Neurogurl said...
Uppitycats....you seem very knowledgeable about this stuff. How did you become so smart with this. I understand that you aren't a doctor but if you don't mind me asking (and back on the lesion location stuff) Lets say someone is experiencing vision problems....is it make sense that a lesion in the neck or spine would be the cause. Or, would it most likely be in the brain. What I'm saying is, my main symptoms are visual snow and palinopsia (i see sparkly lights, flashing lights, strings of lights, afterimages, and trails) I also have dizziness/lightheaded. My brain mri was completely normal but is it likely that there is problems in my neck or spine that would cause this?
Hi.
I became "smart" about this because my training is as a librarian (paid to answer questions), a teacher (high school), and a disabilities consultant, where I am paid to find answers for folks with developmental disabilities (mental retardation and similar things).
And of course I've had MS for 24 years, now, and spend time making sure I understand what has..and is..happening with my body.
RE: your vision problems: First of all, the problems you describe are not typical vision problems one sees in MS. They are much more common to things like aural migraines, or perhaps vascular problems (problems with your veins/arteries/blood circulation system).
If you had MS, and had vision problems, the lesion or lesions causing those problems would most likely be on the optic nerve directly (the optic nerve is a NERVE, after all..has myelin, just like other nerves), or in the brain -- where the signals to the optic nerve are being interrupted. Generally the vision problems one has with MS are directly related to having had optic neuritis -- an inflammation of the optic nerve, which is visible to an opthamologist. Some of them have cameras that can actually take a picture of the nerve. My right optic nerve is pale pink...the damaged one; the left optic nerve is a "healthy" rosy color.
If you have lesions in the neck -- in the brain stem -- you'd have problems with all the involuntary stuff that happens in your body, over which you have no control: you'd have difficulty breathing (need a respirator, or suffer from sleep apnea), have heart problems (irregular heartbeat), blood pressure problems (erratic blood pressure -- it would soar high, then sink low), other things like that. Brain stem lesions would not affect your vision. Those lesions would be higher up in the brain and/or on the optic nerve (see above paragraph), and would be visible on an MRI. And optic neuritis -- not lesions, but an inflammation of the optic nerve -- is visible to an opthamologist (or even a neuro, closely examining your eyes.)
If you have lesions in your spine -- as I said in another post -- everything BELOW those lesions (not above..your eyes and brain are ABOVE your spine, after all) would be affected: you'd have weakness in your legs, problems with balance, problems with bowel and bladder, have problems walking, all that.
I really don't think you have MS. I really do think you need to pursue whether you have migraines, or some other problem. If all you see is a neuro -- and your problem isn't neurological...all that is going to happen is you'll continue to get back "negative" test results, be frustrated, and not get the care you might need.