New symptoms but no new lesions???

[Zacksmomi]

I was dx's Feb 10, 2008 after an attack shutting my right arm down.  The arm issues led to a cspine MRI showing  a 1cm long lesion between C2 and C3, a slightly less than 1 cm lesion between C4 and C5 and a 5 mm long lesion in the right ventral pons (brainstem??).  

This led to brain MRI showing several lesions representing Dawson's Fingers.  My dx was pretty cut and dry.  This MRI was done Jan 23 before I noticed L'Hermitte's sign on feb 1.

I have had an MRI in May of 08 as well as a round of Sol U Medrol for worsening sx including tightness in hips and wierd eye issues (negative VEP and MRI for ON) MRI showed nothing new.

In Aug I had another round of Solumedrol after leg fatigue became a big issue.  Again MRI showed no changes.

Today my sx are continually worsening.  I have L'Hermitte's, tons of parasthesias, leg weakness, wierd spots of itching, constant tightness (spasticity??) in a couple of different hip muscles, random tightening of my neck, calves, feet, right side connecting shoulder to neck, it goes on and on.

My question is, is it normal for my sx to worsen like this with no changes in my MRI?  OH BTW I had a negative tspine MRI but looking at it myself, it looks like at least 2 faint spots that could be possible lesions. I posted that pic in my photos if anyone wants to take a look.

I think I have had MS for almost half my life now even though I never even thought of MS until I lost my arm.  I am concerned about being on DMD's if they are not working, but if my MRI's don't change then they are working I guess right??

Wishing everyone Happy Holidays
D

[Quixotic1]

It's like having 50 First Dates - Every time you read something it's new again!

Definition of Experience - The ability to recognize a mistake the next time you make it.

Quix

[Zacksmomi]

Does it count if I read them but cannot remember after I change the page what I read???

I am happy to say that my Neuro has never discounted my sx due to the lack of a spotted MRI.

I guess I keep taking DMDs for maybe another year before I worry about whether or not they are working.

Thank you Quix for taking the time to write up these articles.  Without your humor this would not be my favorite forum.

D

[Quixotic1]

Do I have to chide you for not reading along on our threads like "Lies Ny Neuro Told Me" or the Health Pages, specifically "Lesions vs Symptoms"?  

Symptoms are what we feel.  They are real no matter what the MRI looks like.  They may or may not have a lesion to point to that is causing them.  No one should try to match the two things.  Sometimes it is obvious that a certain lesion is causing a specific lesion; mostly it is not.

A relapse is defined by the behavior of the symptoms one has - appearance of new symptoms or worsening of old ones.  A relapse is NEVER defined by the apearance of the MRI!

In the "Lies..." thread look at #'s 22 and 23.

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Multiple-Sclerosis/Lies-My-Neuro-Told-Me-or-Common-MS-Myths/show/1074879

Reapeat after me:  "We do not worship the MRI.  We do not worship the MRI"

Love ya!

Quix  :))

[jensequitur]

I believe that MRI should only be used to diagnose MS.  Lesions are not the only areas in your brain that have problems - they're just the spots that show up on the MRI when inflammation happens.  In MS, axons are severed, and the brain shrinks as a result.  So you can definitely have lots of symptoms and only a couple of lesions.

So yeah, it's perfectly normal for your sx to worsen, while your MRI looks the same.