Aa
I almost fell off the gurney!!
Hi, MSers,
Well, for the second time this summer, I ended up at the emergency room (because my primary MD told me to go when I mentioned my symptoms which were very TIA/stroke-like). Even though I try to stay out of the heat, this summer I have overdone things twice and have had to go to the ER twice.
This past week I had blurry vision in my right eye all morning (hard to do my job involving extensive computer use like that), sudden extreme weakness on my right side, right facial numbness, worsened balance issues, a feeling that I was mentally under anesthesia, and eventually a splitting headache (I'm swearing off the green tea with ginseng).
A nice young conscientious MD evaluated me and listened to my description of my symptoms. After careful consideration, he said that my symptoms didn't really sound like TIA/stroke to him, but, rather like MS!! I almost fell off the gurney!!! Hearing those words was a first for me!! For a brief moment I was validated!! It was all downhill after that, though, because he then consulted my PMD (primary medical doctor) who told him that prior neurologists had already ruled me out for MS.
My CAT scan in the ER was negative except for generalized brain atrophy.
Needless to say, I left the ER that day with a diagnosis of atypical migraine. Ho hum.
WAF
Well, for the second time this summer, I ended up at the emergency room (because my primary MD told me to go when I mentioned my symptoms which were very TIA/stroke-like). Even though I try to stay out of the heat, this summer I have overdone things twice and have had to go to the ER twice.
This past week I had blurry vision in my right eye all morning (hard to do my job involving extensive computer use like that), sudden extreme weakness on my right side, right facial numbness, worsened balance issues, a feeling that I was mentally under anesthesia, and eventually a splitting headache (I'm swearing off the green tea with ginseng).
A nice young conscientious MD evaluated me and listened to my description of my symptoms. After careful consideration, he said that my symptoms didn't really sound like TIA/stroke to him, but, rather like MS!! I almost fell off the gurney!!! Hearing those words was a first for me!! For a brief moment I was validated!! It was all downhill after that, though, because he then consulted my PMD (primary medical doctor) who told him that prior neurologists had already ruled me out for MS.
My CAT scan in the ER was negative except for generalized brain atrophy.
Needless to say, I left the ER that day with a diagnosis of atypical migraine. Ho hum.
WAF
WAF- here is a clearly written report in the Center for Neurological Study online report about the difference between ALS and MS and MD. I hope this helps.
Lulu
http://www.cnsonline.org/www/archive/ms/ms-04.html
Lulu
http://www.cnsonline.org/www/archive/ms/ms-04.html
Lulu,
Thanks for tolerating my rantings about my fears and my observations about how we are not getting the full picture regarding our symptoms.
Thanks for the website referral. I went there and . . . I rest my case about the coverup. Is it just me, or is ALS (Lou Gehrig's i.e. amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) totally ignored on the website you gave me? Would you please look and see if you can locate it there under even one of the given categories? Yet most of the symptoms listed on that website are prominent ALS symptoms such as fatigue, weakness etc. - so it should appear on that page - but doesn't.
I think my only hope is that my symptoms get worse with heat - and that, to my knowledge, is not an ALS symptom - but applies to MS. I can't stand being in limboland much longer!! I'm an emotional basketcase.
Thank you so much, Lulu, for being there and for being sympathetic to what I'm going through.
WAF
Thanks for tolerating my rantings about my fears and my observations about how we are not getting the full picture regarding our symptoms.
Thanks for the website referral. I went there and . . . I rest my case about the coverup. Is it just me, or is ALS (Lou Gehrig's i.e. amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) totally ignored on the website you gave me? Would you please look and see if you can locate it there under even one of the given categories? Yet most of the symptoms listed on that website are prominent ALS symptoms such as fatigue, weakness etc. - so it should appear on that page - but doesn't.
I think my only hope is that my symptoms get worse with heat - and that, to my knowledge, is not an ALS symptom - but applies to MS. I can't stand being in limboland much longer!! I'm an emotional basketcase.
Thank you so much, Lulu, for being there and for being sympathetic to what I'm going through.
