Yes! My MRI is very abnormal. 53yo male, dxd 31 years ago. Significant atrophy, many lesions surrounding ventricles have spread and morphed into each other, lesions throughout C&T spine, EDSS 6.5. I'm amazed I am not bedridden based on the war zone that my MRI shows. I am thankful that my cognition is only minimally affected. I credit a 6 day a week gym schedule (weightlifting) and riding stationary bike at home, and taking a highly effective DMT.
@@DrBrandonBeaber thanks for your very informative videos! Maybe you could do a video on social isolation and the importance of personal interaction in the setting of MS in relation to depression. I'm pretty sure MS leads to many divorces/breakups. Loneliness in people with more advanced disability (greater than 6 on the EDSS).
Thank you for your informative videos much appreciated. I'm in my last year of med school and all I ever wanted to be was a neurologist for as long as I can remember. I ultimately want to research prion diseases.
@@DrBrandonBeaber Since I'm from the UK I'm at the University of Manchester, so glad that this 6 years of work is nearly finished and hopefully I pass my finals.
Hello! I’m from the uk too (ms victim!) and we are all crying out for great neurologists everywhere!! I hope u do really well in ur pursuit of excellence! Maybe make your way to Birmingham? We have a few really great neuros and some not so great! Hoping you can perhaps fill one of the gaps?! 😅 best of luck to you; my godson is currently at sixth form and hoping to be a doctor eventually but he’s struggling a bit with his A level maths… I did warn him! My own child is doing A levels in the hard ones too: history, English literature and computer science.. finding it quite hard work… again did warn him that A levels are hard work…! Keep up the great work!
@@LabradorLady Thank you I appreciate the kind words. You're not wrong about the A-levels. I hope your godson does ultimately pass and goes forward to become a great doctor. My home town is Liverpool so I'd likely want to work there if possible. I'm open to traveling though if I'm needed. I hope your ms isn't too disabling and you can live a fulfilling life the best you can. Best of wishes to you and your godson in the future. Take care.
I almost didn’t watch this when I saw the title…BUT, given that I am waiting for my MRI results, I totally jumped in. I’m glad I did as this is simply educational not hysterical. I am 6 yrs since diagnosis - your videos and book have been tremendously education/helpful for me - thank you! Suggestion for future videos: I would love an update on the CAR-T trials going on for MS. CAR-T is wild & so full of potential!
@@DrBrandonBeaber where CAR-T has come over the years is amazing. my perspective is thru the lens of working for an Academic Cancer Center - it’s absolutely incredible what it has done for cancer patients. I strongly recommend reading Emily Whiteheads family autobiographical book - she is the patient that changed everything. Now I see CAR-T trials for MS, MG, lupus progressing - maybe your site is participating too? The science behind it all is WILD!
This is a great video. It really helped to see what my MRI's are showing. Much more informative than the info I initially got when I received my diagnosis. THANKS !!
Thanks Dr. Beaber, I've been curious of this topic since my diagnosis. I have brain and spinal lesions, including several on the C and T spine, yet I have minimal physical disability. Your explanation of T1 and T2 images helped make sense of my current situation.
I would also recommend adding national help lines and resources listed for people who might need help when important but hard videos like this can stir up many things in those searching for any number of reasons who end up here.
Maybe I'll say some things other people only think but this video made me angry which then brought the tears and more anger which I manage fairly well but perhaps not today. The claustrophobic feeling of being trapped or cornered is capable of debilitating the soul. It is a battle which I pray other warriors fighting will not succumb to but to trust it as a fleeting and fierce state of mind that has an end with betterment right around the corner. This inflammation of spirit will subside. I'm including this because if you're reading this and feel overwhelmed, toiling with similar feelings, I can tell you the weight of a dark cloud shall pass, but it is relevant. It hurts, and it is a very significant part of the war. Soon it will all abate as it is merely a dragon that rears it's ugly head serving no purpose but that you might cry out some poisonous tears, shut it down and move on the best anyone can. It is ok to get the poison out. 🫂 The content was hard to take, not the creator's explanations I should add. The brain doesn't shrink in a diffuse (all over) manner with normal aging or even then as it shrinks in various sections. If you're diagnosed in a timely fashion, and I greatly hope that for others, perhaps you'll reach treatment to drastically reduce brain atrophy and all manner of disease progression. The spirit is more advanced than science and progress, this I know. It is my opinion and not medical advice that if you are not being heard by your doctor that you hired, remember just that. You hired that provider and just as easily you can fire them and keep looking for a practitioner who will listen. Maybe that could be a video since a level of psychiatry is involved in becoming a neurologist. Delayed diagnosis, therfore delayed treatment and the irreparable damage, inflammation and emotional roller-coaster this causes the human spirit and why so many complex patients seem to be delayed vs. patients without multiple issues; none of which they had any role in choosing.
