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meanbee wrote:I was diagnosed with Central Sleep Apnea last fall. I was told that central apneas usually appear in individuals that have had a stroke or heart failure. I have not been diagnosed with either and still wonder if the sleep specialists made a mistake with my diagnosis. I saw a neurologist asking to look further into possibility of something going on in my brain. He agreed to an MRI. The results were "Non-specific white matter" found. The nurse that gave me the results said that the Dr thought that maybe it was from sustained high blood pressure or something hereditary and that I should make sure and take an aspirin a day.

I recently saw my cardiologist (I have some trouble with A-Fib sometimes and might possibly have Microvascular Disease and or Prinzmetal Angina) I get horrible chest pain often but the doctors haven't been able to find a cause as of yet so that is why they are thinking one of those diagnoses. I mentioned to the cardiologist that the neuro thought that I must have had high blood pressure because of the white matter found. He said that it would have to have been sustained high blood pressure for a long period of time and that since I was never diagnosed with high blood pressure (ever!) that does not make sense. He read the neuro report and said that it mentioned it could also indicate an auto-immune disease or MS.
I was upset that the neuro wouldn't pursue this anymore with me when there is a possible indication of either of those.

When I initially saw the neurologist I did not mention some of the symptoms that I have been experiencing that could be related to MS. I have been getting these "hot spots" all over my body for the past year or so. I did mention to him that my eyesight rapidly declined in the past year or two. He asked if I get headaches which I replied "no". He watched me walk and did a few reflex tests and that was about it. Now, it seems like I have been falling more lately. I also have days that I seem to have major "brain fog". My memory on some days seems worse than others. In the past few weeks I have been experience horrible tingling, numbness and pins and needle sensations all over my body. It is driving me crazy. I called the neuros office to tell them about it and asked if I should be seen. She said that the doctor said that he doesn't know what could be causing it but if it continues, then I should follow up with my GP or I could make an appointment with him.
My question is, does "non-specific white matter" on the MRI combined with some of my symptoms have any indication of possible MS? If there is anybody that can give me any advise, I would greatly appreciate it!

Thanks!
Jennifer

Blood tests

Blood tests are commonly employed to check for vitamin deficiencies, toxic elements and evidence of an abnormal immune response.

Depending on your individual situation, your doctor may request certain laboratory tests to identify potentially treatable causes for neuropathy. These include tests for:
Vitamin B12 and folate levels
Thyroid, liver and kidney functions
Vasculitis evaluation
Oral glucose tolerance test
Antibodies to nerve components (e.g., anti-MAG antibody)
Antibodies related to celiac disease
Lyme disease
HIV/AIDS
Hepatitis C and B

meanbee wrote: The results were "Non-specific white matter" found. The nurse that gave me the results said that the Dr thought that maybe it was from sustained high blood pressure or something hereditary and that I should make sure and take an aspirin a day.

I mentioned to the cardiologist that the neuro thought that I must have had high blood pressure because of the white matter found. He said that it would have to have been sustained high blood pressure for a long period of time and that since I was never diagnosed with high blood pressure (ever!) that does not make sense. He read the neuro report and said that it mentioned it could also indicate an auto-immune disease or MS.

My question is, does "non-specific white matter" on the MRI combined with some of my symptoms have any indication of possible MS? If there is anybody that can give me any advise, I would greatly appreciate it!

Thanks!
Jennifer

meanbee wrote: These sensations are driving me crazy! It is non-stop right now. I keep getting pinching, stinging, spots of skin that feel wet or hot, pricking, burning in random places all over my body. I ended up seeing a P.A. today at my GP's office since my regular doctor wasn't in. She agreed that I should probably see a neurologist and that I shouldn't see that one that I saw before that spaced me off. Unfortunately, it looks like it will take a long time before they can get me in to see them. In the meantime, she had some blood drawn. They are doing a blood panel that will look for the b12 and other general stuff. I am so mad at myself that I didn't consult this board before I went. I had no idea that I should have requested the detailed tests listed above! I also should have requested a b12 shot just to see if that did anything for me. I will definitely have to watch that documentary. I had no idea that it was such an epidemic! The P.A. did mention that she was also doing some sort of rheumatological workup. Testing for inflammation, I think? i should check into the fasting blood insulin test. I have been tested in the past and it checked out but it has been a few years.

