All Posts Tagged With: "cognitive dysfunction"

Linda’s comment:  Ok so some may respond to antibiotics, where does the tatigue, joint pain and cognitive dysfunction come from….While IDSA says there is no such thing as chronic Lyme or post treatment LD, this very report speaks of them…..

Link: http://eutils.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/elink.fcgi?dbfrom=pubmed&id=21305487&retmode=ref&cmd=prlinks

Excerpt:

Conclusions: In an appropriate clinical setting,
evaluation for POTS in patients suffering from post LD syndrome may lead to
early recognition and treatment, with subsequent improvement in symptoms of
orthostatic intolerance. (Cardiol J 2011; 18, 1: 63-66).

Link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21305487

Excerpt:

Results: Five patients (all women), aged 22-44 years, were identified 
for inclusion in this study. These patients developed symptoms of 
fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, orthostatic palpitations and either near 
syncope or frank syncope. The debilitating nature of these symptoms had 
resulted in lost of the employment or inability to attend school. Three 
patients were also suffering from migraine, two from anxiety and 
depression and one from hypertension. All patients demonstrated a good 
response to the employed treatment. Four of the five were able to engage 
in their activities of daily living and either resumed employment or 
returned to school.

Conclusions: In an appropriate clinical setting, evaluation for POTS in 
patients suffering from post LD syndrome may lead to early recognition 
and treatment, with subsequent improvement in symptoms of orthostatic 
intolerance. (Cardiol J 2011; 18, 1: 63-66).

Excerpt:

If you have multiple sclerosis (MS)––or you know someone who does––you probably remember how long it took to make the diagnosis.  You also may remember a lot of blood tests, a lumbar puncture, at least one magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, as well as many visits and examinations by various doctors.  You may wonder why it still takes so long to make the diagnosis in this modern age of MRIs and other sophisticated tests.  We are going to try to explain why it can be so difficult for even the most expert MS neurologist to determine that someone has MS.  You have to live with the diagnosis and face the disease and the treatments.  You should understand and have confidence in the diagnosis.  Also, if your case of MS does not fit the typical pattern, you need to be aware of the other disorders that can mimic MS.  This is important because the treatments may be very different and, just as in most cases of MS, treatment begun early in the course of the disease is the best way to prevent or slow further neurologic damage.

MRI and new laboratory tests have definitely helped speed the diagnosis, but it still takes longer than anyone would wish, even in easy cases.  This is partly because of the variable nature of the disease in its many signs and symptoms. But it is also because a rather long list of other medical disorders can cause neurologic symptoms and signs that resemble MS. Furthermore, the “white spots” on brain MRI can be caused by a number of other conditions that also need to be ruled out.

The diagnosis of clinically definite MS requires that a person experience at least two neurologic symptoms of the type seen in MS, in two different areas of the central nervous system (CNS), at two different times (‘disseminated in space and time’).  Most typically, the symptoms are optic neuritis plus either an abnormal sensation or a problem with movement.  It can also be numbness in one part of the body and weakness or lack of coordination in another.  But in every case, there can be no other explanation for the symptoms, the changes seen on the MRI, and the abnormalities in the spinal fluid.  Many “mimics” need to be ruled out in order to make the diagnosis of MS.