Update: I'm Home From the Hospital

As I shared last weekend in this post, I was admitted to the Telemetry Unit at the hospital on Monday for testing.

I had never stayed in the hospital before, other than when my daughters were born, so I really didn’t know what to expect. Since one of the symptoms I was admitted for was vertigo, I was labeled a fall risk. I was basically confined to my bed for the entire time, other than going for tests and using the restroom. I definitely felt a bit stir crazy and I missed my family.

While I was in the hospital, I had several tests done, including an MRI with and without contrast, angiogram, cardiogram and tons of lab work. Even with all of those tests, I don’t have a diagnosis.

However, we have been able to rule out several possibilities, including:

Stroke or mini strokes
Heart issues
Brain tumor
Blood clot blocking the flow of blood to my brain
Lyme disease
Migraines
Severe vitamin or mineral deficiencies

The chance of MS has also been significantly lessened as the MRI came back clear. However, according to the National MS Society, approximately 5% of people with clinically-definite MS do not initially show lesions on MRI at the time of diagnosis. The people who are diagnosed with MS without brain lesions usually get the diagnosis after a spinal tap. So, the chance of me being diagnosed with MS at this point is pretty slim.

The next step is for me to get an EEG and EMG the first week in June. From there, we will work on trying to figure out what is going on with me one step at a time. I really hope those tests provide answers. I can’t speculate exactly what it might be at this point, but the doctor can and said they’re looking at autoimmune or other neurological disorders as possibilities. I just want my symptoms to go away.

I want to thank everyone who has reached out and sent well wishes my way. Please continue thinking positive thoughts for me as I continue on my journey of working to discover the cause of my health concerns.