Help with mri please I'm struggling

LMAO Thanks

Wish I could figure out how to post photos Anu… Maybe the software isn’t compatible with Macs I just keep getting image.jpeg when I copy and paste.

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Girls - things have taken rather a bizarre turn! Teresa xx

And you are surprised… Why???

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[quote=“Tree65”] Girls - things have taken rather a bizarre turn! Teresa xx [/quote] Sorry !!! You know my thoughts on the power of humour…I just hope candyflosskaren smiles and realises we are trying to care and cheer her up a teeny bit. And that she’s made some new friends and so doesn’t feel so alone. Xx

I’m all for it Catherine. It made me smile! Teresa xx

I’m well surprised Wb hasn’t popped up yet !!

And I’m still chuckling over here…

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I love this… Remember candyflosskaren, the sun always rises on a brand new day, with brand new challenges but nothing that we each and every one of us, can’t meet head on. - YouTube Xx

By all means - stick with the Aussie theme! :slight_smile: xx

OOO errr missus - please NOOOOOO!!!

Thank u all for your kind words. U are all very kind. It means a lot. X

I read somewhere I thought it said this hyperintensity thing in the splenium of corpus callosum only EVER means ms? Some pages said it was the only place ms lesions grew that was 100 p c ms with no innocent reason? Is hyperintensity the same as a lesion or plaque? It said they didn’t enhance with the dye? Does that mean they aren’t new? How do I know how many I have? Just wait til I see the neuro bloke? Thanks

Karen, please STOP reading - you are making yourself worse! As others have suggested, you cannot actually give yourself MS by becoming fixated on it, but you CAN convince yourself you have symptoms, or worsen those you already have (from an unrelated cause).

And also as others have suggested, please consider seeing someone about your uncontrolled anxiety, which is an illness in its own right, and at present is having a bigger impact on quality of life than some people’s diagnosed MS!

Yes, you need to wait to see the neuro bloke! It is not clear, from the results so far, that you have a demyelinating lesion at all. However, if it were, it is, at most, ONE! One lesion will NOT get you a diagnosis of MS - it doesn’t even satisfy the criteria.

I’ll be honest, I do not think you have MS. I do not expect you’ll ever be diagnosed with MS. But of course, I’m not a doctor. But I can tell you that at diagnosis, I already had six lesions in my brain, and at least one (reports vary) in my spinal cord. I’ve had “a few more”, since then.

But 2.5 years later, I’m still walking around, and nobody would guess, so ONE lesion - even in the unlikely event it was that - does not point to a particularly virulent, galloping kind, that’s likely to be rapidly disabling.

Tina

Thanks for reply again. I am seeing a lady for my depression and anxiety! Can u imagine what I would be like if I wasn’t?! Sorry. I have been seeing a cpn for four years been on various group therapies etc but actually I am worse now than four years ago but anyway yes u all are right- my gp was sure it was anxiety causing the pins and needles and twitch eyes but then refer me for an mri when I said the other eye is now twitching and I had my first ever migraine aura in January It only lasted bout half an hour and I have had nothing since but he said strange I am 41 and had first one at my age? I have been in a very bad relationship for nearly five years whete I was apparently being sexually abused. I think in the okden days we just called it taken advantage of- it is nothing like u hear some ladies go thro. It was the extreme feelings he evoked in me that caused me to self harm which I had never done in my life til 2009. But it looks like he has finally dumped me for good and although I still love him I concede perhaps it is for the best and I will be less stressed. I also get white fingers bout once a week for bout half hour and I’m always cold even in the summer unless its boiling I wear gloves! My lips sometimes go blue too. I dunno if this is significant?

Hi Candyfloss,

Sorry to hear you have been having issues, glad that you are getting treatment.

Maybe if you feel your anixiety is getting worse despite treatment you should speak to your GP and come up with a new course of action. Maybe a counsellor who specialises in relationships ans sexual abuse might be more helpful than one for generalised anxiety.

If you have any concerns about your health and your possible MS symptoms, maybe ringing the MS Society helpline might be helpful to you? The number is 0808 800 8000. Given all you seem to have been through, i don’t blame you for feeling weak.

Asking for help is an important step to getting right again. Believe in yourself and try to push the little niggles to the side, i believe you can do it. x

Hi Candyfloss

I am sorry to hear you have been having a hard time, and I think when you are on your own and there is nobody to balance things its easy to let worries run away with you (I can say that as I used to be a Grade 1 worrier).

I can’t give you any particular advice re MS as I am also a newbie - one set of symptoms, some lesions on my MRI, waiting for lumbar puncture. In giving you some advice it doesnt mean I’m not worrying about it at all, but hopefully can help you cope with getting your worry to a manageable level.

Whilst I can’t give you advice about MS, I do have experience of worrying! Lots of experience, and at one time could have been a candidate for Olympic worrying. I would definitely encourage you to consider alternative help. I went for cognitive behaviour counselling some years ago and hated it (it made me feel terrible about myself) - other people find it really effective, but I did find another fantastic counsellor to help me with another problem more recently who helped me to look at the actual evidence of everything I was worrying about and helped me hugely to start living in the present and seeing things as they are rather than how they might be in the future.

