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5840512 tn?1375226737

Left side numbness

I'm a 21 year old college student experiencing odd anomalies on my left side. Numbness, muscle tension, especially when I stretch my left side. I feel like there is a feeling of droopiness, almost like it's pulling me to the left and it's scaring the hell out of me. I went and got a CT scan and they found a hyperdense area in/on my right parietal lobe abutting the skull.

I am still due to see  a neurologist, but what could this possibly all mean? I have my MRI, on CD even but no doctor has told me anything about the results. a doctor said this could be a venous problem, like a vein draning or a vein is enlarged or something. What are possible diagnoses? I am so depressed and anxious about all of this, I haven't left my house except to see the doctor in over a week. I know more information would really help, but this is all I really got. I don't want to mislead anyone by giving symptoms that may be related to a different complication of mine.
10 Responses
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Avatar universal
Computers?  Perhaps too much time in front of the screen?

Get out for walks, EAT, and try not to dwell on it......I know that sounds easy.

MS is a slow moving creature and many of us spent many years trying to track down a Dx.  I was almost 30 yrs getting mine. You have gotten some great advice here, and yes, wait for the doc, have your list of questions ready and it may be something totally benign. Sometimes worrying about something just makes it worse.

Hang in there!

Hopefully someone has done labs also to check your levels.  
Helpful - 0
5840512 tn?1375226737
So my symptoms are becoming more palpable, and because of it, the dread of all this has been magnified to some degree, though I'm still hanging in there.

It turns out that they are going to be able to get me in tomorrow, the 8th, instead of the 13th. I've noticed an increase in left sided numbness, left eye acuity/blurriness, muscle tension, heightened depression and fatigue.

Other complications I've noticed is lowered sex drive, severe constipation, poor short-term memory, a slight gimp in my gait, muscle spasms, and lower back pain which wasn't formerly present.

All of this appears MS related, now bear with me, the MRI results came back normal, although I'm not sure if it was correctly interpreted, and I'm also aware of lesions not showing up regardless. Furthermore, it was only a scan of my head, not of my spinal cord, so my suspicions haven't subsided to any significant amount, especially given the recent developments.

Any food for though that I haven't covered would be great, although I think I have this figured out honestly. I guess my next step will be a spinal tap and playing a waiting game to see if any of the symptoms exacerbate.

And on a side note: God bless all of you who suffer from this disease, this entire experience has opened my eyes wide to those who suffer neurological impairments.
Helpful - 0
5840512 tn?1375226737
I don't really have any friends or family that have been able to help, also, with some individuals, I feel I'd just push them away from me and I need all the friends I can get.

I can't tell a medical professional, it's just too risky, I'd be chancing my rights and freedoms, which would just further demoralize me and my situation.

Though I have sought psychiatric help for my depression and anxiety, I just don't see the sense in telling them I feel at times suicidal. They may misinterpret what I mean or take the worst from it, again, too risky.

What can my family do but notify a hospital or some kind of inpatient clinic, and then what, they hold me against my will? I'm not someone who can handle being caged or put on some emergency protocol where I can't even live my life.

My understanding is that no one can save someone from themselves and I believe my family understands that also.

To be clear though, I do want to live and lead a life, an honorable one at that, I just have episodes of doubt and dread, and they can be life threatening I will admit but I'm learning some of life's greatest lessons through all of this and that alone is powerful fuel.

It lets me know that I'm progressing and making new ground. That I'm not in total decline and that bright days may be ahead, which is what in the end it's going to take.to keep me crawling, because that's where I'm at, a slow crawl.

Right now, although this attitude is definitely not incorrigible, but if it turns out it's MS, I'm going to adapt, overcome, and proceed toward my ambitions, I can't let this defeat me, I can't let this be my downfall.

Helpful - 0
5112396 tn?1378017983
This is a form of 'catastrophizing' - anticipating the worst to the extent that it effects and diminishes your present. Regardless of the physical issues you need to get to the bottom of, I'd recommend getting some sort of counselling like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. There are many, many more options and strategies than simply 'thinking positive'.

But most importantly *if* you do develop any suicidal ideation (simply the thought of it or 'daydreaming' of it) contact a trusted friend/relative or a professional immediately. That's no way to live and there *is* help.
Helpful - 0
5840512 tn?1375226737
Thank you all three for the gracious and uplifting comments. I was able to find a neurologist who will look at the MRI and if it's serious, will take me in early. Though I'm still planning on going to the appointment on the 13th either way to ensure I'm accurately diagnosed.

MS is not all that debilitating of a condition as I am learning, though I'm aware of severe cases where the MS is much more aggressive. (Richard Pryor)

But like I had mentioned, the muscular spasticity is the scariest part of this entire ordeal. It would be completely life changing as I have always taken my muscular pliability for granted and never imagined loosing it at such a young age.

Another thing is that I've always had a history of depression and anxiety, I'm worried how exacerbated my mental state will become given this likely diagnosis.

I'm already having trouble finding employment and forming relationships with people, I always sorta have and now this is just going to hamper everything I've been working for. I feel like my dreams just became double as unlikely and my motivation for success has taken a steep decline.

All I can really do now is try to think positive but how much optimism can you exercise until you stop being realistic. I've always tried to maintain myself as a realist and I'm not sure I could cope being a realist anymore in this shape.

