Medulla lesions

[meissie47]

Can you have many minor lesions in your medulla but the location of those lesions still give you significant problems. Even if they're not active? I deal with dizziness, cog issues etc. But dizziness for the past couple years on an everyday basis.

I know that lesions and symptoms don't always correlate but I would still like to know if someone has any experiences.
Thanks.

[jamilea]

From how I understand things, a lesion is still a lesion so it can cause symptoms. The main function of the medulla is the transmission of ascending and descending nerve fibers between the spinal cord and the brain.

[Myoak]

Hello,

I do not have experience with this type of problem so I hope others will be able to share with you.

However, just from Googling your question it appears that vertigo (dizziness) can occur from medulla lesions.

IMO, one approach to dealing with MS caused vertigo would be to make sure that well known MS risk factors are controlled as much as possible with the goal of halting progression... do not smoke, keep Vitamin D levels elevated, lower stress, deal with infections very aggressively if they occur, exercise as tolerated, make sure that you are not overdoing salt in you diet, eat as healthy as possible, do not press yourself beyond capacity, rest when you get fatigued.

Also, you should be having discussions with your doctor about aggressive MS treatments which might halt any further progression and thereby allow your brain to configure work-arounds of the lesions, or damaged areas, with the possibility of restoring function and diminishing vertigo.

Ocrevus (Ocrelizumab) should be FDA approved this year and it might be an option to consider because it appeared highly effective in just completed trials.

Good luck and God bless you! You have my sincere wishes for your highest success, dear friend.

[meissie47]

[QUOTE=Myoak;1495145]Hello,

I do not have experience with this type of problem so I hope others will be able to share with you.

However, just from Googling your question it appears that vertigo (dizziness) can occur from medulla lesions.

IMO, one approach to dealing with MS caused vertigo would be to make sure that well known MS risk factors are controlled as much as possible with the goal of halting progression... do not smoke, keep Vitamin D levels elevated, lower stress, deal with infections very aggressively if they occur, exercise as tolerated, make sure that you are not overdoing salt in you diet, eat as healthy as possible, do not press yourself beyond capacity, rest when you get fatigued.

Also, you should be having discussions with your doctor about aggressive MS treatments which might halt any further progression and thereby allow your brain to configure work-arounds of the lesions, or damaged areas, with the possibility of restoring function and diminishing vertigo.

Ocrevus (Ocrelizumab) should be FDA approved this year and it might be an option to consider because it appeared highly effective in just completed trials.

Good luck and God bless you! You have my sincere wishes for your highest success, dear friend.[/QUOTE

]
Hi I've been on several different treatments for the past 13yrs Since diagnosed. Been on Gileyna for the past 4yrs. Take it every 3 days ( that's for a different post) Last neurologist appt Mri 2wks ago. There were changes and as I said the new minor lesions in the medulla. I also take 50,000 D3 once per wk.

[rdmc]

Can you have many minor lesions in your medulla but the location of those lesions still give you significant problems. Even if they're not active? I deal with dizziness, cog issues etc. But dizziness for the past couple years on an everyday basis.

I know that lesions and symptoms don't always correlate but I would still like to know if someone has any experiences.
Thanks.

A lesion in the medulla can cause a myriad of problems, and it does not have to be "active" to do so.

Dizziness can be one of the symptoms caused by a lesion in the medulla. If you google "dizziness brainstem lesion multiple sclerosis" you'll come up with some articles about the connection. I've never read that a medullary lesion causes cog fog but that doesn't mean it could not happen, ask your neuro. The medulla has more to do with cranial nerves and their function, and autonomic functions, like heart rate, respiration, bp, etc.

I have a rather large lesion in my medulla, and it gets "blamed" for a lot of my symptoms. Since the medulla is so small (compared to other parts of the brain) a lesion in that region can cause a lot of issues, even when it is small. I do not have chronic dizziness as one of the symptoms. However, I do experience the symptoms from that lesion all the time, even when it is not active.

Have they tried symptomatic meds for your dizziness? When I have had dizziness, as a short term
symptom, my neuro usually had me take a low dose of a benzodiazepine, and it helped.

I hope you can find something to give you relief from the "dizzies."