Mri

[denise5700]

Hello. I am new today and I just need to find an outlet for everything that is going on in my life. First off, I have very high anxiety which is being exacerbated by things that are happening lately. Within the last few years I have resigned from 2 jobs because of extreme bullying. I seem to encounter very abusive people everywhere I go and they make my life very difficult. I am very friendly, perhaps a little too trusting of people and a little sheltered. I am not a wordly type person who can express herself well I tend to be a little on the Asperger's side and over the years have learned skills so I can be more sociable and blend in etc. I do prefer to be quiet, alone most of the time but do like to company, however I do not have anyone to get together with at this stage in my life, just a few groups from church etc. I have had learning disabilities all my life and do not retain things very well that I learn. I have few interests and it is very hard for me to travel or pack, organize, plan things due to sensory processing issues (long term in my life). I suffer from fibromyalgia also.

I recently was referred to a neurologist for a MRI of the brain. I was concerned about MS but I do not have it according to several doctors. However, fast forward 3 years I am having a few balance issues. Nothing too serious but it started with tottering but it has progressed along with some spatial issues. If I put my hand out to pick something up there seems to be unwanted movements. It is not a smooth and fluid action like it used to be. I have always been unsteady on step ladders and avoided them. I feel the balance issue started a long time ago. I saw signs of it but it became more pronounced 3 1/2 years ago. I went to the doctor again and she referred me for neuropsychological testing which is next week. However, a new neurologist who I had never seen agreed with the MRI and said he didn't think I had MS but he said I had bilateral parietal atrophy and the MRI was repeated last month. The results are the same and he said it hasn't progressed. I went for an EEG and it was negative. I was referred to a neurologist for balance issues and he specializes in movement disorders. He said, if anything, it was very subtle. Of course, I didn't do much of it in the exam room so I had to demonstrate all the things which have been happening lately. I took a brief RX for Buspar and noticed some of these symptoms and discontinued it, however I forgot to mention this to him as there has been so much going on. I also have borderline low iron from an hematocrit and took an iron supplement and it is okay now. Low iron can cause you to have a staggering gait which I have had.

Well, I do research on line and find out that bilateral parietal atrophy is associated with early onset Alzheimer's and it will spread into the frontal regions of the brain. I was absolutely shocked. The neurologist didn't mention this to me and I know I have to do the neuro testing first before they can diagnose anything. When I saw the movements disorder neurologist I mentioned this and he confirmed it. He hasn't diagnosed me yet either but said in his notes that it is in the parimeters of early onset Alzheimer's, PCA or corticobasal syndrome. I just remembered last week that I had a MRI about 15 years ago for a worker's comp case where the neurologist told me that it was fine but my brain was small but not to worry because it doesn't affect intelligence. He didn't elaborate and I didn't know to ask back then about focal or generalized atrophy.

Since I have had these problems all my life with comprehensive, learning disabilities, low executive skills etc. my question is perhaps the parietal lobes didn't develop fully from childhood? I am almost positive that this is the case. I really do not think I have Alzheimer's because I am not experiencing any memory problems. My frontaltemporal lobes are fine, tightly packed they said. I am absolutely terrified. I can think of nothing else. I am having nightmares. I am having flashbacks from these horrible jobs where these women bullied me and practically could have had me fired for nothing but I managed to resign just in time. I am very detail oriented, conscientious and dependable. I feel I threaten people, if anything. My job performance absolutely had nothing to do with my symptoms. I work part time. I know I have to wait until the testing has been done. I feel confident it will be okay but then does it account for learning disabilities? I have never been able to draw very well. The three dimensional boxes and moving lines around to make shapes is impossible for me. I could never do it along with other things. But, other things I do fine with. I am so scared. I am not working right now so that gives me more time to worry? Is it possible to have undeveloped parietal lobes? I did ask if perhaps they could not have fully developed. They weren't sure but said it looked like atrophy. I am 57 years old, with the first current MRI done in 2014 - no changes, which is good. So, can anyone give me any information that perhaps will calm me down? Thank you very much for reading my post.

 

[G.R.S.H.]

I cannot speak directly to the problems you are detailing, I don't know enough to talk about what is going on with your body/brain. I can speak to the anxiety of waiting for a proper diagnosis, and the problems with reading into anything that 'might' happen as I have experienced this many times in my life.

Looking up symptoms or possibilities on line will always end up terrifying! I think that most of the websites like MebMD are designed to get you to go to the doctor, best way to do that is to convince you that your symptoms point towards something horrific. I personally stop using anything on line to 'find out' what might be going on with my health, the one exception is the Mayo Clinic. What you can use these types of sites for is to make a list for you to talk to your doctor about. You have to be willing and able to wait for answers, and keep in mind that it will most likely be stressful until you have the opportunity to get them. Doctors don't always think of all the possibilities, let alone remember to tell you if they have ruled something out, so making this list is a good idea. Stressing about the possibilities are not.

So remember that everything that you have read is a useful tool to get direct answers (you don't sound like the type of person who will assume that the doctor not mentioning it means they have ruled it out), and take it all in stride. Write your list of questions to speak to the doctor about, and then try to put it from your mind if you can. When you find that it keeps popping up, remind yourself that you will have your answers when you see the doctor, and worrying about it between now and then will actually do harm to your health.

I'm sorry I can't speak to your situation more specifically, but I hope you can find some reassurance in the fact that most often the online research points you in the worst possible direction just to be on the safe side. After all, if you looked up something that was happening to you and it said that it was no big deal, then they could be held liable if it turned out it was!

Check in once you have gone to the doctor, and let us know how it turns out!! We will be rooting for you!

 

[herbavore]

Looking up symptoms or possibilities on line will always end up terrifying! I think that most of the websites like MebMD are designed to get you to go to the doctor, best way to do that is to convince you that your symptoms point towards something horrific.

Very true!

denise, I think that you could benefit greatly by approaching your problems from a completely different angle while you are still in the process of seeking medical help (don't abandon that!). What I am thinking of is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Mindfulness. These teach people how to re-train their thought patterns away from anxiety. The truth is that we can and often do make ourselves sick or at least sicker than we really are by heaping worry and obsessive thinking on top of our symptoms. I know how hard it can be to have uncertainty in your life but learning to control how your mind processes uncertainty and fear can be life changing. You cannot control what happens to your body but you can definitely learn to gain greater control over your mind. Even practicing something like yoga or some form of conscious breathing would be very helpful. Check out low cost classes at a community center or local hospital.

 

[Jekyl Anhydride]

Wise choice picking the forum moderated by Herbavore. CBT or cognitive behavior therapy is intriguing to myself and even though I've only scratched the surface, it's value is foreshadowed by even the rudimentary basic charts. Take a look and see what you think. I hope it helps, as the anxiety that follows after receiving some unnerving news or waiting for results from diagnostic testing is usually never all that pleasant, even though it does nothing for the outcome.

http://www.namisantaclara.org/wp-co...ive-Distortions-Unhelpful-Thinking-Styles.pdf