Need Guidance

[Nana42566]

Background:

For the last 19 years I have had symptoms of dizziness (most recently on me spinning but in years past it was the room spinning) weakness, difficulty walking, numbness/tingling in arms, hands, fingers, legs, feet, toes, right side of face/head, ear pain, ringing, hearing loss, nausea, vomiting, double vision, blurry vision, black spots in vision when looking down, headaches, migraines, tremors in my arm, leg and neck, and seizures. I have difficulty starting/finishing urination and constipation. I have had a mild stroke which was diagnosed 9 months after it happened even though I was hospitalized right after. I have had a schwanoma removed from my Thoracic spine, carpal tunnel surgery on my right wrist. I have many herniated discs and degenerated discs in my cervical and thoracic and lumbar spine as well as osteoarthritis and blood work shows low level rheumatoid arthritis. I have had DVT's in both legs (from Factor V Leiden) along with lymphedema in both legs and type 2 diabetes. I also have high blood pressure but good cholesterol, asthma, and polycystic ovary syndrome. I have been tested for MS but was told while I had it clinically until it showed in lab tests it would never be diagnosed. Since then I have been told it was muscular skeletal, fibromyalgia, or depression and possibly some Meniere's disease. Now it is just being called skeletal in nature.

I have had multiple brain MRI's and CT's only to be told it is normal. Recently I obtained CD's to view the scan myself and  can clearly see what look like black holes on more than one sequence as well as what look like hyper- intensities . The radiologist has read them as normal. My neurologist and primary care physician keep saying they don't have anymore ideas and don't look at the MRI I just had because the report says everything is normal. It was done to rule out a stroke. My symptoms over the years have been cyclical in nature with different symptoms coming in different cycles. This latest cycle has lasted for 7 months with good days (only a few symptoms) and bad days (many symptoms).

Question:

How do I convince my doctor to look at the MRI with me so I can point out what I see? My next appointment with my neurologist is 4 months away and my pcp is 1 month. This is their next available appointment for both of them.

Thanks for reading my long winded background to my question!

[kwarendorf]

Hi Nana - Reading MRI's is a skill that requires years of training and experience. While neurologist will typically look at the studies themselves, they rely on\y radiologists to provide detailed analysis.

If you want to discuss your MRI with your PCP, bring the disc with you and ask him to look at it with you. He either will or won't. Even if he does he is not a neurologist and his interpretation if your MRI would be of limited value.

Just one man's opinion :-)

Kyle.

[supermum_ms]

Hi and welcome,

You definitely have a lot medically going on but quite a lot of your dx'd conditions have mimicing symptoms or similar symptoms to MS and some of the others would be unrelated or rarely due to MS. So from my perspective, its a little confusing on how or what is being attributed to MS. I'm not sure I understand what you being "told while I had it clinically until it showed in lab tests it would never be diagnosed." actually means.

I would of thought after 19 years, if what you experience was being caused by MS, there would typically be a lot of diagnostic evidence by now. When there isn't anything after that length of time, I'd be thinking MS would be a very unlikely cause.

In regard to what you think your seeing on your MRI, and discussing it with your dr, if you really think you should, then just tell him/her that you noticed something on your MRI, that you'd like him/her to explain to you.

cheers.........JJ      

[Guitar_grrrl]

Hi, there, and welcome!

Wow, where to start...between Schwannoma history and degenerative disc disease in your C and T spine, those alone can cause urinary problems,  weakness, difficulty walking, numbness/tingling in arms, hands, fingers, legs, feet, and toes.  Your other symptoms?  Hmm.  Not sure. Factor V Leiden, PCOS, DM 2, and HTN are unrelated, but thanks for the background.

Do have a look at our Health Pages (links on R side of page).  There's all kinds of great info there, including preparing for your upcoming neuro appointment.

I would ask your PCP right up front to look at your MRI with you, and ask your Neuro as well.

I hope your appointments go well for you.  Please keep in touch and let us know what happens.