enlarged brain ventricles

[southerngal02]

i recently had an mri showing moderately enlarged brain ventricles. i've had abnormal mris in the past that showed something with the white matter and hyperintensities (i don't have the reports in front of me), but ms was ruled out in 2002.

here are a few symptoms that may or may not be related: a left leg that no longer cooperates when i run (since 2000), decreased reflexes in hands and feet, frequent migraines with auras, photophobia, and heightened senses, balance issues, and recent trouble typing words correctly (i type for a living).

my gp told me the latest mri was normal (thankfully a small pit. tumor was gone) so there's nothing to worry about, but can an mri be normal with enlarged brain ventricles? i have another mri scheduled in jan. and a follow-up appointment with my gp. should i be seeing a neurologist? if so, how do i ask my gp for a referral without being insulting? thank you!

[alchris]

Hi I am not sure why you would feel you are insulting your GP he is a GP not a neuro and if he gets annoyed this is your health not his.  So please stand up for yourself.  Do you have any walking difficulties besides the running issue?  I know that enlarged ventricals can be a sign of Non pressure hyrdorcefalus.  You seem to have some of the signs of  you should really go see a neuro who specializes is this.  One major sign is headaches, gait problems (balancing) and other symtoms.  Not saying this to make you nervous just someone who is trying to offer you help in most especially taking care of your problems.  I am not a doctor nor nurse but seen commercials advertising the non pressure hydrocephalus on t.v. and your posting described very similar problems. especially the enlarged ventricals.  I wish you well and remember if the GP gets insulted he/she needs to be ditched no one should get insulted when it comes to someones heatlh as nothing is more important than a persons own health.  

[southerngal02]

thank you for your post. you're very true! one of my other specialists recently went over my mri during an appointment and told me the enlarged ventricles are not normal, so she referred me to a neurologist, who i see in a couple weeks. i just noticed on an mri report from 2004 that i had "mild ventricular presence," so i'm wondering if this has been progressing and the cause of my bad headaches, etc. we'll see soon enough. thanks again!

[Linda6616]

Hi, you should see an neurologist as soon as possible and have a mri done so that he can read it, paying special attention to the size of your ventricles. NPH ( normal pressure hydrocephalus) caused by a high volume of spinal fluid produced by the ventricles. I have just been through this to the point that I could no longer walk, think right, I lost movement in my aems and was wheel chair bound. I found a Dr. through the national Hydrocephalus Foundation in Lakewood calif. 1-888-857-3434. Within 48 hours of my surgery to put a shunt in my brain I was walking, thinking and doing things that I have not done in months. PLEASE GET Checked  RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Before you get worse. LBSTOTTS