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Questions posted in the
Neurology and Neurosurgery Forum have been answered by doctors from The Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
Question Title: Ataxia - is it part of pseudotumor cerbri?Forum: Neurology Forum
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Help! I am a 31 y/o female diagnosed 9 months ago with pseudo tumor cerebri. Never had any type visual disturbances - only caught the pappiledma at a routine contact lens check up. Responded well to the diamox and the pappiledme is almost gone. BUT - the past 3 to 4 months I have twice fell down my stairs (I never did this before!) I have bouts of dizziness, nausea, and can't seem to walk steady. I have also become cognitively impaired (I have a MS in Counseling Psych) it's like I'm aphasic at times I can't speak what I'm thinking and when I do speak it is all out of whack. This greatly impairs my ability to work as I need to effectively communicate with my clients. I also constantly hear the "whoosh" tinnitus sound in my left ear It never goes away and it is driving me crazy! My Neuro knows all of this but for months as just sent me on my way telling me to lose weight so the PTC would go away. I have been told by my husband and others that my eyes will "jerk" around. I too have noticed this but thought I was just 'readjusting' after feeling dizzy - I know think it may be that nystagus (sp?) I also have a burning pain - like my skin is actually on fire- from the bottom of my head down my spine and stopping between my shoulder blades. It was so bad I actually called the neuro for pain medicine, something I've never done before. He gave me cataflam wich just made me feel more nausea. I recently saw my Neuro and again told him all my "non-ptc" symptoms. He only seems concerned about my vision which was never impaired by PTC in the first place. I am again getting another MRI- which will make 3 in the past 8 months. Why so many MRI? Should I get a second opinion? I am not a hyperchondriac, I don't have munchousen (sp) syndrome, I'm not neurotic - but each time I talk to my doctor I feel like this is all my own doing and that it isn't "real". Any opinions or advice would be welcomed!! Thanks Dawn = Ataxia per se is not a well-recognized complication of PTC. I've seen many patients with ataxia, and more than a few with PTC, but never any with both. However, your diffuse and nonspecific symptoms could be a side effect of Diamox. Has anyone looked into that? Repeated MRIs is certainly a safe thing to do, to be sure that it really remains normal and nothing else develops. I'm not sure that I'd do them so frequently in an uncomplicated PTC patient. Since you continue to have problems, your doctor may be trying to cover all possibilities and rule out structural causes for continued symptoms, not necessarily a bad plan. I have a low threshold for recommending second opinions, because it doesn't mean you have to leave the doctor you are seeing. Most physicians understand the process and are not offended by it. If you feel the need for a second opinion, then get one. At the very least, you should gain some confidence that you know more about what's going on with you (even if no clear diagnosis is applied). You are certainly welcome to seek the second opinion here at CCF (800 223-2273, x 4-5559) though if you are halfway across the country I'm not sure I'd make a special trip. Hope this helps. CCF MD mdf.
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