Maybe that's all too far and I'm misconstruing how serious this is, I just don't want to loose my sanity through all this or develop suicidal tendencies like Montel Williams as I feel I'm a serious risk.

It's not the end of the world, but what about it being the end of my self-satisfaction and my ability to feel content with the world itself. I just don't know :/
Helpful - 0
1831849 tn?1383228392
Hi Zack - Dealing with this level of anxiety must be awful. It appears that something is going on and you have taken the right steps towards figuring it out.

I know it's hard, but try not to spend time on the internet searching for answers. You liable to self diagnose with all kinds of hideous and inaccurate things. I'd also suggest that you stop reading the radiology report. Many here have been trying to learn Radiologist Speak for years and have been unsuccessful. Rereading the report will only make you unnecessarily anxious.

Don't look at the MRI CD. You won't know what your looking at and will decide that you have a terminal brain tumor. I know I did.

The 13th is now less than two weeks away. Two weeks is likely an insignificant time span regardless of the cause of you symptoms. It certainly is in terms of MS. Apparently I had it for 20 years and didn't know it.

If it does turn out to be MS, as has already been mentioned here, it doesn't mean you're given a wheel chair and a drool bucket. I've had MS for 22 years. I get up every morning and go to work. I exercise on mt exercise bike. On weekends I ride my real bike. I can go hiking. I can dance, well I suppose that's a subjective statement :-)

Try and relax and stay away from info sources, except us that is...

Keep us posted.
Kyle
Helpful - 0
738075 tn?1330575844
I will echo Imm's sentiment that MS is not the end of the world.  I still get out there and walk, kayak, do Yoga, cycle... and I have the full compliment of spastic, weak muscles, here and there, with a few good ones next to them taking up the slack.  

Don't let fear of some dread disease immobilize you.  Get out there and live.  Get ready for class, eat healthfully, get enough exercise, you're worth it!  Even if you have something diagnosed, eventually, it won't be the end of the world.
Helpful - 0
5112396 tn?1378017983
I think you've made a good decision to wait and have your doctor go over the MRI results with you. It takes years of schooling to properly interpret the findings and can indeed fill any of us with confusion or misplaced concern.

When you do have your appointment, it may be helpful to form a timeline for your doctor. It needn't be too detailed, just a rough list of the top symptoms that are impacting your life and how they manifested.

I would also be honest about how this is impacting you in other ways. The diagnostic process for neurological conditions can be protracted, and it sounds like you need support with the anxiety and depression these issues are causing you in the mean time. Don't forget you are able to pursue symptomatic treatment even if a diagnosis isn't forthcoming!

MS, if that is what is involved here (it may very well not be, but it's what I can speak to) is not the end of the world. It just isn't. However, losing that much weight and not leaving the house *is* a big red flag for your health. I've been there too. For me (and here I speak only for myself), MS is a lot easier to deal with than my past experiences with anxiety and depression. I hope you are able to be open to tackling this aspect of your health too.

- Imm
Helpful - 0
5840512 tn?1375226737
No head injury, and I don't play any contact sports, I'm actually a computer/ video game guy. I had a CT and an MRI. The CT was looked over with me and my physician, he 'said' that it seems benign, but I don't know how much of that was just from his own uncertainty.

The hyperattentuation found was a 1.2cm faint linear mark (I don't know if it was a lesion or not). Again found in the right cerebral hemisphere of the brain in the posterior aspect of the parietal lobe adjoining the parietal bone.

I will update more information once I find out about the results of the MRI but I feel like this could be some type of sclerosis happening in my head and if not properly medicated, feel very stressed out, essentially like I'm in a nightmare that I can't wake up from. My neurologist appointment isn't until the 13th of next month, This is further disturbing me as I feel I need to be diagnosed or cleared of anything serious as quickly as possible. The uncertainty of my fate is killing me.

My weight has dropped from 125 to 113 in about a month or less, and I feel like the muscles on my left side are atrophying. When I flex my feet, the left side seems more boney/veiny and the right just looks healthier. My left arm, underneath the bicep in particular seems like it's losing muscular stiffness when compared to the right.

Both limbs on the left just in general seem less agile and flexible, this is really the most disheartening aspect of this situation as I can't imagine myself any other way. Could a lot of this be in my head?

I'm too scared to look at the MRI CD that they gave me, I feel like I'll misinterpret it possibly and probably drive myself even further into depression.

Does anyone know ANYTHING else this could be? I'm desperate to know that this is just something else but it's becoming so hard to believe.
Helpful - 0
572651 tn?1530999357
I can see why you might be worried silly over this. I take it you had an MRI and not a CT scan or did you have both?  The CT would not show the brain in the same way as an MRI.

The hyperdense sounds frightening  but could come from a number of benign causes, including a head injury.  Have you played a contact sport or taken a hard fall?

I am not a medical person and I would hesitate to even guess what this might be or what it means for you in the long run.  When is your neurology appointment?  If it is a long time off, call them and ask to be on their cancellation list in case something comes up sooner.  

Please try to relax and think about the coming school year.  Classes start soon!
Be sure to let us know what the doctors say.
~Laura

Helpful - 0
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