This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Well, Yesterday I made the less than enjoyable drive to Detroit (not my fav city) and had my MRI/MRV done at Harper Hospital.

I must say, once I got through the sea of people in the lobby, and went through the tunnel to the MRI reseach wing, all went smoothly. Paula was a real peach, and was very kind. The MRI room was suprisingly nice, and the machine looked quite new. I am a stickler for technology, so I notice these things.

Other than the IV for the contrast, it was a walk in the park (not that the IV bad, but any poke is a poke, right?). I was made very comfortable, and the technicians were very nice. The whole process took about two hours, and I probably spent about 1.25 hr in the MRI.

I talked to Dr Haake for a little afterwards. He said my FLAIR images showed no MS lesions (PRAISE THE LORD!!) but the single jugular vein I have is still pinched by the bone in my spine.

He hopes to have a 3-d image soon. That will be very interesting.

So, I still have no answers for my symptoms, but getting my images into the hands of the reasearch community is a positive step.

Thank you all for your kind words of support, and my only hope now is that my images may help shed some light on the situation and possibly help them understand how blood flow (or lack thereof) may affect MS.

Sincerely, Joel

Hey Joel...thanks for stepping up and driving to Detroit and getting poked and prodded for the team. It's appreciated. I still hope you'll have answers for your symptoms. Alot of folks have MS symptoms for years before getting lesions. My hubby had years of fatigue and depression before getting his MS diagnosis, so it could just be that you caught this sucker before it developed into demyelinating lesions on your brain.

I do know that lack of jugular/venous return can cause fatigue....because since Jeff's jugulars are working, he no longer has that terrible MS fatigue, and this is what many, many people have observed after having their veins opened. I think the oxygen levels in your brain may provide more clues to researchers.

anyway, please keep us posted and know that I think you're pretty awesome for doing this for everybody here-
cheer

_________________
Husband dx RRMS 3/07
dx dual jugular vein stenosis (CCSVI) 4/09
dual stents placed 5/09
CCSVI in MS

I agree with Cheer, I have had the same sort of symptoms for 14 years and the only time the lesions started to show on an MRI was early this year.

beechwood, Thank you for telling us about your experience in Detroit. I am getting the imaging done with Dr. Haacke on December 7th. It sounds like the facilities and people were very nice. That is soooo important when you are a nervous patient. My husband and I are going to stay overnight at the Inn on Ferry Street, not very far from the hospital. I am so looking forward to this adventure. I was worried that I would be exhausted after all the imaging but it sounds like you aren't in the machine very long. I am so glad of that because I get very fatigued. So thank you again.

ozark

Beechwood,
I think it is urgent that you view a video on the atlas and its misalignment--a good one is this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ae5CHyS ... re=related
The bone that your jugular is hitting is the atlas--
mine has been misaligned for many, many years--drs did not pick it up when I had accident that affected neck and head, and chiros did not pick it up. So for years, in pain, sometimes severe, affecting head, neck, back--and along the way, optic neutitis, then finally MS diagnosis--only recently, due to bad dental work, went to neuromuscular dentist, and he picked up it was the atlas and CI misalignment that was causing some of my severe symptoms. Was with a chiro, but not getting results once again, so switched (rather than give up as had before), and this chiro finally did an adjustment (not her first try, was seeing her for a number of times) than re-aligned my Atlas--am practically pain free for first time in over 26 years--and my left leg which has been out for all these years is very different immediately. Definitely re-aligned my spine in getting the Atlas corrected. I don't usually hold the adjustments--but this has been for 12 days so far--haven't told chiro yet, see her in 3 days. My theory--couldn't hold the adjustments before, because the Atlas is indeed the king--get that aligned, and rest of sping aligns.
Atlas can be treated by regular chiro manipulations, (might take a number of tries before gets it), or by the very expensive orthoganal atlas machines, which are precise apparently and right on.
I hope this helps you, you have all my best wishes.

Shye, you have posted the Atlas comment on many threads. Why don't you start a thread on it and then leave it alone on all the others. I see your point on it, I actually investigated it earlier and perhaps it does have a relation to the jugular vein problem, but please don't throw it into every discussion.
Thanks for the added info though!