Questions about MRI

[notsure1965]

I am 41 yrs old. In 2002 I had a 3 month episode of slurred speech, left hand tremor and difficulty walking. Saw a Neurologist and Non contrast MRI showed one 5x3mm lesion with edema in the left cerebellar peduncle thought to be possible demylinating disease. LP was pos for 2 bands not in serum. All other lab work was neg. I was offered Avonex but waited. I mostly recovered and 9 months later I had a 6 wk episode of burning pain from the waist down, worse on the left I started Avonex and was diagnosed as Laboratory supported definite MS. I accepted the diagnosis but in Dec 2005 had repeat MRI that showed no lesions and no indication of MS. It was only of the head and with no contrast. This has made me very unsure of my diagnosis. I have basically done well. 3 months ago had same burning with mild weakness in left arm (C4-8 dermatome, spared T1,). It has improved but not gone away. Now when I walk or swim for 10 min if I look down my neck and left foot buzz. I guess I have MS but my MRI really confusses me. What do you think of my MRI and diagnosis of MS, do you think the buzzing most likely is L'hermittes.  Thank you for your time.

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-SH]

First of all, keep in mind that I am unable to diagnose you because I am unable to examine you, this forum is for educational purposes.
   The symptoms and story that you relate are consistent with multiple sclerosis (MS).  This disease in most individuals is a relapsing and remitting disease, which means that it comes and goes.  During clinical events MRI lesions are often apparent and often enhance with contrast.  After the event, lesions may disappear with very little trace, or may leave a 'hyper intense' region or may leave a 'T1 hole'.  I am sorry that these are all technical terms, but the point is that the lesions do not behave uniformly and having lesions on one MRI that are not seen on the next one is very possible in MS.  Over time the lesions do tend to have accumulating effects that become more or less a permanent feature of your MRI. If you have not had a MRI of your cervical spine, you should.  I think the sensation that you describe is likely the 'L'hermittes sign' and may be due to additional MS lesions in your cervical spine.  I agree with disease modifing therapy such as avonex in your case, but remember that you can also recieve intermittent IV solumedrol (steroids) for acute exacerbations (such as the pain and weakness in your arm).  
I hope this has been helpful.

[JCmcc]

I am sorry to hear of your problems and your odd MRI. You are the first person on here, that I have read, who suffers with buzzing.
There is probably no exact word for the buzzing. Some chalk it up to paresthesias. I have that buzzing, and, despite all of my research, my personal education, and many specialists-have never found a pat answer.
You know that you could have many things, and that, the lesions is quite non-specific.
I have only heard of the "vibration/buzzing" phenomenah within circles of patients suffering with Lyme disease.
Lhermitte's sign, from what I have learned, tends to cause buzzing patches on the neck, arms, and legs due to (in the case of demyelinating disease) lesions within the c-spine which cause disruption of nerve signals. If you have that one lesion, and have not had a contrast MRI of the c-spine (and if you have not I am amazed at your physician); you should.
You may not be aware, depending on your locale, that Lyme disease can cause lesions/plaques/sclerosis, call them what you will, in the brain and in the spine that cannot be differentiated from traditional MS markings. As well, within the spine, those patients suffering with MS or with Lyme disease will often have oligoconal bands. I am surprised as well if you have not had a lumbar puncture.

My story is one of survival and I believe in your ability to survive and to find the right answer. Would you believe that I had to diagnose myself, or rather, re-diagnose myself and it was upheld by a Yale physician? My neurologist just chalked it up to a false diagnosis of "Acute Transverse Myelitis." I never had a transverse myelitis. Not one of 4 physicians ever ordered an MRI of the c-spine until I went to Yale.

It is all in your pathogenesis, my friend. Not to mention, your age makes me suspicious that you may very well not have traditional MS.

Peace,
JCmcc.

[JCmcc]

a couple more things:

I re-read your post. You did have the LP and found bands. Alright, but remember, those are also non-specific.

Considering LOCALE you may consider looking on google, in fact, type in the words, "Lyme Net" and see what you can find.

You may very well have definite MS and maybe you do not.

[wiseone]

i was placed back in the hospital on this past friday and released yesterday..i wasnt feeling well and went to lay down within 30 min my speech was totally slurred and stil is..they admitted me and did the mri 72 hours later it came back normal and the doc sayed there was no need to keep me and let me go but something is wrong.i am looking into another hospital, he said i should be able to talk in a few days but we will see not to sure where to go from here things keep happening and they keep happening on the left side just wanted to to see if you had an opinion and yes I do no your position as far as giving medical advise..

