A new study documents for the first time a significant difference in the way women and men describe their symptoms while they’re having a stroke. And that difference may be affecting how women receive emergency stroke treatment. On the whole, the study found, women were 62 percent more likely than men to say they were feeling sensations that aren’t on the list of “traditional” stroke symptoms. Because emergency responders and emergency room doctors often go by patients’ descriptions and the traditional symptom list when trying to diagnose and treat a suspected stroke, women’s symptoms may be overlooked during the precious hours when stroke therapies work best.
From the University of Michigan Health System:
Women’s stroke symptoms differ from men’s, often aren’t among ‘traditional’ signs
ANN ARBOR, MI – A new study documents for the first time a significant difference in the way women and men describe their symptoms while they’re having a stroke. And that difference may be affecting how women receive emergency stroke treatment.
On the whole, the study found, women were 62 percent more likely than men to say they were feeling sensations that aren’t on the list of “traditional” stroke symptoms.
Because emergency responders and emergency room doctors often go by patients’ descriptions and the traditional symptom list when trying to diagnose and treat a suspected stroke, women’s symptoms may be overlooked during the precious hours when stroke therapies work best, the researchers say. Delays in treatment with clot-busting drugs can lead to long-term disability or even death from a stroke.
The study, published in the November issue of the Annals of Emergency Medicine by stroke specialists from the University of Michigan Health System and the University of Texas at Houston, concludes that recognition of the symptom differences could help women be evaluated and treated faster and more effectively.
The new results, from the TLL Temple Foundation Stroke Project, may help explain findings from other research showing that women often don’t get stroke treatment as quickly as men.
“Our findings have important consequences for stroke diagnosis and treatment,” says senior author Lewis Morgenstern, M.D. “All stroke treatments are time-dependent, so if women are not diagnosed promptly, it will slow down the effort to treat them.” Morgenstern directs the U-M Stroke Program and associate professor of Neurology, Epidemiology, Emergency Medicine and Neurosurgery at the U-M Medical School and School of Public Health.
He adds, “These differences are both biologically interesting and socially consequential. They are important to medical education, too, because often medical students and others are trained that stroke is a man’s disease. It’s not.”
Lead author Lise Labiche, M.D., a Stroke Fellow at the UT Health Science Center at Houston, agrees. “Unless diseases are specifically studied in women, it can be wrongly assumed that women and men behave the same way. It is crucial to recognize that differences do occur between the genders. In stroke, prompt recognition of non-traditional stroke symptoms by patients, paramedics and ER staff may increase the number of women receiving clot-dissolving drugs and reduce the disability that they suffer.”
Stroke is the leading cause of disability in American adults, and the third leading cause of death. Previously, studies have show that women who have a stroke are more likely than men, or if they survive, more likely to have a poor outcome. Research has recently shown that women having a stroke face longer delays than men in being evaluated by emergency room physicians.
The study looked at interview transcripts and medical information from 1,124 men and women who came to 10 rural and suburban hospitals in east Texas between February 1998 and March 2000 with conditions that were later positively identified as acute strokes.
The interviews – which asked about the symptom or symptoms that caused the patient to seek medical attention – were conducted with the patient or, if the patient could not participate, with a person familiar with the patient’s initial symptoms.
A researcher who did not know the sex of the patients then reviewed the interviews and other data, and classified the symptoms for each patient using 14 categories. These included traditional stroke symptoms like sudden changes in sensation, walking ability, balance, motor functions (including paralysis of one side of the body), speech, language abilities, facial muscles, vision and dizziness.
But the researchers also included nontraditional symptoms like headache, face pain and limb pain; disorientation and change in consciousness; various neurologic symptoms like hiccups, nausea and general weakness; and symptoms that aren’t likely to be neurologic, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, and palpitations.
The findings showed that overall, 28 percent of women reported nontraditional stroke symptoms, as opposed to 19 percent of men. Statistically significant sex differences were found for four specific symptom categories: men were more likely to report the traditional symptoms of imbalance and paralysis of one side of their body, while women were more likely to report nontraditional symptoms of pain and changes in consciousness or disorientation.
Women were generally more likely than men to report non-neurologic symptoms like chest pain and shortness of breath, while men were somewhat more likely to have problems with their ability to walk. There was no difference between the sexes in speech problems, facial muscle problems, dizziness/vertigo, sensation, language, visual problems or unclassifiable neurologic symptoms. A majority of patients – 58 percent – reported multiple symptoms.
