Called my neuro today to kvetch (complain) about a new symptom or two today, and the neuro told me that based on my symptoms that I have a lesion (or something) near my thalamus.

Nice to have a neuro who can basically pinpoint where the problem is without sticking me into an MRI machine.

I'm just wondering if I should ask him for a new MRI now. Just to make sure it's the MS. (last MRI was december of 2006, and that was to diagnose the MS)

Most of my symptoms are on my right side right now. Numbness pretty much from head to toe. Half my head is numb. Including the roof of my mouth and my ear...scalp too. Almost everything from the head down on the right side is numb or has altered sensation.

Neuro told me that means there's a lesion (or something) on the left side of my brain. It's kind of got me curious that maybe I should let them take a look just to make sure it's the MS and not something creepily scary.

I have an appointment in about two weeks to see him. I wonder if I should ask him about it. Does that sound like a good idea?

Normally I wouldnt be the one suggesting an MRI because I'm a serious claustrophobe, but I'm curious about what's going on in my head. Should I ask him for an MRI?

I like a Neuro who doesn't always run for the MRI, once a DX is made and proven to be true. MRIs are a great DX tool and yours seems to have done it's job and unless you are testing a new DMD or you think a tumor or something else has developed, then no, trust your Doc to know when an MRI is necessary.

JMHO..

Sally has sound advice on this one. Sounds like you can trust your docs judgement. Your numbness down one side, inside the mouth and the like is exactly how my MS presented when I was diagnosed...right side of the body too!
My doc gave me a 5 day round of a steroid IV to break the cycle and it did. Big Hugs

I might ask him if I can do a new MRI, but only if I think I can afford it. (my insurance deductible is like $2500. I'm lucky my dad pays for my insurance!)

and I'd only do an MRI if it's in the new fancypants MRI machine that we have in Omaha now that's literally open. (more open than the "open" MRI that I had to do in 2006 that had the giant magnet 2 inches above my nose)

If I cant afford it, then I'll probably let it go. Since just thinking about being in an MRI machine scared the heebie jeebies out of me and makes me be not real serious about wanting one.

I really am glad that my neuro is one of those doctors who knows the brain so well that he was able to tell me where he thinks the lesion is that's picking on me this year.

I looked up the thalamus on Google and the symptoms fit. Sort of.

I have symptoms on both sides of the body (numbness) but the most annoying of the numbness is on the right side, meaning that it's the left side of the thalamus that has an MS troll poking at it.

I have numbness in my left hand, so I'm wondering if something is poking at the right side of my thalamus too.

Just having a lesion near the thalamus is a bit disturbing to me tho. The thalamus is important for consciousness. (being awake and alert) Some of it made sense to me tho. The thalamus controls circadian rhythms. I dont sleep well a lot. The thalamus is in the middle of the brain, so if it was something other than an MS lesion, I guess they wouldnt be able to get at it.

I do feel better knowing where some of the symptoms are coming from. Now I know why I dont sleep well, and I was able to sleep a bit easier last night for some reason. I still stayed up till after 4am, but I felt like I could relax more when I laid down. It's not something I'm doing that probably keeps me awake. It's a brain thing, so I didnt feel like I had to worry as much about not sleeping.

The thalamus is also the sensory hub of the brain. Which explains all the sensory symptoms, including the vision problems that I've had. The neuro told me that the sensory symptoms arent as bad a problem as I could have. He said sensory symptoms usually improve to near normal. Of course, I'm expecting this stuff to never go away. But it's nice to know that he thinks I could go back to normal after awhile.

I agree. I am a massive claustrophobic, but I am more scared of this disease then a machine. My neuro makes me have a mri 1X a year and if there are any new major sx. I think it is a good idea to check things out from time to time. Better safe then sorry.

I know what you mean about money. I got stuck with 4000. last year due to mri & home health. I'll be making payments till I die.

I looked up thalamus on Google also. It seems to control a lot. I sure have one there. Massive sleep and fatigue problems.

I have read that most sensory symptoms do improve. I hope so! Good Luck!

How is getting a MRI "better safe than sorry?

MRIs do not necessarily correlate to symptoms, sometimes it does. You can be feeling fine and the MRI might show new or more lesions - you could be having new or increasing symptoms and the MRI does not show changes from your last one.

It's always best to treat the patient NOT the MRI.

I had a MRI during the diagnostic process in 1985 and never had another MRI until 2005. The only thing the 2005 MRI did was confirm my clinical diagnosis, which was NEVER in doubt, from 1985. At this time I have not had a MRI since the one in 2005.

I believe most neuro's do MRIs once a year when you are on one of the DMDs, at least my neuro does.

The reason I'd probably let them do a new MRI is because I'm a bit paranoid and I think I'd want to make sure it's an MS lesion and not something really really scary.

Woke up with a little extra numbness today. (in both hands) I think when I'm extra "symptom-ish" it makes me worry a bit more than when the symptoms are not as annoying.

Truth! I had a repeat MRI done 1 year after my diagnosis (with MRIs at the time) because of the 'ball of pain' that developed in my left side of my head. Well, I figured a huge lesion was brewing there and this meant relapse.

Little did I expect an MRI with results showing very dimmed/reduced lesions, and in some cases, what my doctor said looked like healing even. No new lesion to explain the mess of pain in my head that had developed, and the end result? Trip to the pain doctor and a prescription.

So did I need that MRI? Not at all. It was at my insistence that it got done... I don't think I'd even bother with another now unless my doctor ordered it.