Bipolar Support Group

Ok been out of this part of the site for a short period of time. I have found that after going to an neurologist that I have a boat load of brain lesions and kinda got me wondering if this might be why Im having all these mental issues !!! Read up on lesions on the brain if you want to see if the symptoms match yours. My pdoc wont even discuss this issue in any form. Which leads me to believe that if found to be a fact that our illness is really brain related they would be put out of business. Entertain yourself and see if this is going on with you. Also read Ms symptoms and see if any of that match your symptoms.

Bipolar messes with the architecture of your brain. One of the things it seems to do is cause lesions, which, as you correctly conclude, is a bad thing. It would be interesting to know where your lesions are and how many, to see how they compare with average. Enlarged ventricles seems to be another BP trademark, and that often shows up on any imaging that shows lesions. Lithium inhibits some brain atrophy, but I don't know which parts besides the hippocampus. One thing that we don't have, which people with unipolar depression do, is hippocampal atrophy, which tie in to memory.

Your pdoc probably won't discuss it because there is nothing he can do, it MIGHT not have much effect, and it just scares the hell out of people, possibly for no good reason. I'll see if I can get my pdoc to bite next month.

As for MS, it overlaps with *a lot* of illness symptoms, so it is really easy to convince yourself you have it, especially if you have BP. We actually went through this in my household a few years back. Talked to people with MS, got tests, the works. No MS. Just BP.

Just to be fair, I stopped taking a drug a while back and the tremors from it kept right on going. Almost convinced myself I had Parkinson's. I didn't.

Try not to worry. Just tell people you've got holes in your head next time you can't find your car keys. And keep your stress load down, and number of mood episodes. Those might possibly keep the lesions from worsening.

Good question, by the way.

Yeah you could be spot on my lesions are in the periventricular and subcottical area and I think the correct number has never been discused on the mri but the neuro said between 24-30 the memory issues is really bad I almost feel like I have sometimers. The tremors are soemwhat bad but my congitive skills has gone to the way side. I'm not much scared of what the doc tells me. I have taken all of the test so far and it is leading toward MS with one final test left to do and thats the spinal tap. That comes back positive its confirmed !! My neuro did say that with lesions you will have mental issues thus keeping the pdoc.

Bipolar doesn't cause brain damage, only chemical changes. This is a totally different medical problem. In your particular case there may be neurological damage if there is ms, its doubtful the two are connected because they are two separate issues.