Vol 2.23 Is ignorance bliss?
Prenuvo test: the positive, the negative and the questionable.....plus some results.
The Sober Glow Studio is an extension of what was started on social media circa 2016. As I have evolved, the topics I cover have naturally evolved. Here, I provide stories, recommendations, and resources on the art of living an alcohol-free lifestyle, navigating health & midlife, and anything that simply feels good. You can upgrade and purchase a gift subscription here or simply share.
QUICKIE UPDATE:
I will be on holiday next week, so you are getting this newsletter early. I am also committing to a schedule with this newsletter, and Friday mornings sound lovely. But you all know I love flexibility and freedom, so we will see how that goes. The next time you will hear from me will be Friday, Dec 29th.
If you are new here, welcome! I also want you to know that though I built a platform by talking about my relationship with alcohol, I have widened the aperture of topics I like to share. This email is on one of those other topics.
XX, Mia
Starting this newsletter with a picture of my brain seems weird, but here we are.
Why I opted to do this test:
I think about cancer a lot. When you are around something nearly daily, it’s hard not to think about it. I also see how little control we really have. Yes, lifestyle choices play a large part, but sometimes, it just happens. I have heard stories of someone doing everything right and one day, they wake up, and their gums start bleeding out of nowhere. Or the marathon runner who began noticing she could no longer run five miles without getting winded. Or the young man who noticed his McDonald's food order tasted really funny.
We hear of all these people who are doing everything right, and then they get hit with some terrible diagnosis. Or the opposite and mindblowing happens, the people who are walking trainwrecks and do everything quote-unquote wrong but are seemingly doing amazingly well. And who hasn't heard stories of someone's grandmother who lived off of bacon, drank bourbon all day, smoked until she was 110, and died peacefully in her sleep.
The thing about cancer is it has a high probability of killing small talk, which I appreciate. My patients and I often have conversations regarding their diagnosis stories. We talk about how they found out, what their symptoms were if any, how they knew something was wrong, or if they were utterly gobsmacked. Which btw, everyone is gobsmacked. Cancer has that ability.
I don’t know if I find myself in these very personal conversations because my curiosity wants to collect data, or if it’s out of fear or some need for control over my own health. Or maybe it’s some unconscious hope that knowing something will automatically prevent it from happening to me. No matter why, I hold these stories close to me. So, if I had to sum up my reasons for spending a large amount of money on a test, it’s because of the three things I carry with me often: fear, my need to feel in control, and my relentless curiosity. Plus, I tend to lean hard into the concept of regret minimization.
Whether or not you are just hearing about this type of testing, or you find it a waste of money, or you too are curious, no matter where you stand in your opinion, this proactive and preventative type of testing will only become more and more mainstream. I think that’s mostly a positive thing.
I started hearing of Prenuvo a while ago. It reminded me of when Oprah (decades ago) had a full-body scan and shared her results on her TV show. Something she then gifted to all her loved ones. I don't remember the specifics of the scan she did, but I do remember feeling wowed at the possibility that there was a test that could show us if we had something abnormal in our bodies. It was nn optional test, and you didn't need a doctor's approval. But there was one caveat: the price. I was quite young and nowhere near a position where I could do something like that, but I was still fascinated with the whole idea. And that same fascination, along with my career-induced fear, control, and curiosity, nipped me when I learned of Prenuvo.
In June, I looked into Prenuvo at the time, I could have made an appointement for the following day. However, when I actually went to book in August, the test's popularity had already soared due to a few celebrities promoting it, and the next available time slot in LA wasn't until the end of November. I booked it.
Rabbit holes
Explanation of the test and how it works via a Prenuvo Radiologist.
A comprehensive list of all the conditions Prenuvo covers and does not cover.
Maria Menounos discovers pancreatic cancer via Prenuvo.
The Drive podcast with Peter Attia and Prenuvo founder Dr. Rajpaul Attariwala.
This podcast is not about Prenuvo but about determining how we balance the three variables in life - health, wealth, and time- and the concept of regret minimization. It’s with the author Bill Perkins of Die with Zero. I found this conversation incredible, and I would like to dig into it more.
The testing experience:
You will need a driver if you opt to take an anti-anxiety medication.
I was instructed to fast for four hours before the exam. I opted to fast for the entire day beforehand, but that’s just me and my intensity and competitive nature.
I removed all my jewelry and clothing and was given a medical gown.
The machine is a normal-looking MRI machine, though there isn’t radiation. I turned on my back, and the tech got me comfortable and warm and then strapped me in.
I was prompted to do multiple breath holds during the exam. The tech warned me of this before we started, but they were not long or uncomfortable.
A mirror-like device was above my head, and a TV was behind the machine on the wall. They offered me headphones and said I could listen to music or watch TV during the exam. The sound of the TV/music paused when the tech asked me to do a breath hold and when he checked in to see how I was doing. I watched one and a half episodes of The Crown on Netflix.
After I was led back to my locked changing room, I put my clothes back on and met my husband outside. The front desk offered me drinks and snacks and told me that it would be ten business days before I would get my results. I believe you get the results quicker, but my exam was the week of Thanksgiving, so it took a bit longer.
The positive:
There are many positive aspects to this test. One being the most obvious - the ability to find something at its beginning stages, making it much easier to get in front of.
The negative:
Worst case scenario (completely made up, but not impossible) - they could find something that would prompt me to get further testing. In further testing, let’s say surgery is required (again, all made up here), and in that surgery, there is a mistake, and something is accidentally punctured, and now I have bigger problems for something that may have been nothing in the first place.
I am sure anyone could come up with a variety of scenarios like this one.
Also, many, many people love and believe fully in the life motto “ignorance is bliss.” I am not one of those people.
The questionable:
I have read experiences online where the patient knew they already had a diagnosis or medical abnormality. However, it wasn’t picked up on the MRI or at least mentioned in the radiologist's report.
This did, in fact, happen to me as well.