Should I be worried

Hi all,

Im new here and Im just blurting it all out

If you could provide me with some advice on my situation.

I had an MRI in Greece in 2009 November because I was concerned about Brain Tumor.

The MRI was done with contrast.

The initial findings were that I quote " There was an abnormal signal in the left frontal lobe of the white matter most probably of no clinical significance and there was no enhancement.

Everything on the brain was classified normal. I was spoken to by a neurologist at the time which told me the following,
The MRI has picked up a light on the frontal lobe, and thats all it is, is a bright light, I can assure you that there are no signs of MS in your scan.

I was satisfied with this result as there was no reason to think otherwise and I was reassured that I was ok.

In 2011 June, I started experiencing slight diplopia when watching TV and everything started to appear slightly blurry.

I went to 3 optometrist they all confirmed astigmatism in left eye and that my TV is too close. One optometrist even checked the eye for indications of Optic Neuritis all clear.

I was concerned and went to a GP and then explained the symptoms and they said lets not muck around we will get an MRI to see whats going on.

I had an MRI in September 2011 which basically stated the following

Normal MRI and MRA no abnormalities.

December it starts to heat up in Melbourne, I started a new job and bought an Ipad. I remember I felt little off, no dizziness vertigo or anything just weird. About a week later I had a massive headache that went away after a day. And then some slight nausea for about a week.

I have discussed all this with my 3 GPs, one chiro who is also a neuro a second chiro and a seperate neuro.

They all assured that if I had MS the current MRI would have picked up MS plaques as they never heal. Also I dont have the symptomolgy of the disease.

Currently my feet have started tingling which is what raised my concerns, So I did an MRI on my spine which basically told me about multiple disc protrusions that we knew about. But there was no evidence of nerve compression for the pins and needles (electric sensation).
So I just completed a NCT (Nerve Conduction Test) that stated that I have bilateral tarsal tunnel syndrome which my GP said was the cause for the electric pins and needles.

MY FEAR is that the abnormal signal dissappeared with the current MRI/MRA and I had the headache/electric pins and needles about 3 months after the normal mri/mra without contrast.

Should I be worried about MS all my medical team is telling me not to worry because MS shows signs and MRI's with or without contrast will pick it up. They said considering I have done 2 Brain MRI'S 2 cervical and spine MRI within a year period satisfies them that if it was there they would of seen it. Also in regards to the report in Greece with contrast talking about the abnormal signal they said that the report said there NO ENHANCEMENTS which gave me the all clear.

I would really appreciate your opinion on the matter.

I apologise for the length of my letter, Im simply losing it I feel alone scared of my future. All I want is clarity that Im ok so that I can propose to my girl and get on with it.

Look forward to your response.

Very Worried

[Lulu54]

From  what you have laid out here, there is always the possibility of the MRI not showing signs of MS right now but appearing later but I don't think that will happen for you.  Remember we are not doctors here, just people who have MS or are looking for answers like you.  

A good clinician will put together your neurological exam, your test results  and your verbal history and have a good sense as to whether this might be MS.  From what you have written, my gut instinct is to agree with your doctors.  There is nothing that jumps out at me as a major red flag.  

Stop worrying, go buy that ring and propose to your girl - if you are meant to be together, MS or not, she will say yes.

Good luck and be sure to come back and ask your questions.
Lulu

PS be sure to let us know what she says!

[supermum_ms]

Hi there fellow Melbournian,

The first thing i think needs saying is, propose to your girl and get on with it! :o) You really really can't make major desicions in your life, based on things that might or might not happen, it'll just never work.

I think you'll find that the 'bright light' seen on the Greece MRI was probably what is more commonly called a UBO (unidentified bright object) these are often an annomolly created by the machine or software. If it was something note worthy like an anyerism, tumor, lesion etc, it would of shown up again, and again in other connecting slides.

To be honest I dont think you need worry about MS, i'd have to agree with the doctors you've seen, "multiple disc protrusions" and "tarsal tunnel syndrome" could explain the tingling, and your other sx are not really that MSish? Its not just that the Brain and spinal MRI's are not finding MS lesions, but that you also don't have any clinical signs of MS. I honestly think that you need to stick with what you do know and not worry so much about other things, that its unlikely to be.

I'm sorry but i also think what needs mentioning, is that your worry seems to be a little higher than whats necessarily good for you, your sounding like there's a bit of 'health anxiety' going on. You thought you had a tumor so got an MRI, MS came up somewhere and like a planted seed your concern has grown, please think about it and if there is a possibility that anxiety is an issue or becoming an issue for you, then please do get it checked out.

