An Urgent Alert

by teresamasters on October 11, 2011

An Urgent Alert

A few years ago, I blogged about my experience with vertigo, and the “miracle” cure I found in the Epley Maneuver. Several of you contacted me directly and expressed thanks after being freed from this previously “learn to live with it,” problem.

Today, I want to share with you a very urgent issue, unless you live in Connecticut or Texas, important information about your body is intentionally withheld from you. In my personal case, it unfortunately allowed cancer six months of free growth within my left breast. A recent biopsy showed it to be aggressive. Had I known then what I know now, I would have demanded determination at that time.

The issue is the tissue within your own breast it is not all the same as I had thought. Some women have fatty tissue others have dense tissue. Fatty tissue allows the mammogram to easily spot cancer. With dense breast tissue it is far more difficult and 45% of the time, cancer is not seen at all.

When the individual gets the written report from the radiologist, the tissue status is not included. The report the radiologist sends to the referring physician defines the tissue type. There are a couple of reasons that my research has found, first they do not want to alarm the woman, second is the cost of a more reliable screening such as ultra-sound or MRI. Both reasons indefensible in reality.

My surgery is scheduled for Tuesday, October 11th. Had I been aware, it could be seven months behind me with a lesser degree of cancer involved. My tissue is a part of me, and to think it is better to keep this information from me is beyond my ken. Insofar as the cost, well no savings there at all. Clearly it was more costly due to the delay in finding the tumor.

I personally feel the interpretive radiation department of a major cancer center greatly failed me. I am beyond disappointed. They were aware that my breast tissue needed better screening. I did have ultra-sound, but as there still was a suspicion, MRI would have better identified the cancer.

As it was, they asked me to return in six months rather than the normal year for the recheck. Unfortunately I foolishly went along with this. When I did return, they did the recheck with both the mammogram and ultra-sound and the advised me that I would need a biopsy.

I contacted a trusted friend who arranged a second opinion with a radiologist who designed a different form of ultra-sound called SonoCine. This was done on Monday September 19th. At that time, Dr. Kevin Kelly advised me that he found “invasive ductile cancer.” His suggestion rather than the needle biopsy scheduled was to ask for a referral to a breast surgeon. I did this and had that visit later that week. She ordered a double site core extraction as well as an MRI. These were done September 27th and 29th. On September 30th, 11 days after Dr. Kelly’s diagnosis I got the call that I did have cancer.

My reason for this alert is to ask you to express yourself to your primary care physician and ask to know what your breast tissue type actually is. Hearing dense, be aware that mammography is not enough. A 45% failure rate is very high, and a secondary type of screening is very necessary. In my case, traditional ultra-sound was not effective. For all my future follow up’s, and they will be at 6 month intervals for the next five years, they will only be SonoCine..I no longer trust my regular site.

Here are some links:

http://www.sonocine.com

http://www.densebreasttissue.net

http://www.areyoudense.org/pdf/densebreasttissue.pdf

Thank you for reading through this, now please share this with others and please let your congressional and state legislators know that you support notification.

Thank you,

Hugs,

Terrie

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Vertigo Revisited

by teresamasters on April 15, 2011

Year and a half ago, I shared with you via a blog post, my personal experience in overcoming vertigo.

I was then a victim of accident related vertigo, but had long dealt with “positional vertigo.” When a registered physical therapist suggested I tell my physician that I had a treatable condition, I was initially told, that it was common after an accident and would resolve with time.

The RPT disagreed and suggested I see a neurologist. i did and then received a referral to a “vertigo” specialist. The type of non-invasive treatment I received is known as “The Epley Maneuver.” I required repetitions of this, but all episodes of vertigo disappeared, including the many years of “positional vertigo,” I had long dealt with, and been told that nothing could be done.

I quickly became an evangelist for this procedure, and quite a few have let me know that they too were now vertigo free.

Well lately, dealing with a lot of unexpected stress, I soaked in the bath, and then tipped my head back to shampoo my hair. An immediate, strong wave of dizzy and nausea momentarily disabled me. Luckily, I was able to get out of the bath safely. I called my primary and was seen the next day. On his exam table, he asked me to lay back on the exam table. His hands went behind my neck and shoulder to guide me back. The force of vertigo was strong and as I moaned, he said, “I can see it in your eyes.” I got an immediate referral to the miracle doctor.

I had that appointment today, and it was as before big time dizzy making. Luckily grandson Brendon would be there to drive me home. Now I must keep my head still, sleep on an incline for 2 days, and return next Friday for more.

It is not an easy process, but the results are nothing short of amazing. I am again blogging this in the event anyone reading is dealing with Vertigo. You no longer have to accept “there is nothing that can be done.” That is old school thought. Push your physician for a referral. Make sure you do not go alone, you will not be able to drive home, as you will be unstable for maybe 2 days, definitely for a few hours. I’m hopeful thst today’s treatment will be all I need, but, if as before, I need more, I will do so. 18 months of being able to get into bed without holding my head in a locked position, bending down to pick up a dropped item, or looking into lower cabinets without the room spinning was a blessing.

Google “Epley Maneuver” to read more about it. too many physicians are not aware of it, sadly.

Hugs,

Terrie

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