Thank you for this information. It was incredibly helpful. The lesion on my spine at C2-C3 on the left side has diminished significantly, however, the spasticity and paresthesia have not abated. O.T. and P.T. have helped tremendously with mobility. I'm still classified as RRMS, but my baseline changed significantly with this last bout in 2023. I feel like I've progressed to SPMS, but I also know that treatment options for RRMS are more abundant than for secondary or primary progressive MS. I think that's why my neuro has stuck with this Dx.
I have spoken to many neurologists who told me they would avoid documenting a specific MS subtype in the medical record due to fear of restrictions from insurance companies.
Thanks so much Dr. Beaber. I love the informative videos like this. I would like to see a video on rapamycin. It seems like a possible good treatment for MS but since it isn’t profitable it isn’t getting the clinical trials. Or am I misinformed on this one?
Maybe Vickie, but I am not aware of an actual randomized trial of rapamycin in humans with MS. There is a study in a mouse model of MS: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7728797/ You could have made the same argument about simvastatin which does in fact have a randomized trial showing a statistically significant benefit: www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(13)62242-4/fulltext
Thank you for the video. I've had MS for around 28 yrs and I've had 'innumerable' lesions for years, but mysteriously mostly sensory symptoms that heal quickly. So far. But I'm turning 50 soon, so I'm not sure what may come next. 😬 These MRIs are very interesting, though. Thank you for sharing them..
Regarding anxiety, I had a cervicomedullary lesion plus a few more spinal lesions (including one at C3) and a cerebellar lesion at diagnosis. I was only 27 years old and that lesion especially scared the crap out of me. 2 years later and I'm almost symptom free, responding very well to Kesimpta. All I get now is sensory problems when I exercise. It still scares me a bit but way less than it did. Sometimes you just can't know!
Also on Kesimpta 2-1/2 years, all good, no relapse known. Very grateful thus far. 🙏this stays the same! Need to lose some weight. Yoga, bike riding & low stress seems to help me the most. Best to you from Colo
Thanks Dr Beaber, incredibly interesting video and great overview :) I think it is great to have this information to be properly informed, thank you! I find it strange MS patients are not all recommended Alpha lipoic acid - it has shown to GREATLY reduce brain atrophy in several studies (slow BVL by 70% or so if I remember correctly - one or two long term studies that have demonstrated this).
You are referring to this small study: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5489387/ They did not show a clear benefit in the timed 25 foot walk though. Certainly, the safety profile of alpha lipoic acid is unassailable.
@@DrBrandonBeaber indeed! Small study or not a ~70% reduction over 2 years is significant and profound in my books. And indeed 25 foot walk wont change... damage has been done - however If it had been taken preventatively over many years perhaps it would have been beneficial, maintaining brain volume. Interestingly, similar to tecfidera/ vumerity, it is an antioxidant. I am surprised not more are talking about it / performing research. Not only for MS but for the general population this could be huge. However perhaps there is no money in telling people to take rather cheap supplements...
@@DrBrandonBeaber I have indeed been taking ALA due to the safety profile. Similar to vit D studies it seems there is very little harm in taking it, particularly if the upshot may be reduced BVL.