Cheers........JJ

[Veryworried_2012]

Supermum

I would like to thank you for your response and Im very happy that you took the time in writing me such a detailed explanation of why things are the way they are.

I do suffer from anxiety, I have a fear of dying and also a fear of getting sick.

Im also in the process of getting counselling from a psychologist to talk about those certain issues and why I have got to the point of what you were suggesting worrying about things that are not there.

All I can say is that I have read too much in forums and google about MRIs missing MS and contrast not picking up lesions. Its made me a cynic.

But again thank you so much for your re assurance. I feel relieved and so alive after reading that.

:)

[Veryworried_2012]

I promise you Lulu you will know when I propose.

Appreciate your support thank you for your response.

Anxiety and Stress makes your daily life a living nightmare.

[Ricobord]

Since it is not sounding like MS, and you still don't have good answers, you might consider Lyme Disease.  I got it in Oz, where so far, it is a neurological disease (no arthritis) with a presentation different to that of Europe, Asia, and North America.  It most resembles Borrelia Garinii, a species in Western Europe that causes mostly neuro symptoms.  (Borrelia Burgdorferi is the only one we have in the U.S. and it is well known to cause arthritis.)

It can also cause anxiety and depression as neuro symptoms, which is most noticeable in people without a history of either.

You might try to contact Dr. Peter Mayne in Laurieton, NSW.  He wrote a paper last Dec. about the 169 patients he had treated so far. (He is aware of at least 500 patients so far.) Ask his office if there is a doctor near Melbourne he might recommend.  There are very few docs there who know anything about it, as the government has done little to educate doctors on how to recognize, diagnose, and treat the disease, in spite of sick Aussies who got it overseas. They are too busy insisting that no one has proved it is endemic to Oz, in spite of all the people who have it who never left the country.

It comes from the paralysis tick, whose range is from the far north east down as far south as Melbourne.  You can still have the disease even if you do not remember a tick or a rash.

[Ricobord]

Oh, and I forgot to mention...they have Borrelia (Lyme) in Greece, too.  

[supermum_ms]

This is just for the sake of clarrification - the Australian government is 'not' responsible for the lack of Lyme education of the medical faculty in Australia. The government doesn't dictate how neurologist dx MS or GP's dx neumonia etc it just doesn't happen.

The Australian government is not medically qualified, any medically based 'policy' is generated by a reveiw board of medically trained doctors and scientists, the recomendations of the panel of experts is commonly accepted practise. The 'no Lyme in Australia' is based on the scientific data and advice that was available at the time.

At the moment, scientific research is looking at 'native born ticks' and if these native ticks could also be Lyme carriers or cause a similar condition to lyme, something that prior research did not evaluate. Preliminary findings have so far found 2 or 3 'native ticks' unique to Australia that are 'capable' of causing Lyme or similar in humans. Completion of current research and further research is more than likely going to happen before the 'no Lyme in Australia' status can or should be changed.

Organisations such as RACGP will be very aware of the situation regarding Lyme, doctors in area's more commonly associated with ticks even more so. We have a lot of different native ticks, spread over a very large country, the specific ticks in question are only found in certain areas of the country and Melbourne as far as i'm aware, is the size of other countries away from their known habitat.

The likelyhood of being in the zone and getting bitten by a tick that happens to be the right kind of native tick suspected of being capable of lyme or similar, is quite low, i'm not say its impossible but based on odds alone its just not going to be the most likely explanation. Most likely should in my humble opinion be whats focused on above anything else.

Hope to have helped clear up any misunderstanding :o)

Cheers...........JJ    

[rolo21]

Hi guys.  Had painful muscles joints stiffness jumping muscles vibrations double vision pins n needles weak limbs burning eyes.  Some symptoms had for 15 yrs. had MRI 18 month ago which stated suspicion of high signal intensity. Had cervical MRI all ok. Had spinal tap all ok.  Dx with ME 4 month ago??? Now suffering with weird pain soreness in left eye??  Neuro does not think MS which is why Gp dx ME.  Is it possible it is MS??  Thank you any comments gratefully received

[SarahL2491]

best you repost your post on a new thread, many do not scroll down to read all on older posts, should get a faster answer that way!

I'm not seeing MS on your descriptions.  But then we are just patients helping each other.  You mention limb(s) which also leads me away from MS

Good luck and repost in case anyone else wants to jump in here.  I've bumped you up but still your post is at the bottom