Women’s symptoms overall were not only less traditional, but also less specific. This could further delay detection of the symptoms’ source and treatment decisions. “The diagnosis of stroke is usually cut and dried, but when symptoms are generalized and vague, it’s hard to make a clear diagnosis,” says Morgenstern.
With the new findings providing the first evidence of a gender difference in stroke symptoms, Morgenstern hopes that other researchers will try to validate the data by doing a prospective study designed specifically to look at symptoms in women and men. If such a study were to reach the same conclusions, he says, it might be time to add to the list of stroke symptoms.
Until then, he urges women to become more familiar with the traditional symptoms of stroke – sudden onset of weakness or numbness on one side of the body, difficulty speaking or understanding, facial drooping, clumsiness or inability to walk. And, he suggests women assess their personal risk of stroke based on their age and medical history, and talk to their medical providers about how to reduce their risk. He also emphasizes the importance of seeking immediate medical attention for any sudden change in a person’s condition.
My name is David Summers of Murfreesboro, TN and I have had MS for 16 years. I am 37 years old and as of January 2012, was effectively an 8.0 on the EDSS scale. Originally RRMS, my disease progression had become SPMS (very progressive) within 4 years of onset. Normally anyone in my position and with my bleak diagnosis is limited to a short future, absolutely no quality of life and a painful end…possibly prior to my 40th birthday if the current progression of the disease continued (without the slightest hesitation or glimmer of hope, my Neurologist just told me: “ Prepare to deteriorate”). But after I heard about Dr. Zamboni’s ‘liberation therapy hypothesis’ in 2010, I began my search for the vein-widening therapy. This put me into a clinic in Duluth, Georgia where they were doing the liberation procedure. I received immediate positive results post-procedure…along with the surgeon’s warning that 50% of the MS patients who undergo the liberation therapy suffer a re-narrowing of the jugular veins within a year or so. Sure enough, within 3 months I knew that I was going to be among the unlucky 50%; all of the original improvements disappeared as I relapsed.
I felt the only way forward was to get it done again, hopefully this time with more enduring results. But where would I go to get this done again and how would that be possible? If my neck veins restenosed after the first treatment, what was to prevent that from happening again…and again? I began to read the Internet blogs and forum chats placed on the many new CCSVI sites by MS patients about where to go and what their experiences were. In this respect, the Internet became a valuable educational tool for me. On several of the blogs, I discovered a New York clinic where they placed a stent during the procedure to keep the jugular veins open, and that positive results were being seen. Grimly, I also discovered that although rare, the prospect of death as a result of this procedure was also a risk. At least one person in a recent study had died when the stent migrated to his heart. But I was willing to put those thoughts and the risks aside. What did I really have to lose? I was dying a slow death. As long as someone was able to treat me there was a chance to hope, and I was down for it. But that wasn’t the main question I was asking myself.
As my disease rapidly progressed and my disabilities became more overwhelming, the question I was asking myself was, was it too late for me? Although I was happy with the fact that my original liberation therapy had diminished most of the symptoms above my waist, I had to ask myself if getting stents was merely settling for a compromised improvement. Having had some success, if I had this done again, I wanted more! Don’t get me wrong, I think the liberation therapy is a miracle discovery from God. As soon as I had my first procedure my cog fog lifted, the vision in my right eye improved greatly, the numbness in both hands dissipated by a few degrees, my ability to taste food returned, my energy levels were ’off the charts’, and my sleep was so sweet. Also, because MS had robbed my body of the ability to regulate body temperature by sweating, I had not been able to handle the hot, humid Southern summers where I live, except to blast cold AC non-stop as a survival method during those sickly ‘dog days’. After the procedure this changed too. I knew it when deodorant suddenly became necessity for my personal hygiene once again!
