;)This may be a repeat of another topic. How can the doctors tell if the edas surgery is still working.If there is new growth of blood vessels I have started having confusion, dizziness, slurred speech,forgeting things. lossing train of throught. I had the same symptoms two years ago before I had a edas two year ago. The only test I have done is a mra. Would a mra show the small blood vessels in the brain?
 I don't have access to a zeon ct scan or a pet scan in this area. I have been told that my symptoms are not typical symptoms of tias. If any one can help please let me know.

                                     Thanks ;)

   
    Hi Jan,  I had my EDAS about 6 months ago and I feel just about the same,  no better and no worse.  I'm still asymptomatic but suffer from lots of fatigue and usually  need about 2 naps a day.

    Dr. Connolly in NYC told me that the only sure fire test to see how the new blood vessels are growing is an angiogram which is usually not done for at least a year after the surgery.  
 Angios are not ordered  that often because they ave very expensive (about $20,000.00)  and they're quite invasive.

Good luck janand keep us posted.     TomG

Hi Jan,
Didn't have an EDAS I had 2 STA - MCA's. With the first one it took a while to settle down as it was done on the left side and that affected my memory etc. but after about 6 weeks it had started to settle down and I got it all back. Give it a little time - Tom is right, an angiogram is the only way to confirm if the new blood vessels are establishing themselves. It is invasive (I've had 2) and not the most pleasant thing to experience. It may take a little time for the blood vessels to establish and grow and this may be causing your symptoms as you haven't had much blood in your brain and now it has to deal with a whole new system up there!!

Hi there Tom, Glad to see you are doing well.
Holy smoke!!! Angios are EXPENSIVE in your neck of the woods!! Here down under they cost about $1200 which is roughly $900USD and fully covered on our health system. Next time you need one, come on down under and visit!!!

Jan an MRA does do the job but an angio is far more detailed and will give more info
Hope it all goes well
Moira

 Angio :o I am an expert in that area. I have had almost 30 angios no kidding. It is a long story. I have had alot of stents put in the heart,etc. I have a few bad ones. MY surgery edas was done over two years ago. I have just started having symptoms again. I have started having alot of changing of moods. I don't know if it is coming from poor circulation in the brain or I am just crazy! [smiley=laugh.gif]

                                              Jan

Moira,

Boy you are lucky...angio's are cheap down under. I had an angio in New York City in January that cost a little over $28,000, of which, my insuarance has only paid $17,000....now I have the continued pleasure of fighting with my insurance company to get the other part paid.

If I knew you were so lucky in Australia, I would have flown a bunch of us down had a nice vacation with our friends from down under....had my angio and saved a ton of money.

Greg

Hi Greg,
Forgot to add the day's stay in hospital - even so, that only adds another $800 or so on to the bill!!!
Cannot get over how expensive your medical system is in the US - watching shows like ER etc....
Down Under my family has private health insurance so that when I had my surgeries I had them done at one of the top hospitals in Perth (which was like a 5 star hotel!) and paid a nominal fee out of my own pocket for a room with river views and a balcony! The rest was covered on private health insurance and the government insurance picked up a portion of all procedures and specialists fees and private paid for the majority of it. There was a bit of a gap to pay but for example my first operation cost around a total of $70,000 (all tests, operation, anaesthetic, doctor, ICU, hospital etc) and I ended up paying just under $3000 out of my own pocket!!!  - The aussie dollar is at the moment equivalent to about 75c US!!
As I said to Tom, come on down and we'll have a party!!
Tony (hubby) will take you fishing out on the beach and we have fantastic wines over here, and of course the weather is great in summer - gets a bit hot sometimes, but it's winter at the moment and is about 15 degress C during the day.
Moira