I have read here how fast you get an answer from stanford. I got an answer on the mra which the doctors said are good even though the left internal cartoid is 100 percent blocked and the right if severely blocked but not completely. I have had ecic in 1996 and edas in 2004. In 2004 my mra looked the same as now. When an angiogram was done there was no blood supply on the left side of the brain. I have started having the same symptons now. I had to insist that a angiogram be done.Have there been anyone else  that go to stanford that have had this experience? I have almost come to the point that I am not going to push anything WHATEVER! I know my vision is getting worse. Stanford has had my mri for two weeks and I haven't gotten an answer on the mri. Thanks so much for this group!!!!!!!!!

jan123 wrote on Jun 18^th, 2006 at 1:11am:

Hi Jan,

I’m so sorry to hear you’re having symptoms/problems after your surgeries. I don’t know your specifics Jan, but it’s been my experience in talking with so many here that’s had various health problems such as you mentioned you have, that there could be numerous reasons for your symptoms/problems, but that’s for the doctor you see regularly for your MM follow-up care to explain.

As far as Stanford goes, it’s not clear to me Jan… were you there at Stanford for your follow up care and had these tests done, or did you send your films to Stanford waiting for Dr. Steinberg’s opinion?? The reason I ask is, my family had a similar experience. Dr. Steinberg did the direct surgeries on my niece a few years ago, but they live across the country from Stanford and had her follow up care/tests done there in Georgia. She was having dizzy spells and had an MRA done and the doctors there in GA said it was because she had a 100% blockage even after her surgeries. It scared us to death, so we sent the films to Stanford, and Dr. Steinberg didn’t seem alarmed at all and we just didn’t get it at first. The reason being, him being the MM expert that he is, he knew all along that all her tests will always show that original 100% blockage she had before the bypass surgery, (He by-passed that blockage, but it's still shows up technically on any test) but the inexperienced doctors in Georgia neglected to explain any of that to us, so naturally we panicked when they told us and when we read 100% blocage on the report, and all for nothing. I’m not saying that nothing is wrong in your case, I don’t know that, but I am saying, Dr. Steinberg is an expert and the best. He would NEVER let something serious slide. Perhaps you have other medical problems and other doctors involved in your case and there’s a protocol, I dunno. With my niece, we still have no idea why she has dizzy spells, she went to Stanford and had all the tests redone and her blood flow to the brain is excellent. Her symptoms could be from many other causes and not necessarily MMD. Dr. Steinberg did his part as the brain surgeon and managing her MMD. Sometimes you just don’t get all the answers when other medical problems are involved.

You’ll be in my thoughts and prayers. I hope you get some answers.

God Bless,
Mar