I went to see a neurologist last week because of all sorts of pain and numbness and I was tired of feeling like junk (and two episodes of being paralyzed).
She's not LL I am guessing because I presented my lab report from January (with the positve DX of lyme)and she sort of nodded and we didnt discuss it further.
But I have an appointment with an LLMD on the 17th so it was no big deal, I figured I would just get her professional opinion on the symptoms..
anyways, some things during the exam puzzled her and she ordered 2CTs of my back (that could be because I have 11 levels fused) and then an MRI of my brain with and without contrast.
Do the nuero things show up on an MRI? Have you had one? What did it show (if anything?)
symptoms: mood swings, my eyes hurt, pressure headaches, hard to read, I forget everything and sometimes lose words entirely-when I used to be an award winning public speaker And thats not even counting the slew of physical things ( I feel like a grumpy old lady complaining of my aches and pains LOL I'm only 27, how sad!)
Can the CT or MRI show lyme damage? I believe I have had lyme since 2000.
thank you so much for your input.
~Karen
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
korker,
i've had 1 mri; since i can't be around LOUD SOUNDS; they put me completely under.
in my case they found a mini stroke occurred decades ago by dried blood in the area.
mri's will show WHITE OR GREY MATTER ... both show up for lyme and ms. look pretty identical; LYME LITERATE xray person should read these!! *************************************************** ***************************************************
some mri's require HEAD HELMET be strapped onto your head for no movement.
i couldn't hack that...CLAUSTROPHOBIC big time due to being locked in accidental locked car truck at young age.
good luck to you.
Posted by cactus (Member # 7347) on :
Glad you have an upcoming appt with LLMD!
My MRIs - all of them - showed white matter lesions consistent with MS.
But... (I believe) they were due to Lyme.
All symptoms have improved dramatically since getting into Lyme treatment and sticking with it.
Posted by LindaS (Member # 20251) on :
We're just beginning this journey w/ llmd. She ordered MRI's w/contrast for myself and all 3 kids. We'll know the results on Monday.
Posted by EtherealGirl (Member # 4780) on :
My two MRI's showed white lesions, due to Lyme. So yes, Lyme can and does show up on an MRI.
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
Abnormalities can show up on your MRI but do not expect the neurologist to attribute them to lyme disease.
They are like the Infectious Disease doctors. They will NOT attribute anything to lyme disease.
I had a neurologist order the MRI of the brain for me and it showed two UBOs (Unidentified bright objects) and the written report said "lyme disease cannot be ruled out," yet the neurologist said to me, "You do not have lyme in your brain. Do you hear me! You do NOT have lyme in your brain."
I said to him, "Doctor, how can you say that when the report says lyme cannot be ruled out?"
He said, "Well, I don't THINK you have lyme in your brain." And, he made it obvious that he did not want anything further to do with me. (Treated me like I was a nut.)
So, be sure the order for the MRI says something like "rule out/possible lyme disease" so that the written report will be required to make a statement about lyme.
Then, be sure to get a copy of the written report that comes with the MRI. You want to take that to your lyme doctor and keep a copy for yourself.
If you don't know about the medical controversy surrounding lyme disease, you will most likely get a feel for it by dealing with this neurologist. Her not saying anything about your positive lyme test is the first clue.
Don't be hurt or confused if your lyme diagnosis is pooh-poohed. Just get copies of your report (and the MRI) and leave.
I hope you don't get yelled at or humiliated like many of us have when dealing with these doctors who know nothing about lyme disease but believe we are the ones laboring under "lyme delusions."
Since they don't believe lyme is a serious neurological disease, they have to make us the crazy people.
A Boston TV station did a great show on lyme disease a few months ago. Here is the link to it: http://www.kettmann.com/Lyme
When you get to the site, select the link to view the show. The show was taped by a girl on LymeNet and she put it on-line for all of us to be able to view it. You will learn a lot about the medical controversy surrounding lyme disease and why it is so hard to find a doctor who knows how to cure a person of lyme disease.
Posted by Eliz428 (Member # 21509) on :
Not all neuro involvement will show up on an MRI however. I have had MRI w/contrast and spinal/thoracic MRI with contrast and both came back no lesions.
However I have electric shock sensations that go throughout my head, neck, and down my legs. What I suffer from is called Lermittes sign.
I have had headaches for 10 months, severe cognitive dysfunction for a few years now and many other issues, vertigo, balance, confusion, etc.,
So if your tests come back negative, it does not rule out neuro involvement. Many of us have clean MRIs/CTs and spinal taps but have some of the worst neuro symptoms out there.
Posted by KorkerMom (Member # 21418) on :
thank you so much everyone for your input!
TF, thanks for that link! And for the forwarning of what I might encounter with an non LL doc.
Posted by losferwrds (Member # 19741) on :
My MRI has 20+ white matter lesions, and the differential diagnosis listed lyme as one of the possibilities.
Posted by Tracy9 (Member # 7521) on :
My 14 year old son's recent MRI showed three white matter lesions in the frontal lobe. All of his behavioral and attention issues coincide perfectly with that.
He is on IV antibiotics and starting to show some improvement.
My 19 year old son just had an MRI which showed a cyst in the pineal gland. We haven't met with the LLD yet to find out what he says about that.
Posted by nessa143143 (Member # 20340) on :
They can tell these things WITHOUT contrast? I had an MRI of my neck and brain/head but it was without contrast. That always had me worried. I was afraid that because there wasn't contrast that the whole MRI had no point. What does the MRI with contrast see that the MRI without contrast doesn't see?
Thanks in Advance, Nessa
Posted by seekhelp (Member # 15067) on :
Contrast is an absolute necessity Nessa when looking for lymph issues. I found out a few weeks ago.
Posted by KorkerMom (Member # 21418) on :
nessa, from what I gathered in my research, the contrast shows very tiny things that may otherwise be overlooked.
Anyone have any issues with the contrast? Getting sick or anything? Seemed like that opinion was all over the place.
Posted by Myco (Member # 9536) on :
I am getting an MRI this week and am also worried about contrast dye. Have had so much in the last 5 yrs I am concerned it may not be good for my already weakened state.
Posted by cordor (Member # 9449) on :
I have had more MRI's than I can even count at this point. I really am serious. I have been very frustrated by the amount of scans I have been forced to endure in the past 2 years....and each time I "agree" to the IV Gad (dye) with the MRI, I get sicker and sicker. I used to have no problem...but the past few times I would be inside the machine feeling like I was going to vomit all over the place....and this would be right after they did the injection. So then I started pre-medicating myself with Zofran prior to the MRI, which did help with the nausea. I was also told to request that when they do the injection that they push it VERY slowly. That apparently will help with the nausea, if you are prone to it. This last time I had the IV Gad, I broke out in red itchy blotches that "moved" all over my body about 2 hours after the MRI was over. I popped a Claritan and it eventually subsided. I think the more injections you get with these studies, the more likely you are to get possible reactions over time. It is very, very important to drink ALOT of water for the following 24 hrs after these IV's. They SHOULD be telling you that, but not all of them do.
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
And thats not even counting the slew of physical things ( I feel like a grumpy old lady complaining of my aches and pains LOL I'm only 27, how sad!)![[Smile]](smile.gif)
I found out a few weeks ago.