—but I was still hoping to find a few more details to chew on in the meantime...

I just got some test results back—this is actually my second time getting them done, since everything came back totally fine the first time, though I can't seem to find that old thread anywhere... I've been dealing with these headaches for about a year now.
There’s some suspicion regarding epilepsy, though I’m honestly not even sure myself—I know epilepsy usually comes with certain symptoms that I haven't really experienced, but then again, I'm not a doctor...

wanderingcobra76 said:It's located in the posterior part of the adenohypophysis.
It’s pretty unlikely to be linked to your headaches—unless there’s a significant hormonal imbalance at play.
Pituitary microadenomas are typically treated if they cause issues via hormonal disruption (usually with medication, and surgery is only an option if the meds can't get things back in balance).
So, you definitely need to follow up with an endocrinologist.
Honestly, there's a good chance that microadenoma is just an incidental finding and isn't actually causing those headaches at all.

Also, it’s important to keep in mind that an MRI doesn't always give you a direct answer as to why someone has headaches; its main job is often just to rule out specific underlying causes.

Yeah, I'm heading to the endocrinologist next week for a consultation, and then there will be more tests to check my hormone levels. It feels a bit strange that my neurologist told me straight up that we have to sort out the hormones first (just to check everything) before we can really tackle the headache issue... but oh well. I'll check back in sometime next year once the hormone results are in, and maybe I'll have more clarity then... Thanks so much for the help!!!

wanderingcobra76 said:It’s not a mistake.
When you get an MRI of the pituitary (or really any scan, for that matter), you have to go in knowing exactly what you're trying to prove or rule out...
If there’s suspicion of a microadenoma, a pituitary MRI is done specifically to confirm its presence—while you might see something on a standard brain MRI, it isn't always reliable because the pituitary itself is so tiny. You need a targeted, specialized view to see how it sits in relation to surrounding structures, which is crucial if surgery ever becomes an option.

So, the goal is to
1. describe the pituitary, checking for any pathological changes and seeing how they react after contrast— your report mentions
2. describe the appearance of the infundibulum— your report mentions
3. describe the optic chiasm— your report mentions
4. describe the suprasellar region— your report mentions
5. describe the cavernous sinus— your report mentions
6. note any potential abnormalities in the sphenoid sinus, the meninges, and so on.
🤷

Nothing new was found here, but honestly, you wouldn't expect anything new with a microadenoma—the whole point was just to confirm what was seen on the initial brain MRI for the reasons I mentioned above...

So how is this "condition" actually treated, and could it be linked to my headaches? Is there even a treatment, or does it just go away on its own?
And how is it possible that the first report said it was in the adenohypophysis, but the second one says it's in the posterior part? I don't understand brain anatomy, but it seems unbelievable that they could miss the mark that much—I mean, I have no idea how big the pituitary is, so I don't know how much room there is for error.

Thanks so much for the reply... I'm feeling a bit frustrated because my headaches are getting worse—I've already had to switch types of painkillers since the old ones aren't working anymore—and I still haven't gotten definitive answers after six months...

restlessangler said:Diagnosis: G44 Headaches, etc.
Requested scan: Brain MRI

Radiology report and opinion:
On the brain MRI, using standard imaging techniques across multiple planes, the organization of the cerebral gyri and sulci appears normal, with an appropriate relationship between gray and white matter.
Signal intensities of the brain parenchyma—both infra and supratentorial—are physiological. There are no signs of ischemia, intracranial hemorrhage, or any tumor processes.
The ventricular system is centrally located and morphologically appropriate.
Near the dorsal part of the adenohypophysis, a cystic formation measuring about 6-7mm is visible—it is recommended to follow up with a targeted examination of the pituitary-hypothalamic region.
No visible pathological changes in the parasellar regions, pontocerebellar angles, or the craniocervical junction.

I had the first MRI back in May, then last week I had a pituitary MRI based on those findings:

In the pituitary MRI, viewed in three planes (native T1 and T2, plus post-contrast), the pituitary gland is normally positioned with regular shape and size, though there is a cystic formation measuring 7.7x4.9 mm located posteriorly on the left. The pituitary stalk is mid-resistant and normal.

The pituitary shows a homogeneous, regular structure with the aforementioned cystic formation noted on the native slices.

Parasellar and suprasellar areas show no changes. The optic chiasm and cavernous sinus look normal.

In the sequences following IV contrast application, the pituitary enhances homogeneously, except for the described cystic formation, which does not take up the contrast.

