The city visit...

I went into the city today to see the specialist. He is an ophthalmologist neurologist. We took the MRI films with us, as he wanted to see them first hand. Up until now they have been saying I have optic neuritis. The MRI did not show that but they said it is not always seen on an MRI. Well according to this new doctor optic neuritis does not cause double vision, and since that is the first thing I tell everyone he didn’t understand the diagnosis. The MRI does not show the optic neuritis, but it does show Sarcoidosis grains that are pushing against my optic nerve. This is causing the double vision as well as the blurred vision. So we are relived that the MRI did in fact do the trick. The official reading says it is all normal which we didn’t like. That would only mean more tests. So now we know what is happening and what to do about it. Unfortunately this means that the treatment is steroids. I can get low bone mass, anemic (already there actually) and diabetic. I have to take vitamin D and calcium supplements and have my blood sugars monitored. Hopefully this will not make me diabetic. On the superficial vain side I also hope I don’t get a big face. I will have 40 mg. for two weeks, then thirty for two weeks, then twenty, then ten. I see the doctor again in six weeks. I am going to stop going to the neurologist and ophthalmologist here in NJ. I will only see this new doctor in the city (New York City that is) and my Pulmonologist in NJ. They will work together as a team. The new doctor was not thrilled that I was diagnosed so long ago and as to date have had very little actual treatment. He is confident that my vision can be restored with the treatment. I feel like I got some answers today and although I am not thrilled about the meds it looks like I am on my way to recovery. I pray that is the case.