Nonspecific white matter

[r_michelle]

Hi, I'm new to all of this. For almost a year I have been experiencing many symptoms. At one point I thought it to be all in my head. It started off by me not being able to think clearly. Then I started experiencing the worst kind of fatigue. I have problems driving, staying focused and keeping the vehicle between the lines. I have difficulty keeping up with conversations. I hear people talking to me, but at times can't comprehend what they are saying. My mind seems to wander off. This past Thursday, I had a horrible scare, the right side of my face went numb, I had problems hearing out of my right ear. I was dizzy and confused. I thought I was having a stroke. Then my right arm and hand started to shake uncontrollably. The next day I went and got a copy of my MRI and the findings were: scattered foci of T2 prolongation in the periventricular and subcortical white matter of both hemispheres. It also states that this is nonspecific and its seen in a variety of conditions such as microangiopathy and demyelinating disease. Any help at this point would be appreciated. I feel like I'm going crazy.

[r_michelle]

Thank you for reply. Double vision has set in. My right leg has become weak, A co-worker noticed I have started dragging it somewhat. What ever is going on, it's crazy.

[supermum_ms]

Hi and welcome,

What you've described symptom wise could be caused by many different medical issues, generic symptoms don't usually place MS at the top of anyone's list of most likely explanations.

Generally cognitive issues are affected by mental health, diet, fitness, activity, sleep quality, hydration etc etc and medical issues eg infections, migraines, cardiac, autoimmune, diabetes, allergies, vit deficiency's, hormonal, hypoglycemia etc etc etc and numerous medications, alcohol etc etc.

General 'fatigue' is commonly associated with just as many, if not more and it's even become one of those medical terms that is so overly used by people that it could mean anything from feeling sleepy to genuine Lassitude....      

Short lived or transient episodes that you last described are not particularly suggestive of neurological conditions like stroke, MS etc so unfortunately or fortunately depending on how you want to look at it, i think what ever is happening to you could literally be caused by far too many things that it can be  harder to pin down, it is less likely to be something like MS and a lot more likely to be something else entirely though....

Hope that helps....JJ