Hello my name is Nicole and I am a 27 year old student, mother of 2, and a wife. I was hoping to get advice because I have been putting off seeing a neuro I guess because I have been so busy that I didnt want to get any sort of bad news. Now that the school semester is done and I have been having more strange symptoms I need that extra push to go, or you all may tell me I am fine. I had my first mri in 2005 do to chronic migraines and it showed a periventricular deep white matter lesion that was non specific. I had a repeat 8-16-07 and the report was more scary to me and I was hoping you all could help me understand what it all means.

Findings: CSF spaces are normal besides slight dilatation about the sylvian fissures. On the left in the deep frontal matter adjacent to the ventricle is a single area of increased T2 signal with normal diffusion and no enhancement. No other areas of abnormal signal intensity, abnormally restricted diffusion, or abnormal enhancement are seen.

Impression: Single area of gliosis similar in appearance to Dawson's fingers. This could be demyelination but other causes of increased signal cannot be ruled out. Consider ischemia, trauma, post infectious, vasculitis, vasculopathy, and collagen vascular diseases. Minor atrophy. Normal brain otherwise. No mass, hemorrhage or infarct.

I put this all away in my mind and have ignored the symptoms that my family doc was concerned that is may be ms. It wasnt until last week when I took a bad fall down my stairs because I couldnt feel my feet that all of this started flowing back and overwhelming me. My biggest complaint right now is that I am a student and toward the end of last semester I struggled to maintain my grades because I am so foggy. I was put on adderall two years ago and it no longer seems to help. Also I have been finding it hard to speak the words that I want. I say things backwards or a word that was out of no where which is very embarassing! I have other quirks and pains that I have learned to live with. The word atrophy is scaring me. Should I continue with school, Am I doing it all for nothing when my brain is slowly wasting away, or should I be spending the time with my kids and husband?
Thank you all so much for listening to me and for any advice. I know I need to go to a neuro, but in the mean time I really need feed back. I really lack the much needed support.
Thanks again.......Nicole