Hi again. To anyone else who's been through/knows about SACD diagnosis, what type of MRI scan should I expect please? I understood that I'd be going for an urgent scan of whole spine with contrast, plus head to investigate involvement of the optic nerve (intermittent blurred vision and pain) and also migraines. But after 5 weeks (instead of the urgent two +/- Covid delays), I've now got an appointment for the spine only with no details of contrast or anything else (previously I've had MRI appointment letters explicitly stating such details - or might it be the case here that they are included and I've just not been advised?).
I currently strongly suspect SACD associated with a B12 deficiency that appears to have been overlooked for several years, extensive neurological symptoms, and multiple prescription uses of nitrous oxide. I'm concerned as so far my doctors have been very unfamiliar with most of this, and a lot of my treatment/other referrals have been incorrect.
Thank you.
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Katanaqui
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Thanks very much, I'll be able to phone to check on Monday. It's my understanding it should be spine with contrast to identify common features in the dorsal and lateral columns, and also head to ascertain optic nerve and other cerebral matter involvement.
In my case it's mostly that not a single thing has been correct so far - missing the dx to start with for ~6 years, administering multiple doses of nitrous oxide during that time, refusing the correct B12 injections atm for 11 weeks until I appealed to a different doctor (finally starting them on Monday), refusing to acknowledge any symptoms other than peripheral neuropathy were relevant, referring me to a neurologist with no mention of the relevant neurological symptoms, referring me for an 'urgent' MRI scan and it going through as a normal speed one - the list goes on. So at this point I'm just already concerned that they've simply referred me for the wrong type of scan as well.
They've also repeatedly stated that I will certainly be all better within 2-4 weeks of injections and I won't need any more after that. They've been so adamant of that and very dismissive of which of my neuro symptoms are relevant, so much that I now feel reliant on a baseline MRI showing damage now, and a repeat MRI scan in the future to prove that I may well need to stay on injections for longer.
(Sorry for the half-rant, as you can probably tell I've not been handling moods well for a while either)
I had cervical and brain mris with no contrast. These were to look for signs of MS as my neurologist didn’t seem to believe in b12 deficiency!! Hope all goes well. You might be able to ring the hospital and ask if you are going to have a contrast injection.
Thanks everyone for your replies, they've been really helpful I rang my hospital who confirmed my scan is without contrast - my referral had absolutely no clinical detail whatsoever in it, and it wasn't marked urgent either, so something's gone wrong as usual. Hopefully in the process of getting it sorted now
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