My last MRI is similar to the32year old woman's. My last MRI revealed a new C2 lesion and that's after three Ocrevus infusions. I also have a lesion on my brain stem. I've been using a rollator for three years. My Neuro said if I had less lesions on my spine I would be able to walk easier.
24M, dxd 1 year ago, baseline MRIs showed many periventricular lesions, couple black holes here and there, as well as 8 spinal cord lesions (C1 up to C4 were hit pretty bad). EDSS
Dr. Brandon ive been diagnosed with MS snce 3 years but im in a wheelchair already because of unexplained dizziness. All neuros said its not from ur ms because upon examination thngs r ok but i cant walk because vertigo caused a severe disabikity. Neuros say go to ent and ent say its central. I do have chronic ear infections and bppv but cant do epley maneuvers because they trigger seizures. How do neuros control central vertigo? I get severe attacks i cant even do pbysio therapy because i cant sit up straight im dizzy 24 7. Ever snce covid 3 years and 2 rounds of steroids gven when i had infections. Now i have non stop infections even though im not on DMTS. Im sick of investigating the cause i jst want somethng to control ths vertigo that caused me to be bedbound.
Hello Dr. B Thanks for your video! I like your channel as it is quite informative. I have two questions: My EDSS when diagnosed with RRMS was 3 and now 7 months and being on Ocrevus it is 1. Is this normal ? Also, does MS lowers IQ? Thank you very much in advance
Thanks for very informative video Dr. Beaber! I'm curious, is there a way to tell whether motor symptoms (such as leg weakness) are caused by lesion in brain (motor cortex area) or rather by C-spine lesion, considering the patient has both of these findings?
I can often speculate on this by determining whether the symptoms correspond to the specific location of the lesion. For instance, the motor cortex has somatotopic mapping (specific regions contain fibers which go to specific areas of the body).
Thank for all the information you give us. I do have a question, or would like to see a video with talking about something. One of my symptoms the MS causes is like a Charlie horse but in the throat and vocal cords. It happens randomly and affects my breathing, speech, sound volume and tone, which I have been told is a more rare symptom of ms My specialist at Vanderbilt sent me to their voice center and they basically told me since the ms is in control there isn't much they could do for me but offer some voice exercises. Could you explain how and why ms is causing this? It would be so helpful. Thank you in advance
How do I get a really detailed analysis of my MRI? My PCP does a “pretty much stable, no change” review, which is great, but I’d like this kind of in depth analysis. Do you take new patients?
@@DrBrandonBeaber yes sorry-I misspoke (wrote?)-my Neurologist does the high level overview. Do you think I could book an appointment with the Radiologist?
This is a general term referring to an abnormality on radiologic studies. For instance, a cyst in the pancreas is also a "lesion." In multiple sclerosis, a lesion refers to an abnormality on MRI consistent with the disease.
@@DrBrandonBeaber Alright, I have alot of them on my brain MRi in various areas and Ive had cognitive and physical symptoms. Getting diagnostics. Thankyou
@@DrBrandonBeaber This is interesting. I often wonder if the lesions in MS ARE actual cysts. Around 14 years ago a well respected neurologist here in Ireland was intrigued by what he called his first time seeing a singular "floating lesion" in the neck area on my husband's MRI scan. It didn't seem to be attached to anything. Plenty of typical lesions in the brain and neck though.
Yes! My MRI is very abnormal. 53yo male, dxd 31 years ago. Significant atrophy, many lesions surrounding ventricles have spread and morphed into each other, lesions throughout C&T spine, EDSS 6.5. I'm amazed I am not bedridden based on the war zone that my MRI shows. I am thankful that my cognition is only minimally affected. I credit a 6 day a week gym schedule (weightlifting) and riding stationary bike at home, and taking a highly effective DMT.
Thanks for sharing. No doubt regular exercise has a profound benefit.
@@DrBrandonBeaber thanks for your very informative videos! Maybe you could do a video on social isolation and the importance of personal interaction in the setting of MS in relation to depression. I'm pretty sure MS leads to many divorces/breakups. Loneliness in people with more advanced disability (greater than 6 on the EDSS).
