Doctor referral

[Dloshaw]

I am scheduled to have surgery. Has anyone heard good or bad about doctor Jeffrey seiff in las vegas, nv?

[Dloshaw]

MRA is being done on my brain. I will have the surgeon run those tests and ask. He has done a lot of the surgeries. I feel comfortable with his skill and so does my uncle (a surgeon.)

[selmaS]

  Did your Drs rule out Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome?
The reason I ask is bcuz some of the bad experiences are due to the patient rejecting the patch, and more times they find they do have EDS post op and if it were known b4 and precautions taken then it would have been a much better outcome...

I do have EDS and they harvested my own tissue for my dura patch....sleep apnea is something many have been DX'd with....as for auto immune issues many of us were DX'd with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, which can only be found with the right testing.....and it is not always done.

There are a number of things, too numerous to post all at once....but a true Chiari specialist will look for all of them.

What is the MRA being done of, what area?

[Dloshaw]

I have that journal since my vision drastically changed in February. The migraines started this past December and now won't go away. To answer your previous comment Selma, I only have 1 test left that I feel would rule out anything else--an MRA. I have has MRI of spine and brain, nerve conduction study, pituitary and other hormone balance problems ruled out, had all the auto-immune assay tests run, nerve conduction study, optometrist ruled out many things. The neurologist told me he didn't know what to do with me. That's when I found dr. Seiff. If the MRA is negative, unless you can think of anything, then I am going through with surgery.

[Elisaandbucky]

Hello. I am reading your post and want to suggest something to make your appointments go smoothly. While you are waiting for a surgery date or researching for a second opinion try to keep an accurate journal to record symptoms and specific locations of any pain you experience. I find it hard to remember everything I planned to tell a doctor during a visit unless I have things written down.

[Dloshaw]

He is opening the dura and using a lamb patch?  I have to ask again. he is also opening the for foramen magnum, and taking off part (the bridge or something) of the C1. The date is not set, but as soon as I know, I will post it.

[selmaS]

  Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

We do have a list compiled by the members of Drs they have been to, treated by and liked....if your Drs name is not on the list it indicates no member of this forum has been to them yet.....

May I ask, what all will be done during your decompression...will the dura be opened? If so, what type of dura patch will be used?

Did you have ALL related conditions ruled out?

Please post your surgery date on the list your surgery date 2015 so a prayer thread is posted for you...wishing you all the best.