Cerebellum Atrophy

Posted by howardjames @howardjames, Jun 5, 2016

My husband has been diagnosed with cerebral atrophy. Is there anyone with similar diagnosis? In January of 1915 he was given 3 to 4 years to live.

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@sunshinebear

Hello @flo1957 have you tried UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA MORSANI COLLEGE OF MEDICINE in Tampa Fla. https://health.usf.edu/care/neurology 813-974-2201

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Hi sunshine! I am just seeing your post! (I actually may have seen it but have forgotten). I have not been to OFSFMCOM. Because I have been repeatedly dismissed by the medical community, I had stopped seeking medical help. Here are a few reasons why I stopped: Because my GP could not understand why my tests were coming back with several bizarre results, I was asked if I was drinking antifreeze! I had gone to a local ER (for a suspected kidney stone) and, after an abdominal CT scan, the doctor come in and told me that my appendix was pink and healthy and my gallbladder showed no signs of stones and was also perfectly healthy. I had my appendix REMOVED in 1981 and my gallbladder REMOVED in 1998!!! Then, when I saw my GP for the hypertension, the day after the ‘crisis’, the doctor took my BP, which was still 198/120), when I told my doctor about a few other symptoms I was concerned may have been related to the high BP, his response was, “Well, you could have read all of that on the posters on my walls!” Sigh!
I had continued with my pain management clinic, as my pain continues to worsen (and, because of the ‘War on Opiates’, my dosage has been drastically cut). I tried desperately, to focus on participating in life and just ignore my symptoms. I just couldn’t take the dismissals or the comments, basically telling me they believe I am just a nut job!
So, I did my best to ignore my health issues and focus on life. Until recently. My BP shot up to a ‘hypertension crisis level’ (235/123), I am getting increasingly clumsy and my memory issues and cognitive skills, are rapidly deteriorating. Even though I am frustrated with the medical community as a whole, I can no longer ignore my symptoms. At this point, I am terrified! I am not only terrified because of my mental deterioration, but I am terrified that the doctors will be unable to put the pieces of this puzzle together and I will, once again, be dismissed as a hysterical middle aged female or a wacko!
I have, just recently, gone back to my neurologist here in FL and I am now having several tests to see if the atrophy has progressed. I have a MRI tomorrow.

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@steph73

My son has I’m told a very rare condition which has seen his brain shrink over the last few years. He has an immune deficiency and has since birth. He’s 21. He now has a tremor in both hands, balance issues, speech deteriorated and memory loss. Does anyone recognise these symptoms and able to point me in right direction. We a in the uk but I will travel anywhere if it will help him. Watching him deteriorate is breaking my heart

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Hi, @steph73 - You may notice I combined your discussion with an existing one titled, "Cerebellum Brain Atrophy." I did this so you could meet a few of the other members who have posted about this condition. If you are responding by email you can click on VIEW & REPLY to see where your post is and to read through some of the other posts made by members on this topic.

Hoping that @adrenaline @07851930740 @menville @flo1957 @howardjames and others will return and offer their support and talk about any experiences they may have with autoimmune cerebral atrophy with symptoms of tremor in both hands, balance issues, speech deteriorated and memory loss as you face this with your son's condition.

You mentioned wanting others to point you in the right direction, @steph73. Would you prefer they talk about where to be seen, what therapies might be helpful, or something else that might help you with your son?

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My son has I’m told a very rare condition which has seen his brain shrink over the last few years. He has an immune deficiency and has since birth. He’s 21. He now has a tremor in both hands, balance issues, speech deteriorated and memory loss. Does anyone recognise these symptoms and able to point me in right direction. We a in the uk but I will travel anywhere if it will help him. Watching him deteriorate is breaking my heart

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I have had this diagnosis. About 6 months ago. Have no answers to what caused or what to expect. Just had another brain MRI with contrast today. Really in the dark of what all this means. I'm a 36 Male

