Please help me...so distraught!

[Lindavid2004]

I had an MRI on my brain lately... no legions were found... But mild atrophy was found. I am only 49 years old. The MRI was done without contrast. I didn't have an MRI done on my spinal cord nor a spinal tap. I have listed my symptoms below. Do you think MS should be totally ruled out or do you think I should go see a neurologist and get a MRI on my spine? Do you think the brain atrophy could be related to MS? I am just sick of not knowing what's wrong with me... Frustrated and discouraged... I thought about just giving up on trying to get a diagnosis!! Here are some of my symptoms I've had:(some symptoms come and go) tingling in different parts of my body (especially on my left side)...always or about always have tingling...numbness in different parts of my body (feet partially numb about all the time, if not all the time), fatigue (sometimes I need help getting up off the couch and have to have help walking to the bathroom sometimes) bad gait, shooting pains in my face and head, pains in my eye, blurry vision... The optometrist examined my eyes last week and said something about my eyes werent focussing and said something about double vision or something, I had a really weird thing happen one night with my eyes taking turns twitching ... each eye probably twitched at least a couple times all within probably less than 5-10 seconds... anyone ever have that happen with their eyes??!!),itching all over, dizziness in head, leg weakness, off-balanced, leg shakiness when standing, stiffness in legs and arm, burning in foot and leg and other parts of body, frequent urination, twitching, slurring in speech, problems swallowing...I don't know why but seems like I have difficulty with swallowing on my right side and sometimes food doesn't seem to go down right on that side...it seems like theres more action in the swallowing process on the left side, cognitive problems ( including word recall, poor short-term memory, language problems, poor attention) HEAT INTOLERANCE..my legs have gotten extremely weak and I got really dizzy after getting overheated before and other times I have had symptoms after getting overheated. I can't even remember all the symptoms I've had. The numbness, tingling (besides numbness and burning in right thigh) and severe heat-intolerance have occurred in the past 2 or 3 years. Symptoms (more symptoms and worsening of at least some symptoms just started in February of this year. I never thought I could have MS cause I didn't hardly know anything about it. One day when I looked up a symptom I was having, I saw MS  listed as a condition along with other conditions and I was like "I don't have that (MS)." Another time when I was looking up symptom(s), I actually saw a list of the symptoms... and it did look like I really could have MS. It would be great to not have MS, but if I have it I want to know... whatever is wrong I would like to know... The symptoms are real and I know my body. I'm so frustrated!!!!!!!
I could use some prayer!!!
Thanks in advance for your help, Linda

[supermum_ms]

Hey Linda,

I think you really need to take a deep cleansing breath, and find your calm because its important that you dont let your emotions get ahead of you and throw you into a state of depression.

PAD is one of the MS mimics i was explaining to you about before see below.

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/More/PeripheralArteryDisease/About-Peripheral-Artery-Disease-PAD_UCM_301301_Article.jsp

Pulmonary insufficiency I think might be another see below..

http://www.echocardiology.org/pulmonaryinsufficiency.htm

I'm not confident with these conditions to comment very much, but i would think the pulmonary insufficiency is probably the cause of the PAD and everything else. I think its probably been missed but you should note that 'mild' usually indicates that its been caught early so there is probably a lot YOU can do to turn this around or at least get it treated appropriately.

Please dont let your anxiety about this get ahead of you, speak to your dr and get a 'full' understanding of what this mean for YOU!

Hugs.........JJ

[Lindavid2004]

Sorry for the long post. I read the Livestrong article on brain atrophy...IF its not caused from MS, I wonder what caused it.


My blood test showed my B12 was above the range, so its not vit. B12 defic.that caused the atrophy....and I don't drink any achohol at all... I don't even smoke (It seems like I read someplace that smoking can make your brain shrink.)


I sure hope it's not Alzheimer's that's even
scarier than MS!! I don't know how young someone can be to be in the early stages.


All this worrying about my health (including I found out I have a mild case of PAD and something wrong with my heart (pulmonic insuffiency or something) has taken its toll on me...I hope I can try to get my mind on more pleasant things...just tired of everything!!!

[supermum_ms]

Sorry just remembered your comment on your pupil response, with just what youve said, there isn't anything to imply that your pupil response is abnormal. The size of the pupil is all to do with light "Normally, the pupil contracts in response to light and dilates in darker conditions to allow more light into the eye....."

http://www.ehow.com/list_6577676_reasons-small-pupils.html#ixzz1sMG7UXKM

Cheers.......JJ

[supermum_ms]

This is my third attempt to post, hopefully it will get to you this time! Can i humbly request that you break up your future posts because people with MS commonly have visual issues and find reading large blocks of text too difficult, thank you in advance :0)

I responded to your pm based on the information you supplied in your earlier post, you did mention MRI not finding lesions but you didn't mention brain Atrophy, so did you get a copy of the report? oh I see you just posted that the report says 'mild cortical atrophy' does it say anything else or mention possible dx in the conclusion? Anything?

