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    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of, and finding treatments for, complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia, long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

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Solve webinar today, Thurs May 19: Dr Jarred Younger, "CFS & ME: Can we find answers in the brain?"

Hutan

Senior Member
Messages
1,099
Location
New Zealand
@JaimeS and @viggster
That's really interesting about the punctate lesions observed in the early stages of your illnesses, with viggster's later disappearing.

For most of us, I expect early in our illnesses we were just at the point of trying to convince our GP to investigate further. Where I lived, even after the GP wrote the referral letter, it took months to get to see a specialist who could order the MRI.

I wonder if there is a pattern of punctate lesions that later heal in ME but that it is being missed because the MRIs typically aren't being done early enough or being repeated. I too had aphasia in the first year, but it is only a problem now if I am very fatigued.

@JaimeS, you haven't thought about having another scan?
 

Kati

Patient in training
Messages
5,497
@JaimeS and @viggster
That's really interesting about the punctate lesions observed in the early stages of your illnesses, with viggster's later disappearing.

For most of us, I expect early in our illnesses we were just at the point of trying to convince our GP to investigate further. Where I lived, even after the GP wrote the referral letter, it took months to get to see a specialist who could order the MRI.

I wonder if there is a pattern of punctate lesions that later heal in ME but that it is being missed because the MRIs typically aren't being done early enough or being repeated. I too had aphasia in the first year, but it is only a problem now if I am very fatigued.

@JaimeS, you haven't thought about having another scan?
I'm 7.5 years into my illness and still trying to convince my GP... I don't know what it will take...
 

JaimeS

Senior Member
Messages
3,408
Location
Silicon Valley, CA
@JaimeS, you haven't thought about having another scan?

Just finally digging myself out of the financial hole in which ME/CFS buried me. Back then I was intent on proving something was wrong. After Mayo visit, was not questioned again by docs except casually (you're getting a Z-type scan? For what? CFS? I don't think that --" "good for you, do the scan now kthanksbye.")

Take-away: at this point, I wouldn't get a scan that wouldn't help me make treatment decisions.