Personal HFS History - Judy Imhoff

In late August 2003 I found this most wonderful web site, where people understood what I was going though and offered so many words of encouragement, wisdom and support. Without the HFSA I would still be lost.

From this wonderful web site I found the delightful Dr. Rob Parrish, who took the time to explain what was happening and what could be done.

So now for the rest of my story.

In 1997 I started with my eye twitching and headache that would last for days or weeks at a time. I saw my Primary Care Physician and he diagnosed migraine headache. The headache and twitching kept getting worse and worse. I was sent to a Neurologist, an Ophthalmologist and a Neurologist that specializes in headache. All anyone wanted to do was give me more medication.

On August 3, 2003 I got another headache and my eye was twitching. I took some of the medication and went to sleep. When I woke up on August 4, 2003 the whole right side of my face was twitching. I went to my Primary Care Physician that morning and he gave me a shot of muscle relaxer and more medication for the pain. On Wednesday August 6, 2003, I called his office and explained it was no better. He sent me to the emergency room at Sugar Land Methodist Hospital.

I went to the emergency room and spent 10 hours there having blood work, CAT Scan, MRI, MRA and 2 Spinal Tapes. Then a Neurologist was called in to confirm the finding of “Hemifacial Spasm”. Then a number of neurological tests were administered. I was instructed not to drive and to see the Neurologist no later than Friday, August 8, 2003.

During this office visit I was told the only thing that could be done was Botox® injections. The Botox® injections had to be approved by my insurance company and then they would set up an appointment. Finally on September 17, 2003 I had my Botox® treatment, which was 10 injection sites, 4 around by eye, 1 in my forehead and 5 down my jaw from my ear to my chin.

I went to see Dr. Parrish for the first time the end of September 2003 and he wanted some more tests. So the test were scheduled for October 10, 2003. I went to the Methodist Medical Center Outpatient clinic to have a cranial angiogram, a high resolution MRI and a high resolution MRA.

I saw Dr. Parrish on October 10, 2003 for the result and everything was confirmed. I will go back to see Dr. Parrish in February 2004 and we will schedule MVD surgery for May 2004.

Permission granted the HFSA to post Personal HFS History on website.
Judy Imhoff, October 22, 2003

 

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