But it ended by the 90-day point and I was right back where I started. Immediately following the procedure I had dreams of rising from the wheelchair I’d been confined to for ten years and walking like a real man; but even with the incredible improvements overall, it seemed that the only healing occurred above the waist. Perhaps I would just have to accept that even if I could improve to what the full extent of the liberation therapy would allow, I would always be in a wheelchair. While researching the New York clinic and other places, my parents and I came upon CCSVI Clinic through a Google search. We discovered that they are essentially a research clinic operating under an IRB but with a major difference. For the past year, having seen even better results than just doing the liberation therapy alone, they have also been transplanting adult autologous stem cells, cultured and re-injected into the body shortly after the neck venoplasty. If I chose to go there instead of New York, the procedure would be done at CCSVI Clinic at Noble Hospital in Pune India and I would have to get there essentially as a partially paralyzed patient transported in a wheelchair. There would also be a requirement to stay in the hospital for 10-12 days. But after researching the improvements demonstrated in MS patients in stem cell clinical trials, I simply decided that as long as they would take me, nothing was going to stop me from making that trip. On calls with the clinic, it was also explained that stents were not necessary as the stem cells injected intravenously could be enough to keep my veins from restenosing. My confidence in their method increased when I discovered that Dr. Gupte, the neurosurgeon, had been transplanting autologous stem cells for 4 years for a number of different neurodegenerative conditions, including MS and based his therapies on completed stem cell trial methods done in a number of hospitals and universities outside of the US (to be absolutely sure, I confirmed this through searches on Google Scholar). He had already done over 2000 successful transplants! Regarding my communications with CCSVI Clinic, I need to confess here that we did not tell the doctors the truth originally. My mother, who arranged the treatments, told them that I was an EDSS 6.5 in order to qualify. Basically she knew that they wouldn’t accept me into the program if she said I was higher. But if they saw my actual physical condition could they refuse me on the clinic steps? I hoped not.
So in late March it was off to India with my father who is a strong man, and my capable assistant. We arrived on March 26, 2012, and met Surjo Banerjee, CCSVI Clinic’s Managing Director at the airport. He drove us from the airport to Pune, a surprisingly modern city just south of Mumbai. I was amazed to see that the hospital and the CCSVI Clinic itself, (a full wing of suites within the hospital complex) was as clean and modern as any hospital here in the States. After checking in with a number of other patients, I was triaged for the procedures. However, based on my new assessment, it was determined that I would need about twice the amount of stem cells that they had originally programmed, figuring my EDSS scale requirement of 6.5. But paying more was out of the question. We are not rich and had basically ‘sold the farm’ to get here in the first place, and the recommended additional stem cells were going to cost another $12,000 that we had not planned for. Not their fault…I didn’t tell them the extent of my condition in the first place. So the first miracle happened when CCSVI Clinic management offered to personally cover these additional costs. I had never even met some of them, but as a result of their generosity, I received an additional 50,000,000 mesenchymal stem cells and I cannot thank them enough for the difference they have made to my life.
On Tuesday March 27
, I once again had the liberation therapy followed by the harvesting of red bone marrow cells from my hip bone. The clinic has strict aftercare protocols around each type of procedure with regard to position control and movement. It didn’t much affect my activity because I was unable to move much anyway. I was supine positioned, tilted slightly head high for two days following my venoplasty and then laid out supine again, in just the opposite tilt…head-lower-than-the-body for several days following the transplants of the stem cells. I was told that this would allow the newly transplanted stem cells to filter through the full length of the nervous system and locate to the points of injury. A Doppler ultrasound of my neck veins was done every day for 10 days following my liberation procedure. This was to check for any clotting or re-narrowing of the veins which had been widened. If they clotted or restenosed at any time I was in the clinic, they would take me back into the cathlab for a re-do. Happily this wasn’t necessary.
Following the liberation therapy, the changes within my body were just as immediate and dramatic as in my first procedure in 2010, hopefully without the fear of re-stenosis; but my ‘headspace’ almost didn’t accept it. The first time with my liberation therapy in the US, the IR found one narrowing in each jugular, the right side being more severe. This time around, two blockages were found on my right side, and again one on the left. I have heard that second and third procedures for venous angioplasty are more difficult for the surgeons because there is more build up of scar tissue in the interior of the veins, but the medical team took their time and did a perfect job. Words cannot express the emotional joy in getting the blood flowing again and getting those symptomatic improvements back a second time!
