Hi Joe,

Funny enough, I lived in Culver City when I was in that auto accident. I miss living there. I had to move closer to work because I can't drive or travel like I used to be able to - but at least I'm working now.

My endocrinologist is VERY good. His name is Dr. Theodore C. Friedman He has his MD and a PHD and he teaches medicine at UCLA.

But he is primarily a researcher, so he only takes cash (checks and debit cards) and he only sees patients on night a week.

Here is his webpage: http://goodhormonehealth.com/

I did not see him until one year ago, which was more than 2.5 years after the accident I was in.

He will probably want you to get the spinal tap done ASAP. Even though I had a spinal tap that relieved the pressure I had two years before I met him he still wanted me to get another one.

The spinal tap order should have written on it that your intracranial pressure is to be measured. It's very important.

The problem with an increase of intracranial pressure is that it isn't always seen or present despite having an increase of intracranial pressure. I took this passage from a website that I am going to include the link to below.

I didn't show any papilledema.

"Is it possible to have IH without papilledema?

While many physicians believe papilledema must be present in order to confirm an IH diagnosis, others argue that papilledema does not always have to be present. In some instances, a patient with intracranial hypertension may not show papilledema because of a time lag between the initial rise in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure and the development of papilledema. Therefore, at the time of diagnosis, papilledema is not seen.

Another theory is that the actual increase in CSF pressure may produce headache but is not high enough to produce papilledema.

Anatomy may also play a role. Variations in the micro-anatomy of the optic nerve can restrict CSF and prevent it from entering the optic nerve’s subarachnoid space. Or CSF pressure may be directed to a point of lesser resistance, such as the sella turcica (pituitary gland fossa) which then produces the appearance of an empty sella on imaging studies.

Other evidence of intracranial hypertension without papilledema is found in the fact that it’s possible to have asymmetric papilledema, in which the optic nerve swelling is either worse in one eye or only develops in one eye, rather than both."

Here is the link:

http://www.ihrfoundation.org/intracr...sion/info/C140

You can find a lot more information about other symptoms and details about increased intracranial pressure on that website that might help you out a little bit. You *may* be experiencing some symptoms that you aren't even able to pin point - that has happened to me quite a bit over the last few years.

You may or may not have an increase of intracranial pressure.

And you may or may not have an hormone/endocrine deficiency or problem.

If you see Dr. Friedman, he will cost more than just the amount of the first visit. He is very thorough and I highly recommend him. I saw three other endocrinologists who wouldn't even order the tests to be done for me to get a diagnosis (one of whom is a prominent endo who teaches at USC) because they just weren't informed enough about the damage a concussion can do to the pituitary gland/pituitary stalk or hypothalamus. They were insulted that I brought in the research to prove that it's an under diagnosed and misdiagnosed problem - Dr. Friedman quoted the research (right down to the levels considered to be necessary to have further testing conducted after mTBI and everything) and I didn't even take it out of the folder I brought it in.

Dr. Friedman will probably want you to have a very special MRI done on a very detailed machine called a T3. There are only 2 in the area, one is in Torrance and the other is at Cedars. Going to Cedars is more expensive but they have better radiologists there who can read them better.

He will sit with you for an entire hour to discuss the problems that you have during your first appointment.

You may end up spending a lot of money for testing that doesn't indicate or prove that you have a hormone deficiency.

My thinking was, if I didn't have any hormonal deficiencies (but I had done my research and I was pretty sure that was what was wrong with me) then I would move on and try something else. I have been very determined to get better.

Luckily for me, it seems that my journey to recover lead me to know that I need hormone replacement treatments in order to get better and in order to function and I didn't have to try other things.

I am so sorry to hear that you have such severe headaches. Even though your headaches are awful, please post your other symptoms if you get the chance because it might help someone figure out another possible solution for you.

You may also want to get an MRI of your neck, but I'm not exactly sure how you got your concussions. Sometimes nerve issues cause pain because the neck was injured and an MRI might show that.

Please feel free to PM me or keep replying in this thread and I'll reply as I am able.