It is very difficult to stop yourself worrying by just trying to stop (what you resist persists), but what is very effective is finding something totally different to focus on. For me its drama and singing, for other people other hobbies and interests, maybe researching the type of dog you would like to have next is a start?

I also think worrying is a habit - sort of comfortable uncomfortable, and you have to decide if you don’t want to do it anymore in order to lessen its influence.

Now, with regard to the dog question, it may well be that you are still grieving for your dog, and that is why you are putting barriers about getting a new one. Thats completely understandable, and if that is the case that’s ok - give yourself permission to have those feelings, but I am afraid fear of what might happen years down the line IF you have MS is not a real barrier. As others have said, who knows whats round the corner anyway? Sometimes you just have to go for it and enjoy what is, rather than denying yourself the things you enjoy just in case something bad happens.

Finally, two really good tips that I was given some time ago which can help to make you feel better - one is hard and the other is easy:

  1. The hard one: each day, at the end of the day, write down one thing that you are proud of yourself for doing and three things that you are grateful for. I know, its so hard when you are in a bad place - you dont feel proud or grateful for anything. But actually try really hard and you will find something - it can be a tiny thing, that doesnt matter, think it and write it down. Like any exercise you have to be a bit tough with yourself to make yourself do it. But if you do it is really effective after a while.

  2. The easy one: this works in any shop that sells low value items, or even better in a cafe. If in a cafe, when you are about to leave, give the person at the tills an amount to cover one extra hot drink and ask them to use it to give the next person a free tea or coffee - dont do it until you are about to leave though otherwise the person who benefits gets to see you and that adds a level of embarrassment into the process (if in a shop a £1 off their shopping works too, but the cafe one is better). I know, it sounds mad! But for less than £2 you get to think that you have made somebody’s day through a random act of kindness, and to wonder who it was, what kind of person, whether it made them feel better about themselves or see the world as a better place. You never know how profound the impact of a kindness from a stranger is. You will find yourself thinking about it all day.

I am telling you about these two strategies as they are both things you can start to do really quickly whilst you work on the bigger issues for yourself.

I wish you luck - take each day at a time - the fact you have posted here is a great first step for your future xx

Great post Ali .

Karen, in addition, it might be helpful for you to call the freephone 24 hour National Domestic Violence Helpline which is run in partnership with Refuge and Women’s Aid - 0808 2000 247 or email them for support - helpline@womensaid.org.uk

This is a copy and paste from Psychology Today:

Self-esteem is affected by physical ill-health, negative life events such as losing your job or getting divorced, deficient or frustrating relationships, and a general sense of lack of control. This sense of lack of control is often particularly marked in people who are the victims of emotional, physical, or sexual abuse, or of discrimination on the grounds of religion, culture, race, sex, or sexual orientation.

Sometimes poor self-esteem can be deeply rooted and have its origins in traumatic childhood experiences such as prolonged separation from parent figures, neglect, or emotional, physical, or sexual abuse. If you think this is a particular problem for you, speak to a mental healthcare professional. Therapy or counselling may enable you to talk about such experiences and to try to come to terms with them. Unfortunately, therapy or counselling may be difficult to obtain, and may not be suitable for everyone.

Low self-esteem can predispose you to developing a mental disorder, and developing a mental disorder can in turn deliver a huge knock to your self-esteem. In some cases, low self-esteem is in itself a cardinal feature of mental disorder, for example, in depression or in borderline personality disorder. The relationship between low self-esteem and mental disorder is complex, and a person with a mental disorder is more likely than most to suffer from long-term low self-esteem.

People with long-term low self-esteem generally see the world as a hostile place and themselves as its victim. As a result, they feel reluctant to express and assert themselves, miss out on experiences and opportunities, and feel helpless about changing things. All this merely lowers their self-esteem even further, and they end up getting caught in a downward spiral.

Thankfully, there are a number of simple things that anyone can do to boost his or her self-esteem and, hopefully, break out of this vicious circle. You may already be doing some of these things, and you certainly don’t need to do them all. Just do those that you feel most comfortable with.

  1. Make three lists: one of your strengths, one of your achievements, and one of the things that you admire about yourself. Try to get a friend or relative to help you with these lists. Keep the lists in a safe place and read through them regularly.

  2. Think positively about yourself. Remind yourself that, despite your problems, you are a unique, special, and valuable person, and that you deserve to feel good about yourself. Identify and challenge any negative thoughts that you may have about yourself, such as ‘I am a loser’, ‘I never do anything right’, or ‘No one really likes me’.

  3. Pay special attention to your personal hygiene: for example, style your hair, trim your nails, floss your teeth.

  4. Dress in clothes that make you feel good about yourself.

  5. Eat good food as part of a healthy, balanced diet. Make meal times a special time, even if you are eating alone. Turn off the TV or radio, set the table, and arrange your food so that it looks attractive on your plate.

