Demyelination in MRI; had stroke a year back

Posted by vin66197 @vin66197, Jan 2, 2017

Hello friends,

My father had a stroke in Dec 2015, after which his balance, diet, and general functioning was affected. With his willpower, discipline, and medicines, he recovered very well, and by Sep 2016 (9 months after stroke), he was pretty much back to normal - he'd even drive with no issues.

However, in Dec 2016, he started slurring in his speech and had difficulty walking. Both of these have now become major issues - it's very difficult to understand what he says (possible only when he speaks very slowly), and he can hardly walk (he's already fallen a few times).

MRI results say demyelination. images here (MRI scans, not sp@m): imgur/a/qNWbM?
(replace imgur with imgurDOTcom)

With your experience, do you think it's a case of MS (Multiple Sclerosis) or something else? Any other suggestions? I'm seeing a doctor as regularly as I can with him, but the doc's yet to see the MRI results.

Any inputs will be helpful! I'm also reading all relevant posts on this forum.
Thank you for your time, and your help. My family deeply appreciates, our kind wishes and love to you.

Regards,
Vin

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Stroke & Cerebrovascular Diseases Support Group.

Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Jan 2, 2017

Hello @vin66197 and welcome to Mayo Connect. I can understand your concern about your dad's change in his abilities and his MRI results. I take it that you received the results online via a patient portal? If so, you might contact the doctor's office by phone and let them know about the results and see if they can offer you any suggestions. His change in speech and gait (falls, etc.) represent a reason to let the doctor know as soon as possible. Let us know how things progress with your dad. Mayo Connect cares!

Kanaaz Pereira, Connect Moderator | @kanaazpereira | Jan 2, 2017

Hello @vin66197,

I'm so sorry that your father is going through this, and I want to assure you that you have come to a great place to find support and information that will help you help your dad. I think that it is wonderful that you are there for him.

Unfortunately, we cannot diagnose conditions, provide second opinions or make specific treatment recommendations through this correspondence. However, I would like to introduce you to Connect members who have discussed demyelination and Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and I am confident that they will join in with much more insight for you.
Please meet @ydawson, @anisha1232, @ricksraleigh, @chefbrown, @tlgreg60, @rockypoint67, @sebley12, @manysilver, @jessejames4534, @carolyns, @lal2, @cheriroberts.

If you haven't already done so, I would encourage you to take a look at this discussion also, in the Brain & Nervous System group.
http://mayocl.in/2eKI4Kj

@vin66197, it sounds like you have obtained the MRI results online; is there any possibility that you could convey these results to the doctor soon so that he/she can make a firm diagnosis, especially since there are different types of demyelination: inflammatory demyelination and viral demyelination?