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Is a MRI useful for lyme

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Posted 2/14/2023 11:37 AM (GMT 0)
I am considering going to a neurologist. I fear this with every bone in my body but because of my ongoing cognitive issues I would like for more testing

Before I subject myself to an anti-lyme doctor, is there a value in a mri for lyme? Would it just rule stuff out like tumors etc? Or will it tell me other information that lyme may be causing?

A longggg time ago I had a spect scan. I don't know which doctor did this and I cant find the results.
Posted 2/14/2023 4:59 PM (GMT 0)
I had a few mri’s and I guess it put my mind at ease that I didn’t have a tumor.
Posted 2/14/2023 5:19 PM (GMT 0)
I found MRIs useful for ruling things out. You don't have to mention Lyme to your non-LLMD doctor. I have found doctors are very willing to order MRIs if you ask for one, especially if you experience headaches or neurological issues. I always declined contrast, even when it was ordered, because I have a tendency to react strongly and poorly to substances that enter my body. The test itself is very easy unless you have claustrophobia, and in that case they can pre-medicate you.

Some folks with Lyme who have MRIs find things that are useful, like pituitary growths that explain endocrine issues they are having. Others find lesions or volume loss, which could be related to tick-borne infections or not, so those can open anxiety-producing cans of worms, and be of debatable usefulness. Seems worthwhile to me, if you are concerned about your symptoms.

What are your misgivings about having it done?
Posted 2/14/2023 9:27 PM (GMT 0)
I saw my PCP and she wants to hand off my brain stuff to a neurologist. My misgiving is going to a neurologist. I dont feel like dealing with the anti-lyme sentiment. I guess I will have to suck it up and go.

I dont have any choice with them knowing about my lyme. My meds reflect it.

If I remove my lyme meds they see I did it because there is a history. I wish I had never mixed my lyme world with my "Insurance"world.
Posted 2/15/2023 1:00 AM (GMT 0)
Ah, I understand. I absolutely detest going to an appointment for help and feeling like I'm preparing for battle beforehand.

If a neurologist (or any other doctor, really) mentions being dubious about Lyme treatment or the validity of chronic Lyme as a condition, sometimes I have had good results if I calmly say, "Okay, well let's say you're right about that. What would you say the trigger of my symptoms is, then?" More often than not, they don't have any idea, nor do they care to find out, because mainstream medicine is not concerned with causes, just symptom management with surgery or pharmaceuticals. But it tends to stop them from further expounding on a topic about which they are ignorant! And occasionally they will surprise me and actually discuss possible triggers.

Another option is to offer to put them in touch with your Lyme specialist. They're also unlikely to agree to that, and will stop pushing.

I hope you get one of the respectful neurologists who - even if they are not Lyme-literate - are at least respectful! Many know about "PTLDS" even if they don't believe in chronic Lyme, so would at least agree there's a correlation, even if they disagree about the value of long-term antibiotics.

I think it might ease your mind to have an MRI, but I understand the stress of going feels like a real deterrent!
Posted 2/15/2023 4:50 PM (GMT 0)
Just echoing what others said here.

Ive had more than a few MRI's and Cat Scans over the decades. It is good to rule out other health issues...not everything is always lyme.

They found a golf ball size tumor in me when checking for other things with a full abdominal cavity MRI - so that was good to know (although a disheartening find).

I had a cat scan for checking for a pituitary tumor, all was fine.

The only lyme specific brain MRI was ordered thru a Functional MD to check volume with the Nueroquant company (a recent thread on that from someone else..last week?)

To bad your Dr wont just order the MRI vs a Nuero Dr.

Most MRI imaging places have their own Dr comment with notes on the findings anyway.

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I had a Nuero Dr insult me with her strong beliefs that lyme does not last longer than a month at the most. She had no ideas for my symptoms or causes, nor did she seem care. Being a Nuero Dr was nothing more than a power trip for her. She pretty much tried to "gaslight" me before that was a common term...and it backfired on her lol!. Unbelievable that these people are health care providers!!!

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The electronic "cookie crumb trail" that now links all of our heath care clinic visits and Rx's certainly does us no good. When asked about my past long use of ABX's I just say thats not what im here for - if they seem to be a strict closed minded Dr.

Post Edited (astroman) : 2/15/2023 8:54:56 AM (GMT-8)

Posted 2/15/2023 4:52 PM (GMT 0)
"Many know about "PTLDS" even if they don't believe in chronic Lyme, so would at least agree there's a correlation, even if they disagree about the value of long-term antibiotics."

Thats the only good outcome of that acronym.
Posted 2/15/2023 6:34 PM (GMT 0)
I just remembered - the mri I had showed the pituitary stalk was leaning to the left. (Or was it the right?)
Then I worried about that - what was causing it to lean - perhaps a tumor??

I went down so many “rabbit holes” prior to the Lyme diagnosis.
Posted 2/15/2023 7:33 PM (GMT 0)
Ha yes ... Girlie, I had a similar experience with MRIs showing an abnormality that I worried about for a while but which turned out to be a harmless variation. I guess that's the flip side of ruling scary things out - seeing benign findings that cause worry.
Posted 2/16/2023 1:22 PM (GMT 0)

astroman said...
They found a golf ball size tumor in me when checking for other things with a full abdominal cavity MRI - so that was good to know (although a disheartening find).

Don't leave me hanging, Astro! What happened with this?!?
Posted 2/16/2023 5:48 PM (GMT 0)

The Dude Abides said...

astroman said...
They found a golf ball size tumor in me when checking for other things with a full abdominal cavity MRI - so that was good to know (although a disheartening find).

Don't leave me hanging, Astro! What happened with this?!?

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Astros reply:
Its still there on one of my adrenals, discovered 2018MRI while looking for digestive problems.

I had full adrenal lab testing and a separate adrenal density MRI ....all that twice since. No cancer or "Auto piloting" of the adrenal so far.

It cant be removed without taking the one adrenal with it. - Its proven to cause cortisol leaking when cutting off a tumor.

If it gets bigger I will need to go under the knife and live with one adrenal. Im not thrilled about that, but unlike thyroid cancer, adrenal cancer kills.

There must be a reason we have two adrenals...no?

Time to re-check it this year prob.

I had somewhat worrying post on this back in 2018 or 2019 I think.
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