NeuroTalk Support Groups - lesion in brain stem

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lesion in brain stem

What else can happen besides vertigo?

Chris also has lesions in his brain stem, it's scary but so far I don't see any additional sx's other than his normal balance issue.

Well, this I believe is off 'theory' more so than an MRI showing said brain stem lesion....meaning, I never sat down with my neuro and combed over the MRI film of little or big white glowing lesions. He saw it, I didn't. I don't think he wants me to see it... other than he'll tell me, "Placement matters, number of lesions does not".

I had vertigo terribly twice, and I've been suffering with burning mouth syndrome (believed to be neurological in nature by 2 neuros) for a year. Both my neuro and another neuro I saw said that it's likely a brain stem lesion causing the burning mouth issue.

As far as other 'symptoms' arising from this, it's hard to say. I've had girdle sensation and L'Hermittes sign among many different symptoms.

The burning mouth is the pinnacle of 'not fun' ;). But it's been there for so long now, I'm beginning to find ways around it so to speak... ways of easing the discomfort.

Brainstem lesions do sound scary but what I try to remember with this nasty disease is that very little is predictable. Trying to figure out what will happen based on lesion location is often just a guessing game, imo. Hang in there, Jules

There's a sticky at the top of the MS Forum called Lesion Location and Symptoms: http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread3436.html

Quote:

BRAIN STEM - Neurological functions located in the brain stem include those necessary for survival (breathing, digestion, heart rate, blood pressure) and for arousal (being awake and alert). It is the pathway for all fiber tracts passing up and down from peripheral nerves and spinal cord to the highest parts of the brain. This includes:

Medulla Oblongata - primarily a relay station for the crossing of motor tracts between the spinal cord and the brain. It also contains the respiratory, vasomotor and cardiac centers, as well as many mechanisms for controlling reflex activities such as coughing, gagging, swallowing and vomiting

Mid-brain - nerve pathway of the cerebral hemispheres and contains auditory and visual reflex centers

Pons - links different parts of the brain and serves as a relay station from the medulla to the higher cortical structures of the brain. It contains the respiratory center.

You could probably try a Web Search of 'Symptoms of Brain Stem Lesions', and see what comes up.

The critical point is whether they become active, and just how active they become. That is true of any lesion.

I know many people who have spinal lesions, and over 20 - 30 yrs have never had any problems what-so-ever from them. When some people hear "spinal" or "brainstem" lesions, it conjures up all kinds of scary scenarios . . . but this is not what happens for most people.

Why do you want to know, friend? I can tell you what the brainstem controls, but it is probably one of those definitions I would consider offering on a "need to know" basis. Are you are having symptoms that you think might be related to the brainstem, and you have a brainstem lesion that you know of . . . is that where this is coming from?

Cherie

All I know for sure that I am experiencing Vertigo with this exaserbation. It has eased up some today, after getting some sort of patch that goes behind my ear. I just have read this is caused by lesion on brain stem. That is why I am asking for more information.I have other things going on, and wondering if anything else can be caused by lesions of the brain stem.

I had a recent mri and know that i do have new lesions. at the time he didn't say where, or how many. just that they are responsible for the things going on in this present attack. At the time i didn't ask too many questions.
Thank you.
:hug:

Quote:

Originally Posted by lady_express_44 (Post 339560)

Awww, Friend2U, so sorry about your exacerbation. That's the pits. :(

I hope you get some relief very soon. :hug:

Friend2U,

I hope you are feeling better and your vertigo has settled down.:) It sounds like your Neuro is on top of it giving you the patch behind your ear.

I had 3 MRI's when I was being diagnosed and my last MRI in 1994 showed 3 brainstem lesions and several other lesions elsewhere. I haven't had anymore MRI's because I have a pacemaker so I have no clue what my brain looks like now.:eek:

I really can't tell you what is brainstem related. I just don't know but I think some of my symptoms are related to brainstem lesion. The best thing for you to do is to ask your Neuro. I have asked my Neuro about several MS symptoms in the past and she has told me what part of the brain is causing them.

I do have dizziness, vertigo, imbalance, double vision, blurry vision and many more symptoms. I get different answers on whether my back problems, migraines and heart problems are from MS. I think they are since they all started at the time my MS became apparent but I'm not a doctor. LOL

I have a pacemaker because my heart rate went so low that is was trying to stop beating and I also developed arrhythmias. I take meds daily for the arrhythmias. Whether this is an MS symptom is up in the air depending on which doctor I talk to.

My Cardiologist/Electrophysiologist thinks it is but my Neuro is not sold on it. She says it could be but not everything that goes wrong with us is MS related. There is not really any data to support it as an MS symptom.

It is different for all of us so it's hard to know and no matter what symptoms we have they still have to be treated. It seemed logical to me that my heart problems were from the brainstem lesions but who knows.:)

My old Cardiologist who treated me for 14 years, retired last Sept., and he used to smile when I would tell him that I thought my heart, back and migraines were MS related. I wanted everything to make sense and put it in a little package as MS related. He always smiled at me and said it didn't matter, it still had to be treated whether it is MS or not.

Nothing about MS makes sense. I hope you feel better soon.:)

Hugs,
Becky:hug::hug:

I have lesions now everywhere and some are active. Black holes as well now. My MS is in remission since September '96.

When my MS was active my first four years, I had two 5mm lesions; one near my vision field and one in my frontal lobe. Yet, I went to 9.5 on the Kurtzke Scale. I couldn't lift my arms and it affected my ability to breath...I fought for every breathe I took.

IMO MS is caused by a virus that attacks the brain stem and lesions can add to our problems. That Time Life book on the brain is IMO an excellent source of information about the different parts of the brain stem and their functions.

Take care.

TIME presents the Rand McNally Atlas of the Body... that is the name of the book.

And I was correct (for once :) ... it is the Cerebellum which controls vertigo...

All the information flows into the cerebellum and allows it to continually modify the activity in the main motor pathways so that the body is held balanced in an upright position. Faulty information form these organs results in the feelings of vertigo, when the room appears to spin although the body is quite still.

I was prescribed Meclizine for this problem when I had it. It makes you sleepy and you indeed fall into a deep sleep but when you wake your vertigo is gone.

I studied this book when my MS was active and told my neuro what I felt (he was trained at the MS Clinic in Pittsburgh under their top neurologist) and he said you're no dummy...a second long look and he said no, you aren't stupid.

I feel they are looking at MS all wrong. I too think there's a reason the most they have learned about MS is through AIDS research.

Dear Friend,

I am sorry that you are experiencing a new flare with possible brain stem lesions. My brain stem lesions have given me my biggest issues. Some of my brain stem lesions continued to enhance, with contrast om MRI, for more than one year. It was very unusual and very concerning for my neuros.

My brain stem lesions were located on my pons and my medulla. They have caused several autonomic dysfunctions including increased heart rate, poor temperature regulation, feeling very short of breath with no cause (respiratory centers are located here), and arrhythmias. My biggest problem was difficulty in swallowing that took over a year to improve and the loss of my gag reflex (has not returned).

I hope that your lesions are not in the brain stem and that your neuro can identify the lesion locations for you based on your recent MRI. I know that lesion location does not always correlate to symptoms but my neuros were dead on when my symptoms presented. They knew the MRI was going to show brain stem lesion and they were right. Hope you feel better soon.