[blueash]

I think that nurse may have been overstepping her training. She read a report which may have indicated a finding in the mastoid, however, CT scans are well known to over indicate problems like sinusitis and mastoiditis. Any patient with a simple sterile middle ear fluid will often have fluid in the mastoid air cells of no clinical significance Radiologists will usually report any anomaly they notice, no matter how unlikely it is to be an actual cause of the patient's symptoms. It is the job of the physician to interpret the information they receive balancing the CT scan and the clinical presentation and the other lab work and the physical exam. The CT is one piece only. I have no opinion on whether or not depression or stress is a correct diagnosis, but I would like to express my concern and caution at the manner in which the findings on a scan were given to you. It does make one wonder whether the nurses trust the doctor and whether they are working as a health care team. If a nurse questions the actions of a physician there are proper ways to address her ( or his) concerns. I would encourage you to get a local primary care doctor as you may have put your Maine doctor in a difficult situation... He neither saw the patient nor the CT scan and is being asked to make important medical judgements based on second hand information. I am sure that the hospital could send the records up to Maine but it is unlikely they did so this quickly. I understand my comment my seem like I am defending the doctors, I am not. I am just saying that what the nurse told you may be incorrect or misunderstood by her. Notifying the hospital patient advocate and telling her about your experience may help improve the care of the next patient.. Time in ER, taking wrong patient to the CT, nurses over interpreting chart information and going behind the doctors vs doctors missing important information. Hmm. I hope as does everyone on the website that all works out wonderfully and that someday you'll look back and have a story to tell