u/LNT2001

Hello! I'm currently a 25-year-old grad student. I've been dealing with minor headaches and a bit of nausea on and off for months, but didn't really think much of them. I assumed that they, along with my brain fog, were just because I was stressed and not sleeping as I should due to school. I figured I would get to graduation (supposed to be this May), then move home, find a new PCP, and finally prioritize my health (mostly thought I would just be dealing with my PCOS, prediabetes, and losing some weight).

However, during finals week, my headache became much more intense, and I couldn't hold any food down. I also started to get rather dizzy whenever I bent over or stood up. I ended up losing consciousness in my dorm, hitting my head on my coffee table. I woke up about 40 minutes later in a pool of my own vomit and urine. Ended up in the ER and they did a CT that showed some swelling in my optic nerve sheath along with "partially empty sella, along with focal stenosis of distal portion of left transverse sinus with hypoplastic right transverse sinus." They attempted a lumbar puncture, but kept hitting my bones, and called an ophthalmologist who said my optic nerve was fine, so they referred me for an outpatient.

A few days later, I ended up back in the ER because I developed sudden urinary incontinence and became concerned, but was told I didn't have any emergent issues based on the MRI.

Finally, I got to see the neuroradiologist on Thursday, who confirmed I had an opening pressure of 29.6 during the lumbar puncture. I was just prescribed Diamox (have to pick it up from the pharmacy next week) and told to schedule a follow-up with my university's neurology clinic. I'm still dealing with awful headaches, nausea, vomiting, brain fog, and dizziness, so I ended up pushing my graduation to August so I can finish my finals when my medications start working.

I'm going to find a PCP and an eye doctor close to where I live. Aside from that, I really don't know where to go from here. Any advice you have to offer is much appreciated!

Hello! Unfortunately, I ended up missing the last day of one of my courses due to unexpected appendicitis. My professor was gracious enough to allow me to do my presentation and submit my paper later, but requested a hospitalization record. My MyChart account is frozen and I don't really have the energy to argue with IT about it or call/request a note from the surgery dept. I also misplaced my discharge paperwork (was not my best self under anesthesia 😅).
To make a bad week worse, I ended up in the ER again last night for something tangentially related but not caused by complications from the procedure. If I ask for a note that references my recent time in the ED (pre surgery consult) and/or my lack of post-procedure complications, do you think my professor will consider that sufficient for her records? Will she also still need records from the surgery department? I’m behind on work and really don't have time to call, plus I'm not really comfortable with anyone having access to any of my medical records.

TLDR: do you think a doctor’s note from a week after surgery that references my recent time in the ED will be sufficient for a note or will someone have to track down a separate note? Thank you for your help in advance!