Four days later I underwent a lower lumbar puncture, but this time not simply to gather information on whether I have MS. This time, stem cells cultured from my own body were on their way to do what God designed them to do, and that is to heal. For all of you that might be skeptical about this, I am here to tell you that is exactly what they are doing. The positive changes were noticed as soon as I returned to my suite in the clinic and anyone who is paralysed below the waist will understand this next part. To manoeuvre myself as I usually do, I went to pick my leg up from a sitting position and throw it in front of me. The hope here is that the ‘dead-weight’ of the leg will land just right and in a position where I can best situate myself to haul my body into a position where I can further awkwardly throw my whole body into my wheelchair. If you’ve ever seen a spinal patient do this or are unlucky enough to have to do this yourself, you know what an ugly, uncomfortable process this is. But this time the ‘throw’ of the leg proved to be an over-compensation. To my absolute shock and delight my leg lifted itself just as it’s supposed to work…without aid from my helpful hands and placed itself exactly where my brain told it go! At first I didn’t think much of it…this was a fluke, maybe my imagination, but it was something sure not to last. But it has to this day without any hint of regression as I work out and get stronger. This was the first sign of any recovery whatsoever that has occurred below the waist in over ten years, and it happened only hours after the stem cell transplant!
Upon returning home on April 14, 2012, I closely followed the Clinic’s physiotherapy program. Since then I have been working out at levels I had been told by my doctors here in the states would not be possible again. When exercising before I had stem cell therapy, I always had to be careful not to overdo it because I would get a sickness that sometimes lasted 2 days, completely wiping me out. This even occurred after the first liberation therapy, but no more. I’ve been working myself silly and have not yet felt sick. Real strength has returned and muscles have been popping out in places on my body where I haven’t seen them in many years. As of this writing today, and for about the last two weeks my right hand has been functioning normally in every respect. I’m not saying it has improved some, I’m saying it is now completely NORMAL! I can hardly believe it myself.
Since I returned, and after only one month, the positive changes have been happening regularly and most every day. Most significantly, I think, my incontinence has completely improved and I am now able to almost totally control my urinary and elimination functions. All other disabilities aside, I think that this is one of the most important deficits that anyone with MS wishes they could get back! Incontinence is so embarrassing and not having control of that particular function somehow makes you feel lesser as a person. So I’m very happy to see the improvements there. My speech is back to normal. Although I never slurred my words, the thought process was oh-so-slow. Now my words come so quickly that I sometimes find myself stumbling over them…trying to say too much at once. I can’t complain about that!
I am convinced that CCSVI Clinic is on to important discoveries about MS. They have figured this out and are doing the sequence of therapies correctly and the addition of the stem cells completes the need to repair the nerve damage that’s been done by the disease. In retrospect what they are doing suddenly makes complete sense to me. It’s still early yet and I guess time will tell to what extent my motor functions will come back, but if the last month is any indication, it could be everything, which excites me so much. I don’t know if that’s too much to hope for, but it’s the first time in 10 years that I’ve even really allowed the thought to cross my mind. The first fleeting thoughts of this after the original liberation therapy 2 years ago weren’t realistic. The good changes didn’t last. And consider this; a few months ago, I was in a wheelchair, in a permanent brain fog losing more of my independence and quality of life on a daily basis. All I had to look forward to was a deteriorating condition where others would have to take care of my every bodily function. Now I can’t wait to wake up every morning to check myself out. If anything I’m too impatient and working out too hard. But at least I can! Given my current state of health and ability to live and function on my own, the thing that is very certain is that I have a much better quality of life back and that wouldn’t have even been possible if it hadn’t been for the lucky discovery of CCSVI Clinic through an Internet search. My family and I will be eternally grateful for what has happened no matter how this turns out. Thanks to Dr. Gupte, the other doctors, the medical team and staff at the Clinic who made this all happen for me, I’m looking forward to each day with new health and optimism! May God Bless them all!
I have a long way to go, but as long as my jugular veins are wide open and the stem cells continue to clean up the mess those narrowed veins left behind, and damaged nerves continue to regenerate, I believe the sky is truly the limit! My main focus at this point is not only to rebuild muscle but to get my legs to work together, which will restore my balance.
Every day is a new gift that allows me more recovery. I can hardly wait for each morning to see the next improvement! There’s so much more happening in my body than I’ve even mentioned in this writing but I hope I’ve related the main message here…MS was my previous diagnosis.
