White matter/lesions on MRI

[Addie2U]

I have had epilepsy for over 40 years - been seizure free for 20 of those years.  I noticed over the past couple of years I was becoming more and more forgetful, but chalked it up to getting older (I'm 56).  Anyway, my neuro ordered the MRI to be on the safe side, as well as some blood work.  The MRI came back showing white matter or lesions (can't remember the word he used 'cause  . . . I'M FORGETFUL, dangit!).  He said it was probably due to either high blood pressure, migraines or diabetes (that he had diabetes, and if he had an MRI, there would be alot of these white areas).  Okay . . . I don't have high blood pressure, I don't have migraines and I don't have diabetes.  He thought it might be due to my B12 which is borderline . . . but I'm back to . . . if I don't have any of the things he listed, what are these white "areas/lesions/matter"???

Thanks.


This discussion is related to White matter on the brain.

[Addie2U]

In follow up to my previous question, I finally obtained a copy of my MRI report as well as the CD with the actual pics of the MRI (like I could really understand what I was looking at).  Anyway, after a lot of blah, blah, blah that I don't understand and that was stated as unremarkable, which is a good thing, these are the things that stood out:

HISTORY:  56 yr old female w/short term memory loss, personality changes; tonic clonic idiopathic seizures; seizure free since 1989.

  A focus of increased FLAIR and T2 signal is appreciated in the left perifrontal/periventricular white matter measuring approximately 7.5 millimeters in it's maximum dimension.  Smaller lesions are seen in the anterior aspect of the left corona radiata subcortical white matter of the left frontal lobe.

There is subtle mucosal thickening in the frontal, sphenoid, bilateral ethmoid and maxillary sinuses.  Mucous retention cyst is present in the right maxillary sinus measuring at least 1.2 cm.  

IMPRESSION:  
Abnormal signal foci in the perventricular/perifrontal white matter, anterior corona radiata and subcortical white matter of the frontal lobe on the left w/out associated mass effect or retractive changes consistent with probable nonspecific demyelination or gliosis.  A contrast enhanced MRI of the brain, however, is recommended for further evaluation.

Basically, I have the neurologist from h*ll.  He doesn't answer questions, nor does he explain anything.  The only thing my neurologist stated was "this white matter is indicative of a history of diabetes, migraines or high blood pressure" - none of which I have.  So I'm left scratching my head wondering what it is.  My "exam" usually lasts 5-10 minutes and is marked "comprehensive".  @@  His last words after this "exam" were, "Hey, you take Mysoline, and you have to, so it's just a part of it."  UGH!  I'm 56 years old dang it - don't talk to me like I'm a child.  Simply tell me.  Since he brushes off any questions I might have, could someone please explain to me what the above means.  I understand the chronic pansinusitis . . . but I don't understand the other, and I don't think it's helpful to me to google certain words to come up with what it says.

Please!  Any help someone could give me would be much appreciated.

[bcb1200]

Hi:

Lyme disease can cause white matter lesions, forgetfulness and all of the symptoms you are describing.  I have met people who were told they had MS due to lesions for years, only to find out later on it was really lyme.  Once they got treated by an ILADS trained LLMD (Lyme Literate MD) they got well and the lesions went away.

The key here is the doctor.  I had a terrible time back in Feb-April of 2010 with weird symptoms, dizziness, anxiety, forgetfulness, brian fog, etc, etc.  I had dozens of tests, including a lyme ELISA test...all normal.  I was told it was stress, that I had a somatization disorder, and told to go on Prozac and seek therapy.  I"m only 35!

I then found another doctor who happened to be an LLMD.  SHe did a Western Blot test from a lab called Igenex.  I came back highly positive for lyme and some "co-infections" (Bartonella and Babesia.)  I never had a rash nor do I remember a bite.  Lyme is in all 50 states.

I'm now in treatment and am 90% better!   I have a few more months to go.

Just a word of caution...lyme is very controversial.  The mainstream doctors and infectious disease guru's deny that Chronic Lyme exists and feel it is easy to diagnose with good tests and easy to treat with 2-3 weeks of antibiotics.   This just isn't true and there have been no double blinded studies to show that lyme is eradicated from the body with a short course of antibiotics.

This is why you need an ILADS trained doctor.   You can go to their website and download Dr. Burrascano's treatment guideline.  It is the "bible" of lyme.  

Not saying you have lyme...but any time I see "lesions" on white matter, I always think lyme.

Check out the documentary Under Our Skin (google it).  There are also clips on youtube.  You can probably rent from your local library.

You can get well!  lymenet is a good resource also.

Cheers