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03-21-2008, 09:58 AM
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Just wondered if anyone else here has brain atrophy with their MS?
My brain atrophy showed up almost two years ago...at the time it was relatively small, thank God, but it was there.  I'm glad that doctors are just now starting to realize that brain atrophy, like lesions, can also be an MS thing. Two years ago, when my former (puzzled!) PCP first found my atrophy and I Googled "brain atrophy + MS" (due to my suspicions!) I couldn't find anything---now, it's all over the Internet! Of course, lots of other things can cause brain atrophy, but none of those applied to me, so that's why it was a shock when my docs found it---until my wonderful neuro explained the MS connection. The brain atrophy was NOT the reason for my DX---there are lots of other things going on as well!--but it's interesting that they're now recognizing it, in addition to other problems and not just taken by itself, as being symptomatic of MS. Anyway, Avonex and Tysabri are both claiming to stop progression in brain atrophy as well as lesions now...so they've gotten on the bandwagon too. I'll hopefully be starting TY in a few weeks---I'm really anxious to start! In my pre-TY MRI next week, we're going to see if the darn thing has progressed at all--sure hope not. At any rate, I was just curious as to whether anyone else here had the atrophy thing going on too! I feel like printing a T-shirt: "Got Brain Atrophy?" 
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03-21-2008, 10:45 AM
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I don't think I show any signs of atrophy, but both neuros I saw mentioned it when we discussed going on meds after my dx. They said that even without any major symptoms (which is why many choose not to start DMDs) you will see brain atrophy after a number of years with MS. That, combined with my serious cog fog, eye and leg issues, made taking DMDs an easy decision.
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| "Thanks for this!" says: | Keely (03-21-2008) |
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03-21-2008, 11:14 AM
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What you said makes perfect sense--thanks for sharing! 
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03-21-2008, 11:26 AM
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Brain atrophy....is this around your lesions? I'm confused. I don't want to look it up on the internet, just cause I don't want to know another bad thing that could happen!
Can they do anything for it? What does this mean for you? sx wise? |
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03-21-2008, 02:52 PM
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No, actually it's tissue shrinkage. It shows up in a CAT scan as well as an MRI. Mine is frontal lobe atrophy--just a small bit of shrinkage in the very front of the brain. Elderly people can get this, as well as Alzheimer's patients. You can also get it from a brain trauma, such as a car accident. Mine was found by accident during a routine CAT scan after I got bumped in the head with a football--at a softball game! It wasn't a hard knock, and it didn't cause the atrophy, but since I am neither elderly nor Alzheimer-y, and since I've never had brain trauma, it led to my brain MRI, and spine MRI, and lumbar puncture, and all the other tests---and, thank heavens, a diagnosis. Turns out that MS can cause it, as well as autoimmune illnesseses where there is vasculitis and the blood can't get to the brain properly. In fact, my PCP thinks my Crohn's caused it, while my neuro thinks that my MS caused it! From what they're saying, I'm leaning towards the MS, but it doesn't matter who dunnit, it's there!  It seems to be a totally separate entity from lesions, and I don't believe lesion activity has anything to do with it--tho' I could be wrong. Anyway, I didn't mean to scare anyone! I don't believe it's all that common, from what I'm reading--it certainly doesn't seem to be as common as lesions. So please don't worry about it! I was just wondering if anyone else had this manifest itself on their MRIs as well. Perhaps one of our medical experts out there can write in and enlighten us more about it! 
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| "Thanks for this!" says: | the Bird (03-21-2008) |
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03-21-2008, 03:05 PM
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Oh, and BTW, brain atrophy doesn't always progress, and often doesn't cause any problems at all. Mine doesn't seem to cause any of my symptoms. I have the typical MS cog/fog sometimes, but the docs don't think it's because of the atrophy. When the shrinkage amount is relatively minimal, it often doesn't affect you at all...
Just don't want to worry anyone--we have enough to worry about, with this disease!!! 
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| "Thanks for this!" says: | the Bird (03-21-2008) |
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03-21-2008, 09:07 PM
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03-21-2008, 11:03 PM
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Grand Magnate
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Hey Robin..I believe "Auntie" Lori posted a picture of brain atrophy (I don't thing it was from her personal MRI, but I could be wrong) on MSW, and said the longer you have MS, the larger the that central "butterfly" looking opening in your brain is. As if I haven't lost enough brain cells as it is..LOL
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03-22-2008, 05:22 AM
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Nope. Dodged that bullet so far.
My neuro at the VA found 3 more lesions from the most recent MRI, but no atrophy... yet. But look at the size of my head! It's not like I couldn't use a little! <======
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You can't have everything. Where would you put it? -Steven Wright Once you change your mind, you can change your life. -Della Reese . Always outnumbered... Never outgunned . *I* am the MonSter that MS fears |
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03-22-2008, 07:33 AM
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Keeley, I looked at the mri and I think that is the only thing I don't have. At least, not yet. Heck if I do have it; I don't want to know about it.
~Sheena~
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