I will be starting a blog on my progress in a week or two if anyone wants to contact me or follow my improvement. I’m sure there are many of you out there who are skeptical or would want to know how this is going for me. I’ll post the site information back here once I have it up.The first fleeting thoughts of this after the original liberation therapy 2 years ago weren’t realistic. The good changes didn’t last. And consider this; a few months ago, I was in a wheelchair, in a permanent brain fog losing more of my independence and quality of life on a daily basis. All I had to look forward to was a deteriorating condition where others would have to take care of my every bodily function. Now I can’t wait to wake up every morning to check myself out. If anything I’m too impatient and working out too hard. But at least I can! Given my current state of health and ability to live and function on my own, the thing that is very certain is that I have a much better quality of life back and that wouldn’t have even been possible if it hadn’t been for the lucky discovery of CCSVI Clinic through an Internet search. My family and I will be eternally grateful for what has happened no matter how this turns out. Thanks to Dr. Gupte, the other doctors, the medical team and staff at the Clinic who made this all happen for me, I’m looking forward to each day with new health and optimism! May God Bless them all!
I have a long way to go, but as long as my jugular veins are wide open and the stem cells continue to clean up the mess those narrowed veins left behind, and damaged nerves continue to regenerate, I believe the sky is truly the limit! My main focus at this point is not only to rebuild muscle but to get my legs to work together, which will restore my balance.
Every day is a new gift that allows me more recovery. I can hardly wait for each morning to see the next improvement! There’s so much more happening in my body than I’ve even mentioned in this writing but I hope I’ve related the main message here…MS was my previous diagnosis.
I will be starting a blog on my progress in a week or two if anyone wants to contact me or follow my improvement. I’m sure there are many of you out there who are skeptical or would want to know how this is going for me. I’ll post the site information back here once I have it up.For more information visit our site http://davidsmsstemcelljourney.blogspot.in/
I recently suffered from heat exhaustion and my symptoms were cramps in the legs, profuse sweating, a salty taste in the mouth, severe headache, and a very flushed face.
My symptoms before my ischemic stroke as a 50-year old female, previously in good health: Stiff neck and persistant headache. During this time, I also had extreme flu symptoms, which then led to my confusion re: the origin of my headache and stiff neck. About 5 days after these symptoms, I was upright, talking on the phone, when my left arm began to tremor uncontrollably. At one point, I could feel the left side of my brain “go dark” and I was aware that I was about to faint. At this point, I was aware that I was having stroke symptoms: I popped about several aspirin with water (which may have saved my life), sat down and deep breathed to slow my heart rate. Unfortunately, because I have no healthcare, I waited to seek medical help until the next day. I am extremely lucky: with the exception of some undetectable quirks, I have no residual effects. The doctors confirmed that three brain blood clots showed up on my MRIs but had broken up on their own vs. bursting (which then causes massive damage or death). I am now on a daily aspirin, blood pressure and cholesterol meds. Though I was always physically active, I’d fallen off a regular routine, but now keep up a vigorous, consistent exercise routine and am feeling fine, though the cause of my stroke has not been definitively pinpointed. Advice: 1) Pay attention to your body and get help immediately; 2) Take a daily aspirin (get your Dr’s ok); 3) Make sure that you know your blood pressure and cholesterol readings: there is a reason that they call Strokes “the silent killer.”
hypertension and high blood pressure are the reasons for a stroke. Oily food, fried food with too much spice, fast food, roots, soft drinks, red meat (should avoid when you cross 40 years old), food full of fat like butter, cheez etc. should be avoided. Regular check up of blood pressure is needed. In the kitchen we should keep ginger and garlic always. Both are miracle things for removing cholestrol from the body. Ginger mixed with honey can be taken early in the morning empty stomach. Goosberry jam is also good full of vitamin-c. Pepper and cumine seed powder should be added in soups. They are good for nerves. Coriander leaves are also good for hypertension. The extract of coriander leaves or boiled water of this leaf is good for controlling the irritating mind. Too much chemical based medicines are not good for health. They will lead us to ulcer. Refined flour based food pizza and bun are not good. The result would be indigestion. Food with fibre is good. cluster beans, beans, greens, carrots, beetroot full of fibre are good for health. Regular walk in the park do magic always. Those who can not go to the park can go up to the terrance and down the stairs to melt the fat. Hip and toe dance is also good. Lets dance and sing. :)
it is because of weakness of nerves. Pomegranate juice mixed with honey can be taken continuously for 1 month. Dried fig fruits (atleast 5) soaked in water the whole night also can be taken empty stomach in the morning daily. put a pinch of pepper powder and dry ginger powder in water mix it and have empty stomach in the morning.