I know I'm just a layperson, but it feels like this second scan was totally unnecessary since nothing "new" really showed up besides the dimensions... Am I missing something, or did the doctor who wrote the report go off track? Why bother with this whole second test if nothing new was found—unless I'm right about it being a cyst at the back, while the first scan placed it near the adenohypophysis...
I'm honestly feeling pretty discouraged by all of this...
Is there anything actually new in these results?

Hey everyone—does anyone happen to know what the typical wait time is for an endocrinology appointment over at Mayo Clinic?

Olivia Hayes89 said:It probably all comes down to which hospital you choose and which doctor you end up seeing...
At the hospital where I work, you’re looking at a wait of at least six months—and that’s only if you aren't picky about which specialist you see. If you happen to want the top endocrinologist in the area, you could be waiting nine months or more... honestly, by the time your appointment finally rolls around, you might have been sick five different times already...

vividsailor7 said:It really all depends on which hospital you're looking at or which doctor you want to see—I think Mayo Clinic usually has the shortest wait times...

Does anyone know a private practice that takes insurance referrals...?

Does anyone happen to know what the typical wait time looks like for a full checkup over at endocrinology?

Also—does anyone know if any private clinics take insurance referrals for those kinds of tests?

vividsailor7 said:The results look fine—except for that cyst near the pituitary gland.

But could that cyst actually be nothing? I know cysts aren't always dangerous, but when we're talking about the brain... well, you know...

Initial diagnosis: G44 Cephaleae ceterae
Requested tests: Brain MRI

Radiological findings and opinion:
During the brain MRI, using standard imaging techniques and multiple planar slices, we see normal organization of the cerebral gyri and sulci, along with a healthy ratio of gray to white matter.
The signal intensities of the brain parenchyma—both infra and supratentorial—appear physiologically normal. There are no signs of ischemia, intracranial hemorrhage, or any tumor processes.
The ventricular system is centrally located and morphologically appropriate.
Near the dorsal part of the adenohypophysis, there is a cystic formation measuring about 6-7mm—it’s recommended to follow up with a targeted exam of the pituitary-hypothalamic region... just to be safe.
No visible pathological changes were found in the parasellar region, the pontocerebellar angles, or the craniocervical junction.

I’m assuming everything is fine, but I won't be heading back to see my neurologist until around October or November—so we'll just have to wait and see what they say 😁

Basically, the preliminary diagnosis is Cephaleae ceterae, and I've already had an EEG done

The scan was performed while I was awake.

The baseline cerebral activity shows an alpha rhythm at a frequency of 10-11 Hz, which is moderate in amplitude and blocks well when eyes are opened.
There is some diffuse interposition of slightly higher waves, mostly in the 6-7 Hz range, showing a tendency toward bilateral grouping in certain spots.
No significant asymmetries or paroxysmal bursts were recorded.
During hyperventilation, the results showed no changes.

Thanks in advance 😉

Maybe head over to a spa or a nail salon. They can really work wonders on that rough skin, and once they've sorted it out, just make it a habit to use a pumice stone for a few seconds whenever you shower. It’ll save you a lot of hassle in the long run...

P.S. Just make sure you find a professional nail tech who actually knows what they're doing so there aren't any...

Go get a pedicure at a salon.
Any decent esthetician who knows what they’re doing will take care of everything for you perfectly.
It won't break the bank—it's less than $33, if I recall correctly—and it really makes a difference. They'll probably use a specialized tool to smooth out that skin (I won't go into technical details just so I don't freak you out, it's totally standard stuff). Moving forward, just make sure to use a foot stone every single day while you're in the shower—and I don't mean just a regular 😬 you'd find at a drugstore, but a proper one specifically for feet.

P.S. Seriously, there's no reason to feel embarrassed about going... I've seen plenty of guys walk into those salons just for basic grooming.

EDIT: Leeloo makes a good point, too. Your esthetician will be able to tell you what's going on. But if you want to be 100% sure, maybe have your primary doctor give you a referral to a dermatologist just to be safe...

northernhawk29 said:Honestly, those bodyweight exercises don't really get you anywhere... when I'm at the gym, I focus on driving my legs forward with everything I've got—jumping onto my toes as high as possible, really pushing those calf raises http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...CalfPress.html. Lately, I've been thinking about improvising something for balance and stability—maybe a circular board about 12 inches in diameter with a golf ball glued to the bottom? I’d spend at least 10 to 15 minutes a day on it. Of course, you could always just head over to Dick's Sporting Goods and buy a pre-made balance board for around $50
.

That gym exercise is actually great. Personally, the jumping part feels a bit too intense for me—I feel like there's a higher risk of straining a ligament, since you can't fully control the landing when the movement is that fast.
I did quite a bit of work on a stabilizer, similar to what you described, during physical therapy sessions. It’s a pretty decent little tool...