Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Pontine brainstem lesion
by dokeybee, May 15, 2008 06:47PM
I have constant "electrical" pain on the trigeminal nerve pathways on the left side of my face; not lightning strikes, but constant, burning. These have been increasing in intensity over the past 12 years or so until I was diagnosed with atypical trigeminal neuralgia and placed on two forms of anti-seizure medications. I'm doing pretty well controlling pain, but now the pain has started on the right side of my face as well. The original MRIs (taken about 11 months ago) show a lesion on the left side of my pons. Neither my neurologist (or those at the Mayo Clinic) think it is a tumor, nor signs of MS. The word "lesion" has been used as well as the words "scarring" (as in stroke) and "inflammation." Another MRI is scheduled in two weeks to see if there is something developing on the right side of the pons to correspond with the pain I feel there. Outside of this lesion on the pons, there is nothing out of the ordinary going on anywhere else in my brain or brainstem. I've been told by literally every neurologist and neurosurgeon I've seen that this condition is "unusual." (I've taken that to mean that the pain being caused by the whatever-it-is on the pons is what is unusual, not the trigeminal pain.) Have you had any experience with anything like this? What do you make of the fact that it's spreading?
Post Comment
Related Communities
Related Expert Forums
Recent Activity
Most Popular Trackers
RSS
Expert Activity
Community Members
I believe that your next MRI will hopefully give us the answers. If this "lesion" is progressing, meaning that it would show up as affecting the other side as well, then your doctors or neurologists may begin to think of conditions such as demyelinating disorders such as that of MS. The problem is if the MRI would turn out normal or still inconclusive. If this happens be sure to get from your doctors a good explanation for the new pain that you have. I hope you and your doctors can get to the bottom of this soon.
Regards and wishing for the best.