Spinal Lyme Infection MRI

Just wondering what an MRI of a spinal Lyme infection might look like?

My last MRI showed widespread "micro-lesions" best described as transverse myelitis. Might this be an example of a spinal Lyme infection?

(I am currently waiting for lab tests for co-infections and W-B. Original W-B showed active Igm 23.)

Thanks for your input!

Hi Bri,

From Wikipedia:

"Transverse myelitis (in Latin nomenclature: myelitis transversa) is a neurological disorder caused by an inflammatory process of the spinal cord, and can cause axonal demyelination"

Mostly it's mentioned in MS/neurological circles.

I have symptoms common with progressed MS - weakness, fatigue, vision blurry, bladder issues, heat sensitivity, cog fog, etc... I had a Igm band 23 come back positive on a Western Blot, so I've been wondering about the possibilty that I have Chronic Lyme and maybe not MS (although what I have now might be considered Lyme-induced MS).

A few years ago, I exhibited L'Hermitte's when I bent my head down.

L'hermitte's from Wiki:

"L'hermitte's sign, sometimes called the Barber Chair phenomenon, is an electrical sensation that runs down the back and into the limbs. In many patients, it is elicited by bending the head forward. It can also be evoked when a practitioner pounds on the posterior cervical spine while the neck is flexed; caused by involvement of the posterior columns."

It sounds similar to what you are describing. Are you confirmed Lyme yet?

I've been reading alot of material about how MS and LD (Lyme Disease) lesions appear nearly identical. I was just wondering if anyone else had done MRI for their Lyme and what those lesions looked like.

Where there only a few largerlesions or many smaller lesions?

Cheers

Most people notice L'Hermitte's simply by bending their neck down forward. You definately know if you have it even without someone banging on your neck!

I sure hope that one day, with enough healing under my belt, that I'll be able to say I used to have those issues!!!

Miss C- Yes please!!! Do let us know what the results are!!

Miss C,

While I agree with Traveler wholeheartedly that you must do what you need to do to feel comfortable with your treatment, I will point out that you are expending a great deal of effort and causing yourself angst by traipsing around getting these tests and second, third and fourth opinions!

And it may be just me, but there is nothing like sitting in a sterile room with a gown with no buttons to make me feel really, really sick!

My point is that you might want to consider conserving your energies for the actual effort of getting well. I remember when I was at the same point in my treatment as you, doing the simplest of errands like grocery shopping was an extreme effort. Going to medical facilities has way more of a taxing effect on the mind, body and spirit, in my humble opinion. I suppose that depends on how you feel about super markets!!

I am saying this just as a gentle reminder, not as a contradiction to your chosen path of getting well.

When my mother was embarking on her work of battling cancer her very wise oncologist warned her against making her sickness a way of life. She wanted her to go out and live and not just have her days a series of doctors' visits, chemo and radiation therapy; her medical care should be something that happened in between the business of her life, not become the totality of her life.

As Traveler points out, your cognitive and communication issues are well in line with your Lyme diagnosis and the effects of treatment. In the past, I have forgotten my own birthday, my childrens' names and countless other names and nouns. Funny that I could remember the term, "nominal aphasia" but not the noun I was reaching for! And I never forgot swear words!! My family had great fun of playing "Guess the word that Mummy is trying to say." So happy to amuse.

I couldn't follow conversations because I would forget the first part of the sentence by the time the speaker had gotten to the end of it. Parties became nightmarish. Getting lost? Hah! I would be driving and suddenly not know where I was -- I mean I didn't which COUNTRY I was in. Or I would realize that while I could see, I didn't know what it was I was looking at: it was just some kind of surreal scene. I tell you, I am not sure why people would voluntarily induce this kind of thing by taking recreational drugs, I found it way too upsetting!

I do remember wanting some recognition of the way I was feeling. Fundamentally, I wanted to be able to point to a scan print out and say to family and friends, "See, there are holes in my brain, that's why I can't think straight." But I realized all this would do is spread the alarm I was experiencing and make me feel a whole lot sicker. It is natural to want proof and to look for more causes of the awful symptoms you have. But Lyme is both proof and cause enough.

You might want to ask your doctor about Bacopa and Vinpocetine. They are herbs my doc suggested for me for my cognitive issues. They are used to treat Alzheimers patients. Yeah, I know, more pills. I did not have any side-effects from them and they helped a lot with the nominal aphasia.

Hope you feel better soon.

Miss C,
I do agree with Achievinggrace, although for some it takes more to be comfortable with this diagnosis than for others, and I understand that as well. You see - these infections for me were so entrenched in my body that I couldn't test positive for even one of the infections until I had been on abx for a full year. Now I can test positive at the drop of a hat! Not sure if that's good or not now!!!

With that being said, I do fully understand how fortunate and how blessed I am so have such a wonderful man not only marry me while I was sooo very ill, but stay with me through the worst days of my life!

And yes - it's nice to have someone just hold me some days!! I really don't think I could have hung on for so many years by myself - as I almost didn't even though I had this most wonderful man in my life! So my heart goes out to you! You are a strong woman though!! I can see it in your posts! With a few key friends, I'll bet you'll just sail through all of this and in a short time you'll look back and say that you made it!!!

When at my lowest, where I could only be outside for a few minutes at a time - I would go out and sit on one of the very large boulders we have, and just look at the hills and the cows in the pasture across the dirt road. Just sitting outside helped!

This summer we just went through has been the first in several years that I have been able to be outside and actually be able to do something!! That has absolutely been the best medicine for me! Then we got a few goats! Ahhhh!!! Chores again!!! That has been such good medicine as well! Call me goofy, but I do love to be busy - in the country - doing my outside as well as my inside chores! A bit of normalcy in this crazy, messed up world that has become my life!

Just be sure to take all the precautions before and do regular tick checks after you enjoy a walk on the land!