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@howardjames

My husband has been diagnosed with Cerebral Brain Atrophy. He was diagnosed at Mayo Clinic. He was given 3 to 4 years to live. At that time he was walking with no problems. It effects the balance and speech, and swallowing . He is now in his 4th year. He is wheelchair bound and has more trouble with swallowing. The doctor at Mayo said he would probably die of
Aspiration pneumonia as he has trouble swallowing.
I am so sorry about your son. My husband is 79 and at least this did not happen while he had a job and child in college. We are very grateful for that!
Please keep me informed. We have only found one other person who has this and she is in South Africa. I wrote to Colleen why there weren't more with this diagnosis and she said that it's very rare.
Noreen (wife of Howard James)

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Hi Noreen. I have been reading about your husband. How is he doing now? Is all very sad and my thoughts are with you both. My mum is 70 next year and has just been diagnosed with this. It's taken a long time (3 years) for diagnoses. She started swaying around 4 years ago, jump to today and she can't even walk with a frame. Her body goes into spasms, even freezes. Her right side is effected more, her arm and leg feeling dead. She has had a stair lift fitted and next few weeks a wet room too. She gets so angry and it's heart breaking to see her like this at all. We have been told of life expectancy at all. She has other conditions including conduction disease and needs something fitted. We know it's a rare condition and here in the UK the doctors are very vague. She recently had a DNA test done to determine if it's Genetic (she was adopted and didn't ever know her real parents) so awaiting results. Her speech is sometimes a little slurry but when she is tired. We don't know how long or how bad this gets but the more research I do, the more heart breaking the reality becomes. Thinking of you and your husband, hope you are ok x

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@flo1957

Can anyone in this group help me? I don’t know what type of neurologist I should be looking for. I live in Florida. Can anyone recommend someone?
Mayo Clinic originally found the condition, however, they were focused on the brain tumor and never even discussed the atrophy! But now that my symptoms have become debilitating, it’s become clear, I need to address this issue ASAP!

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Hello @flo1957 have you tried UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA MORSANI COLLEGE OF MEDICINE in Tampa Fla. https://health.usf.edu/care/neurology 813-974-2201

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@alexgoldman2

I have been diagnosed with an atrophied cerebellum with no obvious cause. A blood test has been sent to the Mayo Clinic.

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Hello @alexgoldman2

I would like to join Lisa, @lisalucier, in welcoming you to Mayo Connect. I am sorry to hear of your diagnosis of cerebellum atrophy.

I also would be interested in knowing what type of symptoms you had that your doctors considered this diagnosis and what type of tests were done to come to his conclusion? Have the results from the blood test at Mayo be sent to you doctor yet?

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@chiefsfan75

Unfortunately she isn’t and now they are saying they aren’t going to do the ivig treatments because she wasn’t improving enough. She is now unable to walk at all and her speech is getting worse. We have actually reached out to Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and need to request her medical records before they can move forward 😰😰

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I am so sorry to hear that your granddaughter has not improved, @chiefsfan75. It is too bad that her current doctors do not consider it beneficial for her to have the IVIG treatments. What is her age and when did her symptoms begin?

I am glad to see that you are reaching out to Mayo. I hope that you hear some encouraging news on that front.

Will you post again and let me know if she is able to be seen at Mayo?

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@alexgoldman2

I have been diagnosed with an atrophied cerebellum with no obvious cause. A blood test has been sent to the Mayo Clinic.

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HI, @alexgoldman2 - welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect.

I'd like to introduce you to some of the other members of this discussion on cerebral atrophy, like @chiefsfan75 @howardjames @ace123 @hopeful33250 @menville and others. I trust some of them will have input for you on their experiences personally or with a loved one with this diagnosis.

In the meantime, here is some information from the National Institutes of Health on cerebral atrophy: https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/All-Disorders/Cerebral-Atrophy-Information-Page

Have you been experiencing symptoms from this, @alexgoldman2?

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@howardjames

I still have not heard from anyone else having cerebral atrophy diagnosis. Does anyone out there have a similar problem. Should we go anywhere else beside Mayo Clinic?

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I have been diagnosed with an atrophied cerebellum with no obvious cause. A blood test has been sent to the Mayo Clinic.

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