Anyone had "venous physiology" or "phlebo" test?

[Heiferly]

Due to the results of my radionuclide hemodynamic testing (fellow Cleveland Clinic patients, I'm sure you're following me so far), Dr. Shields has ordered a "phlebo" (aka. "venous physiology") test on me.  I have tried to use my google-fu to figure out exactly what I'll be enduring but I'm still slightly mystified.  I *think* this may just be different terminology for something akin to the strain gauge plethysmography seen throughout the research of Dr. Julian Stewart (see here:)

http://www.nymc.edu/fhp/centers/syncope/SPG.htm

But maybe not?  There's also something called "descending phlebography" that's used as a diagnostic test in vascular medicine.  That sounds like "phlebo."  Like I would know.  This is so not my area of expertise.  I would just *really* like to know if this is going to be invasive or not before I go.  :-/

Anyone?

[LivingInHope]

Well, I hope you might get some answers from that vertigo specialist and you never know, as the inner ear does play an important role in your vestibular system!

You might call and ask when you can expect results from your colonoscopy biopsy?   I know a body can be nervous waiting for such things!

One of my parents recently had a colonoscopy and they found a small polyp, but thanks be to God, it turned out to be non-cancerous.  But more frequent colonoscopies are in order and now offspring, of which I am one of a few, are supposedly ALSO supposed to get them more often according to guidelines.  I might just stick to the age fifty I was told with the last one unless I feel like there's a problem, I don't know.

I've been having improvement in my TMJ symptoms.  I've been getting pain management type physical therapy.  In early June, I hope to get my iron rechecked which, though still normal, dropped significantly as I've been down to taking iron pills twice weekly.  In early July, I have an appt. where the plan is to order a follow up MRI for liver lesions, one of which we still aren't sure what it is (the larger one is a hemiangioma apparently).

[Heiferly]

Apparently my anterior inferior cerebellar artery (if I messed that up, sorry ... it's a LOT to remember) is sticking down into my auditory canal where it doesn't belong.  There's a chance this could be causing my vertigo and occasional tinnitus, but from what I can see on google scholar, there's not terribly much support for that theory.  So the finding could be incidental to my symptoms.  I'll update further when I hear more from my doc, but I get the feeling there's a good chance I'm just going to end up with a referral to CC with my abnormal MRI in hand because apparently my autonomic neurologist up at CC has a good "vertigo guy" that he commonly refers out to.

Meanwhile, I had a colonoscopy under general anesthesia yesterday and the good news is that the anesthesia went smoothly but the bad news (?) is that there seem to have been some abnormalities seen there too.  I'm actually unsure that's bad news, because to be frank, I would very much like to have an answer as to why I've been continuously sick since my bout of food poisoning in mid-February.  I just *really* hope it's not something too serious and that it's fairly easily manageable if they did find something.  I won't really know much until the biopsy results from the colonoscopy come back and I have no idea when that will be ... or at least when someone will bother to tell ME the results ... you know how *that* goes.  Sigh.

On the bright side, I've got plenty of distraction from the phlebo thing now.  :-p  Ah, the mysteries of life.  I don't claim to understand.  I'm just doing what I do and hoping for the best, right?

Thanks for your concern.  I hope you're hanging in there?

[LivingInHope]

Wow- let me know what you find out about what the MRI results mean in regards for your ear?

[Heiferly]

Thanks guys.  I have another procedure this week that I'm focused on, in addition to having been waylaid by some abnormal (ear, not brain) MRI results last week.  Ever feel like it's hard to find time to focus on just one issue at a time??  That's where I'm at at the moment!!

Once I get through the anesthesia crud this week, I'll get back to trying to figure out what fun is in store for me in mid-June with the "phlebo" thing.  Always something ...

[DNP47]

Hmm, I will have to research this a little. When I was working, "phlebo" to me was a blood letting technique we used on polycythemia vera patients who basically had too many rbcs, we would tap a vein and drain around 250 cc's.

Are they going to do some kind of venous mapping to determine if you have some kind of anomaly in the venous system? Are you having issues with venous insufficiency?

If its the phlebography I would assume they are going to map the venous system in some way, maybe x-ray following contrast?

[LivingInHope]

I'd recommend calling the scheduler for the procedure and asking if it is invasive or not.  

I have an old lab diagnostic test book that speaks of venography/phlebography as having more risks and not being a screening procedure like doppler, radioisotope imagery, and impedance plethysmography.  

Venography/phlebography is used for diagnosing deep vein thrombosis or identifying a vein that can be used for arterial bypass grafting.