MS or migraine

[Azlemed]

Hi, I am in limbo, been told probably not MS, must be migraine, my question is where can I find info on migraines that cause hyper reflexia, tingling feet and hands, and white matter lesions? I have looked and all I can find is stuff linking MS and migraine but nothing about weird migraines.

My MRI shows t2 hyperintensites suggestive of demyelination but my latest one shows no changes and that's what neuro is basing migraine diagnosis on.

Thanks
Demelza

[Pipes123]

If you look up clinically isolated syndrome CIS, and radiologically isolated syndrome RIS, you might get a better sense of where your neurologist is coming from. All ms patients have demyelinating lesions, but not everyone with demyelinating lesions develops full ms.

Good luck and keep reading and asking questions.

[Azlemed]

Thank you, I will do more reading on CIS and RIS. My GP suggested that it's not MS because the lesions aren't big which I thought was weird, the largest is around 6mm, and according to the MRI report I have multiple subcortical t2 hyperintensites in the frontal lobe near the central gurus and a thin layer of pericallosal t2 hyperintensity.

I am quite confused as we have tried many migraine medications and none of them have worked at all.

I have read a lot about migraine and MS being closely related hence my unwillingness to just leave it at migraine, I also had never had a migraine before may last year.

d

[Pipes123]

Have you had a c-spine mri or a lumbar puncture?

Waiting is miserable, but with ms diagnosis there is a lot of waiting for the right type of lesions to show up, or not.

While you wait, it seems like some neurologists like to tell stories to keep patients more calm and out of there hair. I am going to go out on a limb and say your neuro cant know whether you will develop ms based on the lesions you have now. That doesnt mean you have it, but this disease is sneaky. It also changes over time.

It is up to you whether to find a different doc or wait for your body to either get better or show him something that is more obviously ms.


Best,

[Azlemed]

I had a lumbar puncture in May last year, it was clear, but neuro says 10% or so of MS people don't have those bands.

I have only had brain MRI so far and as have had to go private (public hospital neuro was arrogant and dismissive) I gave to pay part of everything which limits what we do.

I had a relapse of sorts in February with increased pain, mobility issues etc but because no change on MRI they are suggesting migraine. The meds for migraine do nothing and I have only been given morphine for pain relief.

I think I will just wait and see for now as frustrating as it is, living with this amount of pain is hard with 4 kids.

Thanks

[Pipes123]

Very sorry to hear you're suffering. There are some medicines specific to nerve pain. In my experience, though the relief is not perfect, they help.

The Macdonald criteria requires that to diagnose ms, the neurologist must find lesions distributed in different parts of the nervous system and also adding new ones over time. I understand concern for costs, but even if you wait a year, getting an mri spine, and consulting an opthalmologist if you have any eye symptoms will increase your chances for an earlier diagnosis.

Good luck.

[Azlemed]

Thanks, I have been getting blurry patches and fuzzy bits in my vision so might be worth looking at that too.

d

[Justsayyes]

I am posting a link to some information about MRI's that you might find of interest. Be sure to check out the WML's (white matter lesion's) differential diagnosis information.

My first MRI was not conclusive for MS, the lesions could have been migraine related. I have had headaches, but not typical migraines. My spinal tap was the test that gave me my diagnosis.

http://www.radiologyassistant.nl/en/p4556dea65db62

[Azlemed]

Thank you for the link, I am unsure exactly where my lesions are as the MRI report isn't very specific, just says frontal lobes, near the central gyrus, and a layer of pericallosal too, kind of frustrating really.

The link is interesting, I am tempted to send it to my specialist.

[Justsayyes]

I know the link has a great deal of technical information for the radiologist. You should be able to have a copy of your radiology report that will give you the specific info from your MRI.

I wouldn't send this link to your doctor, there is nothing in this report that a doctor wouldn't know. They might think you are implying they don't know these basics.

Many neuros do rely on radiologists to interpret the MRI, that is their job. I don't care about seeing my MRI's, I've learned that things that look awful to me are often nothing, and things that are important, I can't see.
The radiology report has all the information I need.

I did want you to see that there are several reasons people have hyperintensities on MRI, including diabetes, hypertension, migraine, age and more.

Hang in there, hope you get the answers you are looking for.

[Azlemed]

Thank you. The MRI reports don't say a *** of a lot, so will just wait till something else happens, am trying different migraine meds but with little success.

I don't have diabetes, or hypertension, and my b12 etc are all fine. I am 37 and the MRI report said these changes weren't age related. Will wait and see if the next drug works.

[ms382012]

Migraines can leave lesions

I am currently diagnosed with the vague sounding "nervous system disease" or CIS. I have a few large white matter lesions, with many very small ones. The small ones could very likely be due to migraines, especially if they are chronic or severe. It's hard for my neurologist to know right now, we are still working on getting the migraines under control.


Anyway, some of the symptoms you list can result from migraines. Tingling feet, numbness, muscle spasms, odd visual occurrences... all possible for migraine, particularly the aura phase.

[Azlemed]

No migraines before may 2013

I have never had migraines before last May, hence why I am struggling with that diagnosis. Does migraine cause heat sensitivity too?

[ms382012]

re: heat sensitivity

Not sure about that. It can cause abnormal sensations

[Azlemed]

Found some new stuff yesterday

I was having a shower and thought I would just do that Romberg test thing, and opps I fall to the left, and when I walk toe to heel I look drunk, that wasn't happening early May when saw Dr. So will just note it down to ask GP when I see him next