General Lesion question and a few others

[winded_tolerance]

Question 1)
I have noticed that when I do go one a hospital visit to the ER I am rushed to the back before everyone else only to wait "X" hours for anything to get done

Question 2)
when I was finally admitted on my initial visit when I got my diagnosis, I was told by many nurses I was the top priority on the entire nursing floor.

Question 3) I was diagnosed with Bells Palsy (my left half of my face went numb to the touch for a week), a year ago I was normal before my mind "fell" and then in a matter of 2 days I felt a total "Drunkenness" wobbling, swaying slurred speech and all and I haven't drank since 2004/5. all of this happened practically overnight, but I have felt the drunkenness before for a straight week years ago.

Is any of this normal?

Question 4) My Lesions
In my medical file my Dr.s stated that I have "easily at least 20 lesions on each hemisphere of my brain" What does this mean? I know that I am right handed and I was told most of the damage is on the left side of my brain causing my right side to be half the strength of my left, when my right has always been stronger.

Any thoughts on any of these?

[22cyclist]

Question 1)
I have noticed that when I do go one a hospital visit to the ER I am rushed to the back before everyone else only to wait "X" hours for anything to get done

Question 2)
when I was finally admitted on my initial visit when I got my diagnosis, I was told by many nurses I was the top priority on the entire nursing floor.

Question 3) I was diagnosed with Bells Palsy (my left half of my face went numb to the touch for a week), a year ago I was normal before my mind "fell" and then in a matter of 2 days I felt a total "Drunkenness" wobbling, swaying slurred speech and all and I haven't drank since 2004/5. all of this happened practically overnight, but I have felt the drunkenness before for a straight week years ago.

Is any of this normal?

Question 4) My Lesions
In my medical file my Dr.s stated that I have "easily at least 20 lesions on each hemisphere of my brain" What does this mean? I know that I am right handed and I was told most of the damage is on the left side of my brain causing my right side to be half the strength of my left, when my right has always been stronger.

Any thoughts on any of these?

You have some good questions.

1. When you were first admitted for your diagnosis, you were most likely the most critical or sickest patient on the floor. In general, that can be the case depending on the hospital and in the case of them ruling out more serious causes for your symptoms (life-threatening). Stroke etc.

2. Now that you are diagnosed, you are still sick, they know that, so you get brought right in, but sit like most of us. We are not critical...unless we are. If you vital signs are bad, you will be treated first. In most cases, MS is not an emergency no matter how badly we feel. However, they do need to check your vitals and make sure you are ok, and monitor you. This is the most likely cause of your wait.

3. Bells Palsy: You may or may not have had this. Of course it could have been a true Bells. It could have also been a nerve palsy common in MS, either a VII, or a V. I have had this and was misdiagnosed myself with Bells before MS. This is because doctors are looking for horses not zebras.

If you did have Bells, and it resolved, OK. If you have any lesions showed up in your brainstem, it may be the latter. Also note that sometimes lesions in the brainstem are small and take a while to show up.

4. Lesions on the left side of the brain can cause more weakness on the right side of the brain (lesion load), but it is more about lesion specific location. Some lesions cause more symptoms than others. You can talk with your neurologist more about your specific case since they can best go over your lesion location and activity with you.

Try not to feel ignored in the ER...it is a long trip for us all.

[winded_tolerance]

Thank you so much for your very informative answers. They helped considerably!

I am still new to all of this and I know I have a lot to learn still yet..

[22cyclist]

Thank you so much for your very informative answers. They helped considerably!

I am still new to all of this and I know I have a lot to learn still yet..

You are welcome:
Look up the differences between Bells Palsy and Cranial Nerve palsies of the Vth and VIIth nerves. VIIth nerve palsy often comes with bonus nerve palsies.

Some of the differences are subtle, some are quite different. It is easy to see how a non-neurologist could do a quick exam and mistake one for another.

I didn't want to list all of the possibilities and symptoms in this post. Too long. Without getting into too much medical jargon, I am going to post a u-tube link that differentiates a Bells Palsy to a Upper motor neuron lesion (as can be seen in MS-nerve palsy).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8hIWPYm6VE

[mjan]

Well first of all, I am so sorry you are having such a struggle at this time. What I believe is that you may present to them as "possible" stoke which means you get in rather quickly and they admit you into the hosp to watch or prevent a stroke. Also, they could be attending to you more closely as you do present with neuro signs.

Now has anyone thought of you seeing an MS specialist? Just to rule IN/ or OUT MS? I went through this with plenty of lesions startng with 20 or more. I did present like a stroke or TIA many times.

It took years for the "typical" MS lesions to show.
I would see if you could get into a neuro who is NOT a general neuro but specializes in MS. It may take weeks, months to get into one.

Good luck and make sure you let us know how you are doing. Hope you get answers..soon!

Warmly, Jan