brain lesions

[debmcdonald]

I'm hoping someone can help me.  My symptoms are severe headaches, numbness and tingling in my face, arms, legs, back, neck, throat and chest.  At times I also have a burning sensation in the same areas.  I also suffer from  fatigue and dizziness.  My vision is blurred.  My left eye has pain in it when I move it left and right.   I've had an MRI which showed lesions on the front and back of my brain.  I sometimes get tremors (shaking).  I notice when it's hot outside my symptons seem to get worse.  Most of the time my blood pressure is low but high when I am in severe pain.  I understand that there are other diseases that mimick MS, can someone please help me?  I'm 45 years old and I need help.  Thanks.


This discussion is related to White matter on the brain.

[debmcdonald]

Hi there.
In 2005 my first MRI findings were negative. In 2006 my MRI findings were central pontine lesions with several small cerebral white matter and basal ganglia. My blood work showed that my coagulation PT 09.6, INR 0.88 APTT 27. General chemistry showed my BILID D 0.0 My Lipids were HDL 89- TRIG 93- Chol 208 and LD LIPO 100. My general Hematology RDW were slightly low 10.8  everything else was normal. The first neuro said i had a stroke but i am not sure because i still get the numbness and tingling, burning sensation through out my body especially when its hot outside. Some symptoms lean towards a stroke but other symptoms I don't understand. The blood work ruled out infections. In 2006 the doctor at the hospital said he thought he saw on my echo-cardiogram showed some vegetation or possible thrombis in my right chamber of my heart. I repeated the test in his office everything was normal. The other neuro said, that anybody can get white matter from aging. I know I did not age that fast in one years time. Since the findings in 2005 were negative. These are all new findings on my MRI. Can you please share some light on all this for me. You have been very helpful. Thank you so much and God bless you too.

[PaulMD]

Hi there.

I understand your concern regarding these findings.  The lesions on your brain can be many things.  First MS is a possibility since your symptoms maybe compatible with MS.  It all depends if the MRI lesions are also descriptive of MS.  Other possibilities include primary or metastatic brain tumors.  The appearance of these tumors on MRI are distinct and can be differentiated from MS.  Infections can also cause lesions in the brain such as cryptococcus, brain abscess, and tuberculosis.

I suggest you discuss with your neurologist regarding the MRI findings to know if the characteristics of the lesions would point out to MS or any other conditions that I mentioned above.

Wishing you all the best and hope that you and your doctor can get to the bottom of this.  Regards and God bless...