Please note that this doesn't necessarily mean MS, if you google you'll notice many articles on the topic this is just the first one i found...

http://www.livestrong.com/article/161959-what-are-the-causes-of-brain-atrophy/

I very much doubt your dr 'clinically dx you with MS", that isn't really possible until after many tests are conducted and a person meets the diagnostic criteria. When an MRI is ordered because a patient complains or shows signs of MS type sx or has clinical neurological signs, 'MS' on the MRI referal is quite common, the same applies when getting tested for cancer, or what ever so of itself it doesn't hold any significant meanings for dx.

Please try to keep everything in perspective and not get too upset before you know for sure, if you are confused by your dr telling you your MRI was normal but the report states atrophy, then i would recommend you contact your dr and get him to explain his reasoning.

Breath!

Cheers........JJ

[Momzilla]

Hi, Linda,

I can understand your frustration. Firstly, a lesion is any abnormality seen on an MRI, so the atrophy itself is a 'lesion.' Even though the MRI didn't show areas of demyelination, someone your age should not have atrophy, I wouldn't think.

You have listed an awful lot of symptoms, and many of them do correlate to MS. I would try to get a timeline drawn up of what symptoms came when and present them to your doctor and ask if the atrophy could have anything to do with it and that you'd like more testing done to rule out MS.

Unfortunately, MS seems to be a diagnosis that is very difficult to come to for those who lack the clinical evidence. Know that doctors are usually hesitant to give someone a diagnosis if they fit the symptoms but not the criteria, and they should be. THe treatments are toxic and have many adverse side effects.

However, if you actually do end up having MS, it is important to begin treatment as soon as possible to slow the progression of the disease process. It's very critical to advocate for yourself to keep getting testing and stay on top of your doc to do all you can to see what the root of your symptoms is.

I know you'll find this is a warm, caring, insightful community of people who can guide you through this frustrating time.

Feel well and take care! Peace,

Momzilla*

[JaneK1975]

I think they use that "diagnosis" line on the MRI paperwork to tell the radiologist which MRI protocols to use. In other words, your doc was telling the radiologist to make sure he takes all images needed to view possible signs of MS and tachycardia. They need to fix those forms, its always scaring the bejeezus out of people!

[Guitar_grrrl]

Hi, Linda, and welcome!  You've found a cool place on the world wide weird web with lots of knowledgeable folks.

A couple helpful tidbits I could offer.
*Please break up your posts into easy to read, bite sized paragraphs for our members who have vision challenges.  When the post is long, and all in one paragraph, people are likely to ignore it and move on - too frustrating to read!

* Please check out our Health Pages (links on right side of the page).  They're thoughtfully written, and PACKED with great information.  Many of your questions can be answered through these pages.

It definitely sounds like a lot going on in your life.  I'm not sure all of these symptoms are "classic" for MS.  Have you seen a neurologist?  Hopefully one who specializes in MS?  MS is not an easy disease to diagnose.  It can take years.  Mimics have to be ruled out, lots of tests to go through...

Do keep in touch and let us know where your path leads.  Sending good thoughts for answers sooner than later...

[Lindavid2004]

Thank you for your replies. My doctor ordered the MRI and on the diagnosis line for the MRI and/or bloodwork he put down MS & tachycardia. I wondered if he clinically diagnosed me with MS, but didn't think I had it after the MRI didn't show legions. He didn't mention MS at all at my appointment yesterday ...he just said the MRI was normal even though I saw on the paper after I asked for copies that I had mild cortical atrophy.

[Mummy76]

Hi Linda,

A lot of your symptoms sound similar to mine.  My first MRI (without contrast) showed no lesions.  My second, with contrast, showed one "possible lesion" and I have now started a DMD.  Good luck to you.

[SarahL2491]

who sent you to have the MRI done?  did they give a reason for it?

I would think you need more testing, like an LP and definitely with contrast (MRI).......

unfortunately, as many of us know, it takes awhile to rule out mimic diseases.  I should know, I was 30 yrs from first flare to Dx....

Good luck, keep up the fight and keep us posted

[Lindavid2004]

Also since maybe starting in the past 2 or 3 years I have noticed small pupils a lot of times when I look in the mirror...used to be larger most of the time.