[wiseone]

wowoowwww I posted before i read your remarks...I am having the slurred speech problem right now as we speak.. The docs treatedit as if was a stroke until they did the mri and it showed nothing..i before this happened I had a bad sensation in my arm and leg on left side and wasnt feeling right in face on left side and when i woke up it was slurred..this has happened before but it always came back but not yet this time..all labs came back fine and so did mri and mra so i was released but there is weakness still on the left side..yesterday the same things hap and my speech left completly but later came back but still slurred..

[JCmcc]

As you know, I am sorry to hear/read of your sx. This is very sad, frightening, and terrible.
Due to some pretty serious harassment from some posting members, namely "between" and "mellycat", et al, I cannot offer too much of an opinion. They think that I want you, and others, to believe that I am a neurologist or some form of an official despite the fact that I simply give credible good commentary, and, disclaim my statements.
With that said, I cannot give you my full opinion and I am sorry.
Your symptoms are triggered by an unknown cause-I think that it could be viral. I could be very wrong.
There are many variables that I am unaware of, such as locale-to look at the many spirochetal/viral possibilities, et seq.
I truly suggest that you do the same as the prior and google the words, "Lyme Net."
I really do not have many other suggestions. I would also find a major academic center at a University and contact there Neurology department.

It is very sad that it is so difficult in 21rst Century America, sometimes, to get answers.

I think that a person on here said it best when they said that physicians are not Gods, just humans. They have a hard task and due to attitudes (many illuminated) by some of our members these very doctors are put on the defensive and are overly cautious in finding answers.

There is common patient understanding that neurologists are rude. I am in school and know many: I am starting to understand the attitude. It is a hard job and an important one.

I am sorry that I could not help you more friend. Good Luck to you.

JCmcc.

[alchris]

Jut wanted to add a note.  The symptoms do greatly suggest at least a mini stroke.  I am only going by a family member who had several mini strokes all with the same sytmons but was never diagnosed till a major stroke happened.  She too had been told it was not a stroke.  though from  what I understand and been told sometimes a ministroke might not show up right away on films.  i hope this helps as we all need to take care of ourselves and find answers anyway possible.  Sometime digging deeper might be necessary by going for exams a little further down the road.  Wish all well

[sweet_g_grl]

The buzzing could be L'hermittes.. I have this and mine is like a vibration.. i guess could be described as a buzzing.(L'hermittes used to be called barber-chair syndrome, because it has been described as the buzzing feeling when you put your head down so the barber can shave)
I feel the "buzz" in my lower back, more like the sacrum, and in my left elbow and sometimes in my fingers of the left hand (kinda skips the fore-arm).. good luck!

[Mellycat]

To the original poster: I really hope you find a solution and an answer to your ongoing neuro issues. Being in Limbo is such a difficult place when something so real is happening in your body and you have to try coping with it without a DX. I will pray that you find some resolution.

To Jmcc: Please do not spread around the forum that I harrassed you. I in no way harrassed you. I posted to you one single solitary time that I was concerned by the way that your posts were misleading. I did not accuse you of doing it intentionally, however I did mean by my comments that by someone else having had mentioned the same thing to you, you surely had to have been aware that some new users could be confused into believing you were a medical professional and perhaps a professional associated with the running of this site.
I am glad to see that in the response in this particular case you took time to explain that you are offering support from the perspective of another person who has struggled with answers for neuro issues. It shows that you can understand what myself and others pointed out about the misleading wording in many of your previous posts on this forum. In light of the new method in which you are responding, I would think that you would not be accusing persons of "harrassment" for pointing something out. You may not have approved or enjoyed the way our comments were worded. But truthfully I had watched others point this out to you and nothing had changed. I came to the board that day to re-read the response to my inquiry on the board, stayed to browse and saw your responses (at the time) and I just felt very frustrated that you hadnt put more thought into the WAY you worded your responses.
I respectfully request that you do not further continue to imply that I in any way harrassed you by posting to you as I did. If you feel you have something to offer posters, by all means share your experiences. But in a public forum where there are many confused and frightened people concerned about their medical state, it is extra important to be cautious of how you respond when offering SUPPORT. After all, us layman posters can offer SUPPORT, not concrete advice, except from the perspective of our own experiences. We have a duty to make it clear it is from experience only.


Melissa

[JCmcc]

you know what-by following me into here and doing this, you are harassing me.

so-why dont you quit. You are a presumptious moron who needs to shut her mouth.

[Mellycat]

Apologies that this thread developed this way when the point is that you are needing some help/support/ideas. It was not my intention. Had this forum had a way to private message I would have handled it that way.

Again I wish you the best of luck in finding some answers. I am learning that for many people with neuro issues the answers aren't always easily found, certainly the case for me. Hopefully you will find a solution for yourself soon and start to feel better!

Again apologies for hijacking your thread!

Mellycat