A tumor now?

[mercadies25]

had an MRI last Thursday and in the report it says that the MS is stable. yeah!!!!!

Then it says that I have a tumor. What the heck. Really how much do I got to deal with. Barely, barely getting used to having MS and trying to deal with that.

Neuros office is closed on Friday so I will wait for their call today or tomorrow etc.....

Any thoughts advice or someone with similar situation I would love to hear what you think.

[hunterd]

many times a larger lesion will look like a tumor. At least that is what my neurologist told me ( I had the same thing). I do not remember what size mine was.

[KatieAgain]

IMHO, you do not wait for your Neuro to call. If it were me, I would call the office and tell them you expect a phone call back today. No sense in even wondering about something like that.

[OK Kid]

Tumor

My wife, she is the one with MS, has a tumor also. They found it a couple of years go. Her neuro wasn't too concerned about, but wanted to keep an eye on it. Instead of the annual MRI, he scheduled her one for 6 months later. They have kept an eye on it and it hasn't changed.

From what I understand it isn't too uncommon for people to have them, with or without MS. Pretty sure I was the one more concerned about it than she was.

I would consider having your normally scheduled MRI earlier maybe, just to be on the safe side.

Good to hear about your MS being stable.

[GrammySue]

Another MRI....scarey

Does another MRI sound like an option?
You should not worry needlessly about tumor that really isn't a tumor

[GrammySue]

Not a tumor

Get another MRI? Does the contrast in the IV show any more info to calm your fears of a tumor?

[Kaitar]

Tumor

My sister, PPMS 9 years, also has what they call a tumor. That's what it looks like by MRI. Neuros say it's due to large scarring and not to worry. They keep an eye on it, did 6 month MRIs for a few years. She's back to annual MRIs as it hasn't changed.

Neuro said to think of it as a "raised" scar but in the brain.

I agree KatieAgain though and would be leaving messages like mad until someone gave me some more information!

[onlyairfare]

When I had my first MRI for MS, a brain tumor was also diagnosed, "two" of them, in fact.

One of them really was a benign type of brain tumor, but since it insisted on growing, it ultimately had to be surgically removed. That was not fun, but at least I was cured after the surgery.

The other "tumor" turned out to be tumefactive MS, that is, a large MS lesion that looked like a brain tumor but it really wasn't.

I had MRI's every 3 months for a year to watch for growth in the tumor(s), then every 6 months. As soon as that first 6 month interval went by, the tumor grew a lot, which is why I had to have the brain surgery. After the brain surgery, it was back to every 3 month MRI's, then every 6 months, then every year. I still mostly get an MRI every year.

The "other tumor" - which was really an MS lesion - never grew, which is why they figured out it wasn't really a tumor.

I was very angry at first, feeling that MS was enough trouble, and I sure didn't need a brain tumor too. Eventually I calmed down and realized I was lucky that the MRI done for MS revealed the brain tumor early, when there was plenty of time to watch it, then choose the est time and place to have the operation.

I am doing well today, more than 10 years later, and have been officially pronounced "benign MS" - for what that is worth.

[mercadies25]

thanks for suggestions and thoughts. called my neuro and like usual the waiting game begins for an answer. I do have an appointment next month.

I had an appointment in March and usually don't go back for 6 months but this time he scheduled an appointment for a 2 month check-up. really don't understand why yet. he didn't say anything about re-checking in 2 months. when I went up front to check out the girl said 2 months. I said usually not for 6 months, she said he wants to see you in 2 months.

I have wondered since then if he noticed something in my evaluation. yes, I do believe I am worse then last time but aren't we all a bit worse. walking is much harder and heavier and spasms are more frequent. this is a progressive disease so I just figured that's the way it's suppose to be.

He even suggested changing to tysabri. I am on rebif right now.

I'll call back today because they are closed on Fridays.

[Jazz-TX]

sorry

I'm sorry to hear this everyone dealing with this. I have wondered if this is normal for living with MS and brain tumors forming. I have continually getting very bad headaches on the top of my skull, and all over to the back and bottom of my neck. They are stabbing pains and along with stabbing pains in the back of my eyes at different times.

Has anyone else experienced anything like this and come to find out after a MRI/CAT that in fact it was a benign or cancerous tumor? I'm sure my headaches are normal along with my other MS symptoms and for the amount of stress I'm under.

Prayers to each of you

[onlyairfare]

I've seen a lot of neurologists and neurosurgeons over the years, and they have all said there is no correlation between brain tumors and MS.

Most brain tumors do not cause headaches, though the particular type of tumor I had (meningioma, which is benign) can cause headaches. Meningioma is also more common in women than men, as is MS, so there is that coincidental link.

The headaches I had were said to be "typical headaches" for patients with meningioma: dull, mild, hurt all over my head, went away with Tylenol. They often woke me up in the early morning, and hurt more when I bent over. I would never have bothered to make a doctor appointment about them since they were mild, but when I got the brain MRI for MS, there were the "tumors."