  6. Exercise regularly: go out for a brisk walk every day, and take more vigorous exercise (exercise that makes you break into a sweat) three times a week.

  7. Ensure that you are getting enough sleep.

  8. Manage your stress levels. If possible, agree with a close friend or relative that you will take turns to massage each other on a regular basis.

  9. Make your living space clean, comfortable, and attractive. Display items that remind you of your achievements or of the special times and people in your life.

  10. Do more of the things that you enjoy doing. Do at least one thing that you enjoy every day, and remind yourself that you deserve it.

  11. Get involved in activities such as painting, music, poetry, and dance. Such artistic activities enable you to express yourself, acquire a sense of mastery, and interact positively with others. Find a class through your local adult education service or community centre.

  12. Set yourself a challenge that you can realistically achieve, and then go for it! For example, take up yoga, learn to sing, or cook for a small dinner party at your appartment or house.

  13. Do some of the things that you have been putting off, such as clearing out the garden, washing the windows, or filing the paperwork.

  14. Do something nice for others. For example, strike up a conversation with the person at the till, visit a friend who is sick, or get involved with a local charity.

  15. Get others involved: tell your friends and relatives what you are going through and enlist their advice and support. Perhaps they have similar problems too, in which case you might be able to band up and form a support group.

  16. Try to spend more time with those you hold near and dear. At the same time, try to enlarge your social circle by making an effort to meet people.

  17. On the other hand, avoid people, places, and institutions that treat you badly or that make you feel bad about yourself. This could mean being more assertive. If assertiveness is a problem for you, ask a healthcare professional about assertiveness training.

5 quotations about self-esteem and self-confidence

Adversity, and perseverance and all these things can shape you. They can give you a value and a self-esteem that is priceless. —Scott Hamilton

Giving people self-confidence is by far the most important thing that I can do. Because then they will act. —Jack Welch

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. —Helen Keller

Health is the greatest possession. Contentment is the greatest treasure. Confidence is the greatest friend. —Lao Tzu

To wish you were someone else is to waste the person you are. —Anonymous

There is also some very useful advice from this organisation - http://www.supportline.org.uk and as someone else has said, the MS Society helpline is also very useful 0808 800 8000

Hi Candyfloss Karen

I’ve read this thread with interest and you have already had some excellent support and advice so I have nothing else to add to that.

However, I just wanted to say that you mentioned that your GP felt it was odd that you suffered your first ever migraine aura at age 41. At age 40, I started suffering with migraines complete with vision disturbances and aura. They are definitely hormonal as there is a monthly pattern to them and my GP believes they are linked to the surge of hormones that women naturally get at about that age (our body’s last-ditch attempt to get us pregnant before we hit the menopause ;-)). After eight years of trial and error on various medications, they are less severe, less frequent and I am less nauseous with them. I am hoping to hit the menopause soon so I will ‘grow out of them’! My mum also did not suffer with migraines until she was pre-menopausal so I suppose I am copying her. My GP didn’t think it was unusual when I approached him with my first migraine.

I do hope you can put your fears to rest very soon.

Tracey xx

Tracey- I did wonder that myself as it was four days before my period started and it was five days BEFOre my dog died so I guess I was under great stress too. Thank you all for your advice again. I think I’m a little worse than u may be picturing so I doubt I will be trying any of the tips. I don’t go out cos I’m just too shy. I get my food delivered then cry hysterically when I have to open the doir to the bloke. I certainly have NEVER been in a cafe in my life alone so I won’t be doing these things When I do go for walks in remote parts if the countryside if I do see someone it usually ends in a massive confrontation so I try to avoid it I’m pretty much one step away from sectioned I have researched what type of dog I want. I have paid £700 in three deposits up to now but each time I cancel as I haven’t got the guts to go visit them. And now I feel I must find out for sure first what is going on before I commit to a dog My eye twitches more and more each day particularly when I wake up. It’s all worrying me to death. I can’t write one good thing bout myself or what I have done all day- I don’t do anything I just sit and binge eat all day cos I’m a fat ugly useless greedy pathetic barren freak with big fat joke glasses crooked teeth. My ex said I looked Lije a cut and shut car like I was two bodies welded together. This abusive man said I need genital surgery. If I loved him I would do it It’s all to much now to be honest.

I’m afraid that I can’t offer any advice about your anxiety other than to tell everything to your GP or counsellor - this is a level of anxiety and (I guess) depression that only an expert can help you with and none of us are properly qualified. I’m not properly qualified in other medical stuff either, but I do have considerable experience so I am confident in telling you that migraine often occurs/worsens in our 40s and that it is influenced by hormones, that your MRI result suggests a good prognosis and that your eye twitching is not a sign that something awful is going on. I’m sure that your physical symptoms are very scary, after all it is not normal to have this sort of thing happen, but I am also sure that you do not have any terrible neurological condition and that you are actually going to be fine. I don’t think that our reassurances are getting through though (in fact, I’m not sure that this thread is helping you or making things worse) so I strongly recommend that you ask for help from your GP or your counsellor and that you do this straight away. Karen x