WAF
WAF,
Just keep sharing what you're thinking and whaty ou find out - it may click with someone else here.
did you see my post yesterday about MS mimics - here's the website
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/multiple-sclerosis-000474.htm
later,
Lulu
Just keep sharing what you're thinking and whaty ou find out - it may click with someone else here.
did you see my post yesterday about MS mimics - here's the website
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/multiple-sclerosis-000474.htm
later,
Lulu
I just found out another thing that can cause brain atrophy is B12 deficiency! So maybe that's it! Maybe I'm just B12 deficient. Whew! I feel better now. Boy, am I on an emotional rollercoaster!! Sorry for carrying on about this, but maybe what I'm learning can help others in limboland who are finding out they have brain atrophy.
WAF
WAF
Dear Aquarian,
Thanks for the website about brain atrophy. I went there and, indeed, saw multiple sclerosis (among some other conditions I had never beforfe heard of such as "krabbe disease" - yes, I do get crabby at times - could that be it??).
However, because I'm not sure what I have, (I have symptoms of both, MS and ALS - the symptoms being very similar), and because I know that our American medical community and American Internet offerings often seem to suppress important facts about ALS - often pretending it is a very rare disease or totally ignoring its existance, I entered into my browser "brain atrophy ALS." Guess what I found out: I am very discouraged to say that brain atrophy seems to be present in most ALS patients.
So, even though the site you gave me, Wikipedia, listed an assortment of conditions in which brain atrophy occurs, it "forgot" to mention a major condition affecting about as many people today as does MS - yep - it "forgot" to mention ALS!!! Why am I NOT surprised??? A cover-up seems to be going on in our country today about ALS.
Now I'm really, really scared because I had never read anywhere else that brain atrophy is common with ALS. I had to actively seek out brain atrophy/ALS myself (rather than just enter symptoms) to learn that it is a factor. If you want to know how bad ALS is, just put "Angela Lansbury ALS" into your browser and watch her infommercial about it where someone fires a bullet at her as she sits on a stool. Yep, it's a killer. It killed her sister. I'm scared.
WAF
Thanks for the website about brain atrophy. I went there and, indeed, saw multiple sclerosis (among some other conditions I had never beforfe heard of such as "krabbe disease" - yes, I do get crabby at times - could that be it??).
However, because I'm not sure what I have, (I have symptoms of both, MS and ALS - the symptoms being very similar), and because I know that our American medical community and American Internet offerings often seem to suppress important facts about ALS - often pretending it is a very rare disease or totally ignoring its existance, I entered into my browser "brain atrophy ALS." Guess what I found out: I am very discouraged to say that brain atrophy seems to be present in most ALS patients.
So, even though the site you gave me, Wikipedia, listed an assortment of conditions in which brain atrophy occurs, it "forgot" to mention a major condition affecting about as many people today as does MS - yep - it "forgot" to mention ALS!!! Why am I NOT surprised??? A cover-up seems to be going on in our country today about ALS.
Now I'm really, really scared because I had never read anywhere else that brain atrophy is common with ALS. I had to actively seek out brain atrophy/ALS myself (rather than just enter symptoms) to learn that it is a factor. If you want to know how bad ALS is, just put "Angela Lansbury ALS" into your browser and watch her infommercial about it where someone fires a bullet at her as she sits on a stool. Yep, it's a killer. It killed her sister. I'm scared.
WAF
Thanks for your input. No, I don't have a history of migraines. I rarely ever get headaches.
Question: My current neuro has ordered the MRI as a stroke/TIA investigation. Would MS lesions, if present, show up under that type of MRI or does it have to be ordred MS protocol?
I just don't understand why it is so hard for neuros to be thorough about things. I've had MS symptoms for years and she orders it only stroke protocol!! I'm going to go in today and ask her to order both (can they do one MRI for both inquiries: Stroke and MS?).
I've read accounts from others on this website that their MS was discovered accidentally while having MRI for other suspected problems such as brain tumor etc. So maybe some MS lesions would still show up even if the MRI was ordered for another reason?.
What are your thoughts on this?
WAF
Question: My current neuro has ordered the MRI as a stroke/TIA investigation. Would MS lesions, if present, show up under that type of MRI or does it have to be ordred MS protocol?
I just don't understand why it is so hard for neuros to be thorough about things. I've had MS symptoms for years and she orders it only stroke protocol!! I'm going to go in today and ask her to order both (can they do one MRI for both inquiries: Stroke and MS?).
