juxa cortical white matter hyperintensities.

[marian13]

Hello again everyone. Hope you well.

I want to thank you all for your comments to my previous posts.I am wondering can any of you help me with a couple of questions i have regarding my new neurologists letter to my GP, which i have gotten a copy of.

As some of you have read my first post where i wrote the radiologisits report of my mri brain findings which i had in Sep 2014. I also had an mri brain in February 2014 for Ent purposes. I brought both cd's for him to compare. Both MRIs are from different places. The February radioligist written report is that every thing is normal, this report was faxed to my new neuro.

He told me as he was reading through all my reports that Feb's mri was normal. I went to see this new guy for a second opinion. As you can see form my previous comments what he said to me regarding MS.

This is what he wrote about both MRI's

I reviewed MRI of brain from September and February 2014. The September MRI shows multi focal juxta cortical white matter hyperintensities( can i just ask here the written report says cerebral hemispheres do any of you know if juxta cortical means cerebral hemispheres? carrying on he says not involving the peri ventricular space or posterior fossa structure.Contrast not given. The quality of the February scan is less good but some faint abnormalities are apparent on FLAIR suggesting that those on the September scan are not new.

Could this mean that the radiologist missed these foci because they were faint according to neuro. He never mentioned the lesion that was picked up in my corpus callosum in his letter. I am really confused about all of this and i have extreme weakness in my legs at that moment that is worrying me along with vision and coordination.

He finished his letter by saying. I have explained to her that she does not meet diagnostic criteria for MS and i have no structural evidence of other neurologic  disease. The white matter changes on MRI are non specific and may be seen in smokers, migraine, connective tissue disorders or demylenating disease for example. I note the elevated ANA and ESR and would be grateful if you could repeat these together with a CRP and Ant Double Stranded DNA Anti body. (from what i know this is a test for Lupus)

My next question is would a person have balance, visual, coordination and extreme weakness with smoking etc, and Lupus?

He wants a cerivcal spine mri in January and a Brain Mri with contrast in February and will review me in March. I have to be honest and say i don't know where i am at and am afraid because i'm getting worse not better.

He also says that it is likely that there is a non organic element to some of my symptoms as she is certainly anxious about a neuroligical disease.When he spoke to me he said he was not convinced i had MS, but a very close eye was to be kept on me and that my prognosis was good, so interputation of all of this is not easy.

I would really appreciate any of your advice or suggestions as to am i on my way to an MS diagnosis or am i completley wrong in my interpatation of all of this?

Thanking You all kindly, hope i am not being a bother to you. I m driving my hubby crazy and my best friend buts it's because i am really frustrated.

Lorraine

[marian13]

Hi again Alex thank you for your post, was back with my GP on thursday and cried because i don't know what is happening to me, and i suppose if  a person gets a diagnosis of a disease then they can except and move on.

It's the not knowing is the killer and i know there are a lot of people just like me who are going through the same thing. You've had it tough also and i appreciate your posts.

Happy Christmas and peaceful New year.

Lorraine.

[marian13]

Thank you again for your post, Yes they seem to have different opinions. I am glad i am being watched and thank you for the link i will read up on it.Hope you are well. Happy Christmas and peaceful New Year.


Kind Regards
Lorraine.

[HVAC]

It is good the doctor is following you. Bad is when they say you do not to come back.

First off neurologists watch people over time like every six months. Looking at Lupus is routine. Lupus can cause MS like symptoms. Second when you change neurologists they start from square one. The seldom look at what other doctors say. MS to them is not MS until they have ruled out all other possibilities and you fit the criteria. No test rules MS in or out they are just part of the puzzle.

Even with out a diagnosis a GP can give you medication for symptoms such as steroids, muscle relaxers or meds for nerve pain. May be physical therapy.

I thought I would be diagnosed with MS and a neurologist would be able to fix my symptoms. It was not what I thought it would be.. He sent me to a pain clinic and pt. If you have inflammation steroids can help if it is nerve damage the symptoms are permanent. The MS drugs do not deal with symptoms and only help with inflammation sometimes. That is why neurologists move slowly.

Now that I am diagnosed nothing much is changed except  I took copaxone for a year. I seldom see my neurologist. The pain clinic and my GP treat my symptoms.

You are not being dismissed by the doctors this is just the way it works. Sometimes people are diagnosed quickly but two years or more is normal.

Alex

[immisceo]

For an overview of what is meant when the term 'non-organic' is used, this link is helpful. It seems as though the two doctors are of two differing opinions here as to the origins of your issues, though the plan to have future MRIs and a close watch is a prudent one.

http://www.ohsu.edu/blogs/brain/2013/07/03/functional-psychogenic-neurological-disorders/