Left side symptoms only?

[Kharker08]

Hi everyone,

For the past 6 months I've found it diffcult to walk and numbness in my hand. (Left side) these are my only symptoms I have. I'm 24 years of age/female
After seeing my family dr, he referred me to a neurologist. I've had 1 MRI showing  inflammation to the right side of my brain next step was a spinal tap & this Tuesday I have another MRI with contrast.

My specialist talked About ms but said ms is usually all over the brain .my question is.. Can ms only show symptoms on 1 side to begin with?

This process is taking forever!
I google so many things at night time!

Thanks
Kelly

[buddingneuroMD]

Your condition does sound like a neuroinflammatory disorder. Could be MS (most likely) or a secondary disorder. Without a review of your MRI and LP results it is difficult to say what it will be.

[hideyourcrazy]

Wow, I get better answers on this type of forum than I ever get from doctors. There is so much unknown about MS and everyone's symptoms present so differently and inconsistently. I have always had left-side numbness with each flare and whenever I'm tired. I don't have MRI's anymore, but the ones I had years ago showed no lesions. This happens in many cases and can delay diagnosis for years, so I don't understand how your doctor is making that connection.

[Jifr]

So... That's an odd statement.  "ms is usually all over the brain"...

Lesions can be anywhere.  MS lesions have places they like to show up, corpus callosum for example, but they can be anywhere.  

But, I'm guessing that the statement is geared more to what your mri showed and maybe it's singular presentation on just the right side? I'm not sure of that relevance in relation to an MS diagnosis though unless that neuro wants to see 3 lesions or something.  Curious.  

All of my symptoms started  on my right side with right side numbness. By the time they figured out what was going on.... Almost everything was on the left side for.... 10 years? Now with  the spinal MS kicking in... It's been on both sides.

I hope you get satisfactory answers soon!   Be well!

[SarahL2491]

MS usually all over the brain?  Stop and think about this……
If you symptoms are ONLY on the left side, then that is where your lesions are………..
MAKE him show you the lesions on the MRI disc………even ask for your own copy

Ask him WHY they are all over the brain……I'm not sure why he didn't order MRI with/without contrast at one time, those are expense procedures.

Is your neuro a MS specialist?  find out what his specialty is……I fear it is lacking in MS information.

NOW:  your homework………..learn all you can about MS, the national site is full of information as is this site……….then be proactive when you go in………..be polite but you will have knowledge and won't fall for some BS that some neuro's throw at you…

welcome to our corner, I don't pop in much but I don't sugar coat the information, I just spell it out and let you think about it!  They tell me I've had MS since 1981 but it wasn't found until 2011, thanks to no MRI invention and 3-4 idiot neurologists I had to work thru.

Sarah

[supermum_ms]

Hi Kelly and welcome to our little MS community!

MS more commonly presents 'unilaterally', so yes MS does typically present with sx's in one side of the body, and in time and with further relapses, the sx's can then become bilateral. I'm not sure what the neuro was meaning regarding the MRI though, for a 24yr old, 'any' demyalinating brain lesions in a female of that age, would make MS the more likely dx.

I would think that because this maybe a 'first' attack, that it wouldn't be out side of (MS) normal, to only have lesions on one side of the brain, considering technically you only need evidence of 2 attacks to dx MS (2+ lesions in 2 out of the 4 MS locations). Due to your sx's being unilaterally upper and lower tracks, it may indicate both brain and spinal involvement, so hopefully at some stage you'll be getting a spinal MRI, as well as the brain done.

Keep in mind MS is a complicated condition to dx and it isn't uncommon for the dx to take many months and sometimes years before the dx is clear enough, so whilst it may seem like its taking a long time, it could take awhile longer before you know for sure. Take a deep breath and try not to over load your self, ask any question that comes to mind, we're always happy to help if we can. You might also like to read our health pages, which cover most MS topics, you'll find our health pages at the very bottom of your screen.

Cheers..........JJ