Patsy Culp
Unregistered User
(10/31/02 11:00 am)
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Medical History
Medical History
Date: 2/26/02 10:30:17 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: pculp@jam.rr.com (Patsy Culp) To: celeste@fmdfaqs.com
Subj:
My name is Patsy, I live in Louisiana. I was diagnosed with FMD in 1992 at the age of 42. I went to an ear/nose/throat doctor for a sinus infection and complained to him about hearing my heartbeat in my left ear all the time and my left ear felt like it was full of water. He listened to the arteries in my neck and thought I had clogged arteries. He ordered an ultrasound of the carotids which showed an 80% blockage. The doctor felt this could not be correct, my cholesterol was good, my triglycerides were good. From this the doctor ordered an angiogram. This angiogram revealed no clogged arteries but arteries with a "beaded" appearance, Fibromuscular Dysplasia. Everyone was so relieved that I didn't have clogged arteries but they couldn't really tell me what FMD was or what to do about it. I had about a 25% stenosis at the time so they felt it was nothing to worry about.
In 1995 I felt the disease had progressed. The noise in my ear was now more like a squishing noise than a heartbeat, I was having migraines,dizzy spells, and light headedness. This doctor ordered an angiogram which revealed a 50% stenosis and a 7mm aneurysm behind my right eye. Brain surgery was scheduled to seal off the aneurysm. Two clips were placed on the aneurysm. My doctor, a vascular and thoratic surgeon, studied my films and tests and sent them to hospitals all over the country. He even took them to two surgeon's conventions to discuss them. Everyone came to the same conclusion. The Fmd is up too high in the head, the risk of stroke or death from any surgery was too great. They all said they would not do anything till I had a stroke.
My last angiogram in February, 2001 showed a 60% stenosis in the internal carotids and now the FMD has appeared in my renal area and legs. So far the renal area has not caused any problems that I am aware of. My legs ache all the time and sometimes have sharp stabbing pains that are very excruciating. I have daily headaches, 2 - 3 migraines each month, some incidents of temporary partial blindness, dizzy spells, light headedness, fatigue, and memory lapses.
I am from a very large family but as far as we know I am the only one with FMD. I sure hope none of my children or grandchildren are faced with this disease.
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