euponiaa is right, every one is different in regards to symptoms, etc. I'm just curious if anybody has experienced a sudden onset of symptoms as myself. I have been getting the hot feeling on my skin/muscles for a while not but this other stuff started more recently. This last tuesday is when all of this extreme non-stop pinching/stinging/burning, etc. stuff started. I was under the impression that symptoms usually show up gradually and was hoping that this sudden onset would lean more towards a different diagnosis. In regards to the b12 though, one would think that would be a gradual onset as well?
I know that figuring this out will probably be a long process. I am just so scared right now. I have little ones that rely on me and I wish that I knew everything was going to be OK.

meanbee wrote:I was diagnosed with Central Sleep Apnea last fall. I was told that central apneas usually appear in individuals that have had a stroke or heart failure. I have not been diagnosed with either and still wonder if the sleep specialists made a mistake with my diagnosis. I saw a neurologist asking to look further into possibility of something going on in my brain. He agreed to an MRI. The results were "Non-specific white matter" found. The nurse that gave me the results said that the Dr thought that maybe it was from sustained high blood pressure or something hereditary and that I should make sure and take an aspirin a day.

Study suggests sleep apnea may contribute to fatigue in multiple sclerosis
(17/02/14)
A new study provides evidence that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is highly prevalent in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), and it suggests that OSA may be a contributor to the fatigue that is one of the most common and debilitating symptoms of MS.

Results show that one-fifth of MS patients surveyed in a large tertiary MS practice carried a diagnosis of OSA, and more than half were found to have an elevated risk for OSA based on a validated screening tool. Further analysis showed that OSA risk was a significant predictor of fatigue severity, even after adjusting for potential confounders such as age, gender, body mass index (BMI), sleep duration and depression.

"OSA may be a highly prevalent and yet under-recognized contributor to fatigue in persons with MS," said lead author and principal investigator Tiffany J. Braley, MD, MS, an Assistant Professor of Neurology from the University of Michigan Multiple Sclerosis and Sleep Disorders Centers in Ann Arbor, Mich. "Our study suggests that clinicians should have a low threshold to evaluate MS patients for underlying sleep disturbances."

The study results appear in the Feb. 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, which is published by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

"Obstructive sleep apnea is a chronic illness that can have a destructive impact on your health and quality of life," said American Academy of Sleep Medicine President Dr. M. Safwan Badr. "People with multiple sclerosis who are found to have a high risk of OSA should be referred to a board certified sleep medicine physician for a comprehensive sleep evaluation."

Braley and her colleagues, Benjamin M. Segal, MD (Director of the University of Michigan Multiple Sclerosis Center), and Ronald D. Chervin, MD, MS, (Director of the University of Michigan Sleep Disorders Center) studied 195 MS patients who completed a sleep questionnaire and four validated instruments designed to assess daytime sleepiness, fatigue severity, insomnia severity and OSA risk. Medical records also were accessed to examine clinical characteristics that may predict fatigue or OSA risk.

According to the authors, the cross-sectional design of the study did not allow for an examination of cause-and-effect relationships. However, the results suggest that a substantial portion of MS-related fatigue could be eliminated by the diagnosis and successful treatment of OSA in patients with MS.

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) estimates that approximately 400,000 people in the U.S. have MS, making it the most common disabling neurological disease of young adults.

The AASM reports that OSA is a common sleep disorder that affects up to seven percent of men and five percent of women. It involves repetitive episodes of complete or partial upper airway obstruction occurring during sleep despite an ongoing effort to breathe. The most effective treatment option for OSA is Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy, which helps to keep the airway open by providing a stream of air through a mask that is worn during sleep.

Source: Science Codex (17/02/14)