stroke or ms?

[nette573]

I had a episode in may of 2007.  I thought I had a stroke.  weakness and numbness on rt side of face and rt hand and leg and foot.  Since, I have had dizzy spells - fatigue-  trouble sleeping.  My rt leg is so heavy at times I feel like I cannot pick it up.  I thought I had a stroke but, after seeing my mri my neuro at the time said it wasnt a stroke because it showed no signs of stroke.  My mri showed lacunar foci within the right parietal white matter may reflect remote foci of ischemia.  Its on the wrong side.  I recently been diagnosed with BPPV.  My face on the right side at times feels like I have a band stretching from the corner of my mouth accross my cheek to my ear.  Most of the timeit just feels heavyness and numbsness feels like it is pulling down.  My last neuro didnot seem interested in me so after seeing him for 4 months and still not knowing anything my pa is sending me to another neuro and I hope he can find what is wrong with me.  What do you think?  Lynette

[nette573]

Thanks so much for your quick response.  I appreciate it so much. The pa I went to did some kind of test were I laid my head to the side and I sit up real quick.  I felt my eyes bump together and the pa and nurse seen them.  Weird feeling.  I went to Physical Therapy and they taught me to do head manuevers to get the small pebbles back in my ear.  I still have problems with dizzyness and will do the manuevers and it will get better.  weird huh?  Sonaya, I still dont have diagmosis yet either .  Its very frustrating and depressing.  I just want a diagnosis so I can start taking care of it.  I dont want to just keep getting worse.  Man, I know there are alot of different diaseases that could be wrong with me its a matter of finding out which one. I just want to get it over with.  It seems to take months and months.  Ive only had the one mri and its been 7 months so I want another one and and a spine also with and without contrast.  Good luck to ya Sonaya.  I hope you find what is wrong with you too.  Lynette

[Godofredo MD]

Hi.

I am so sorry to learn that you are suffering from all these symptoms and I do hope your condition would improve in time.

A stroke would indeed have been visualized on MRI if it had occurred. The lesions in the white matter is probably related to an ischemic process as the report suggested. Without any obvious signs related to multiple sclerosis, it would be difficult to consider MS as the primary diagnosis in this case.

Was there any tests done to assess the dizziness? Were any procedures performed to evaluate the vestibular system? It might be advisable to consult an ENT doctor to evaluate for any conditions other than benign paroxysmal positional vertigo as the cause of your symptoms.

You should go ahead with the second opinion and see what this neurologist has to say about your condition.

Good luck.

[Sonaya]

I wish you well on your search to finding out what is wrong.  I too suffered an episode similar to yours with stroke like symptoms but turned out it wasnt a stroke.  I am having trouble with a diagnosis and my physician wants more testing and I will probably end up seeing a neurologist.  
I thought possibly MS as well.  My MRI was done without a contrast and at the time they were not looking for MS so I am not sure if they are even considering MS for me at the moment.
I have since developed more symptoms and will not give up until this is sorted out.

Don't give up, I am pleased your going to find another neuro.  Keep us posted on whats happening and what they find. Sonaya