I watched an elderly lady friend for over two years of mini-strokes before she died. I have to give credit where it is due, her doctor was totally aware of what was going on and called in other doctors who were also sensitive to the problems. Not all doctors are can be classidied as unaware. On the other side I had a mild heart attack about 5 yrs. ago, went to the ER and was totally ignored by the admissions clerk. Had to get my own wheelchair and wait for almost two hours before being seen. My symptoms were not the obvious ones, but being an RN I was aware of the danger. Eventually I ended up with stents in my right coronary artery. There are always two sides to a story, and we owe it to ourselves to get the help we need, when we need it. Never be afraid of talking to your doctor and tellling him/her what is really happening. Your life depends on it.
I am working online and some of the medical symptoms you posted, I have it like numbness on my right leg and tingling on my fingers and hands for I am working online. I am always facing the computer for at least 8 hours a day.
I am a 27 years old women and sometimes i feel my both palms get numb and the fingers get unconscious. At that time i rub my fingers vigorously with some harsh surface till it brings back the sensation. I would like to ask is it related to some stroke or is it weakness?
I would definately report your Doctor for allowing an uncertified, unlisenced assistant to perform epidurals. I’m in shock! Do you know how easy it is to permantly disable someone? Please, report him so he does not harm anyone. I really hope you did not know about this while you were receiving the treatments. If you did know, I’m sorry but you are an idiot.
Also, why did you find it so necessary to keep pointing out that the surgeon you speak so ill of is a woman? What difference does that make? I’ve been a critical care RN,BSN for 17 years and have seen and delt with many arrogent dangerous surgeons, both male and female. Is it so surprising that a female surgeon can also have a God complex and be inappropriate?
You were the one who kept going back to the same doctors you complain about. You also have to take responsibility insead of passing it onto everyone else. I live in NYC too and know you have plenty of choices.
This should be passed around..see if she has any back
bone….spineless as she is…
In my case both doctors claim to follow ethical
guidelines. In New York there is a pain management
doctor who had his unlicensed, not certified assistant
administered an epidural injection on me. For 3 days I
was in bed with a massive headache. The 4th day I went
back. He called his partner in crime a neurosurgeon
who works at a city hospital, and performs all kinds
of research on human beings in a coma. Many times
while in my presence I’ve heard this female md
ridicule her patients. This female neurosurgeon
convinced me to have surgery as soon as possible. I
agreed. I asked more than once if she was the one
performing the surgery. She reassured me that yes, she
was the one. The nice female doctor on the day of
surgery, handed me over to a group of residents, every
single individual that worked on me was a resident. I
have the records to prove it. When I asked the MD
after the surgery again, “did you do the surgery?” her
response, “yes…I did.” To make up for it the nice MD
after almost a year of more pain, and headaches from
hell, told me a fusion will help the pain. I trusted
her…again. The good news, she did the surgery. I
guess to make up for the lie regarding the 1st failed
surgery, and also to cover the incompetence of the
pain management md. During my stay at the hospital,
the MD made rude remarks about my behind, the day she
came to check on me. I apparently was the joke between
the MD and other MDs involved with me. The 2nd surgery
took place at Mt. Sinai in New York. I was humiliated and insulted by her comments. When I confronted the nice
neurosurgeon, who is a very strong member and
spokesperson for more females in neurosurgery, she
showed me her power. She flat out refused me as a
patient, and used her medical status to tell me,
“nothing you can do or say, nobody will believe you.â€
Since her refusal to treat me as a patient, no other
neurosurgeon wants to take me on as a patient. The
female MD is an active member in all the professional
Mickey Mouse neurosurgeon organizations, and a very
strong supporter within the female neurosurgeons. She
seems more involved in memberships, being president or
vice president, or going out to get neurosurgeons to
join all these organizations. She does not give a damn
about the patients, if she did she would treat them
as humans, and not objects. It is a shame that she can
get away with what she has done to me and other
patients. As for her partner in crime, he continues to
treat patients with the same assistant who has no
medical credentials. I suffer from back pain daily,
and my headaches add more to my poor quality of life.
I am on pain killers, have been for years…and there
is nothing I can do to get the help I need. I’ve been
refused medical treatment since this female
neurosurgeon has treated me with such disrespect. All
I did was stand up for myself. So much for doctor
ethical guidelines….so sad