Re: Need some advice
Ellen Hertz (eshertz(AT)access.digex.net)
Sun, 08 Feb 1998 21:52:54 -0500
At 04:56 PM 2/8/98 -0800, Norman Van Huff wrote:
>In November, I was diagnosed "with the symptoms of Transverse Myelitis".
>These were numbness in the feet and an extremely touchy band around my
>chest. An MRI showed that I had a "spot" in the spinal column about the
>7th vertebrae. My neurologist started me on cortesone.
>At that time I went on the Internet to try to understand this problem.
>The stories and comments on this illness seemed to deal with quite
>severe cases and obviously concerned me. My concern waned somewhat as I
>went through the Cortesone(sp) treatment and the symptoms especially
>around the chest seemed to stop and the numbness actually receded some.
>But since I've stopped the medication, the numbness in the lower part of
>my body has continued to creep up and actually gotten gradually worse at
>my feet. Now the numbness is at the belt line. I gather I'm fortunate
>because I still have good strength in my legs and feet. My neurologist
>seems to have a wait and see approach. Maybe that is what has to be
>done, but it doesn't seem to be aggressive enough to me.
>
>Any advice?
>
>Thank You
>Norman Van Huff
Norman,
I wish I knew. Maybe that is what has to be done. But maybe there is
more aggressive treatment. It sounds as if you should get a second
opinion if that is possible.
Ellen Hertz