I've read accounts from others on this website that their MS was discovered accidentally while having MRI for other suspected problems such as brain tumor etc. So maybe some MS lesions would still show up even if the MRI was ordered for another reason?.
What are your thoughts on this?
WAF
Thank you very much for your insights!
Yes, there was atrophy on a previous MRI done 2 years ago (that was only noted by an MD at a distant, big-name institution - the initial interpreting local MD had called the MRI "normal").
Yestrday I tried a new neuro: Positive Romberg, not able to heal-to-toe walk. Wobbly. Loss of muscle strenght in hip flexors.
She also wants me tested for a PFO which could cause stroke. I'm scared about stroke. Exercising more now even though feel too tired to do so. Anything to avoid stroke.
Hope my next MRI gives an answer!! Having it done at a University.
WAF
Yes, there was atrophy on a previous MRI done 2 years ago (that was only noted by an MD at a distant, big-name institution - the initial interpreting local MD had called the MRI "normal").
Yestrday I tried a new neuro: Positive Romberg, not able to heal-to-toe walk. Wobbly. Loss of muscle strenght in hip flexors.
She also wants me tested for a PFO which could cause stroke. I'm scared about stroke. Exercising more now even though feel too tired to do so. Anything to avoid stroke.
Hope my next MRI gives an answer!! Having it done at a University.
WAF
Certainly seek another opinion if you can due to the atrophy.
I found this when I searched for it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_atrophy
I found this when I searched for it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_atrophy
Well, well....If this was a migraine then I have a couple questions for you.
Do you have a history of migraines? I should but don't remember the answer to this. If not, if is VERY unusual (I think) to have the onset of migraines at your age.
Did the symptoms resolve as the headache began or was the headache ADDED to the symptoms? It the headache was just another symptom then this is not consistent with migraine disease. If the other symptoms resolved as the headache began, then that is a migraine pattern.
If yu are suffering from lack of MRI findings, then you should know that "atrophy" is a positive MRI finding. I would have to look it up, but most people of your age do not have obvious atrophy (age-related). They CAN, of course. Do you have risk factors for small or large vessel ischemic disease like hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, etc?
Do you remember if atrophy has shown up on your MRIs?
Can you point me to one of your posts that told us your history and what I said about it?
I am still overwhelmed by running around buying last minute things, making my mosaic and now with my pitiful attempt to help with painting.
Depending on the pattern of symptoms after the headache, I think I am inclined to agree with the sweetie ER doc.
Q
Do you have a history of migraines? I should but don't remember the answer to this. If not, if is VERY unusual (I think) to have the onset of migraines at your age.
Did the symptoms resolve as the headache began or was the headache ADDED to the symptoms? It the headache was just another symptom then this is not consistent with migraine disease. If the other symptoms resolved as the headache began, then that is a migraine pattern.
If yu are suffering from lack of MRI findings, then you should know that "atrophy" is a positive MRI finding. I would have to look it up, but most people of your age do not have obvious atrophy (age-related). They CAN, of course. Do you have risk factors for small or large vessel ischemic disease like hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, etc?
Do you remember if atrophy has shown up on your MRIs?
Can you point me to one of your posts that told us your history and what I said about it?
I am still overwhelmed by running around buying last minute things, making my mosaic and now with my pitiful attempt to help with painting.
Depending on the pattern of symptoms after the headache, I think I am inclined to agree with the sweetie ER doc.
Q
Hello! I'm so sorry you had to go to the E/R!! I pray your better now!!!! So since when does migraines cause brain atrophy????? I have been frustrated since my last e/r visit too, I told my hubby to take me to the vet next time as they treat their farm animals better! Have you always had the same PCP?? Iask because I had to start from scratch with a new one. I pray you get answers soon & also that you feel better soon. God bless you !
You mentioned about having some brain atrophy showing up on your CAT scan. Has this showed up on any of your previous testing, mri? If not I would go get a copy of the CAT scan and the report. Take it to your PCP and insist on some more testing. It might be the breakthough you need. Also if you have been to the E.R/ had other testing to compare the latest CAT scan to that would be even better.
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