Thank you for your informative videos much appreciated. I'm in my last year of med school and all I ever wanted to be was a neurologist for as long as I can remember. I ultimately want to research prion diseases.
Good luck to you in your final year and the match process. What school do you go to?
@@DrBrandonBeaber Since I'm from the UK I'm at the University of Manchester, so glad that this 6 years of work is nearly finished and hopefully I pass my finals.
Hello! I’m from the uk too (ms victim!) and we are all crying out for great neurologists everywhere!! I hope u do really well in ur pursuit of excellence! Maybe make your way to Birmingham? We have a few really great neuros and some not so great! Hoping you can perhaps fill one of the gaps?! 😅 best of luck to you; my godson is currently at sixth form and hoping to be a doctor eventually but he’s struggling a bit with his A level maths… I did warn him! My own child is doing A levels in the hard ones too: history, English literature and computer science.. finding it quite hard work… again did warn him that A levels are hard work…! Keep up the great work!
@@LabradorLady Thank you I appreciate the kind words. You're not wrong about the A-levels. I hope your godson does ultimately pass and goes forward to become a great doctor. My home town is Liverpool so I'd likely want to work there if possible. I'm open to traveling though if I'm needed. I hope your ms isn't too disabling and you can live a fulfilling life the best you can. Best of wishes to you and your godson in the future. Take care.
I almost didn’t watch this when I saw the title…BUT, given that I am waiting for my MRI results, I totally jumped in. I’m glad I did as this is simply educational not hysterical. I am 6 yrs since diagnosis - your videos and book have been tremendously education/helpful for me - thank you!
Suggestion for future videos: I would love an update on the CAR-T trials going on for MS. CAR-T is wild & so full of potential!
Thanks for the video suggestion about CAR-T
@@DrBrandonBeaber where CAR-T has come over the years is amazing. my perspective is thru the lens of working for an Academic Cancer Center - it’s absolutely incredible what it has done for cancer patients. I strongly recommend reading Emily Whiteheads family autobiographical book - she is the patient that changed everything.
Now I see CAR-T trials for MS, MG, lupus progressing - maybe your site is participating too? The science behind it all is WILD!
This is a great video. It really helped to see what my MRI's are showing. Much more informative than the info I initially got when I received my diagnosis. THANKS !!
:)
Thanks Dr. Beaber, I've been curious of this topic since my diagnosis. I have brain and spinal lesions, including several on the C and T spine, yet I have minimal physical disability. Your explanation of T1 and T2 images helped make sense of my current situation.
As I said at the beginning of the video, the correlation between MRI findings and symptoms is not quite as strong as people imagine.
I would also recommend adding national help lines and resources listed for people who might need help when important but hard videos like this can stir up many things in those searching for any number of reasons who end up here.
Maybe I'll say some things other people only think but this video made me angry which then brought the tears and more anger which I manage fairly well but perhaps not today.
The claustrophobic feeling of being trapped or cornered is capable of debilitating the soul.
It is a battle which I pray other warriors fighting will not succumb to but to trust it as a fleeting and fierce state of mind that has an end with betterment right around the corner.
This inflammation of spirit will subside.
I'm including this because if you're reading this and feel overwhelmed, toiling with similar feelings, I can tell you the weight of a dark cloud shall pass, but it is relevant.
It hurts, and it is a very significant part of the war.
Soon it will all abate as it is merely a dragon that rears it's ugly head serving no purpose but that you might cry out some poisonous tears, shut it down and move on the best anyone can. It is ok to get the poison out. 🫂
The content was hard to take, not the creator's explanations I should add.
The brain doesn't shrink in a diffuse (all over) manner with normal aging or even then as it shrinks in various sections.
If you're diagnosed in a timely fashion, and I greatly hope that for others, perhaps you'll reach treatment to drastically reduce brain atrophy and all manner of disease progression.
The spirit is more advanced than science and progress, this I know.
It is my opinion and not medical advice that if you are not being heard by your doctor that you hired, remember just that.
You hired that provider and just as easily you can fire them and keep looking for a practitioner who will listen.
Maybe that could be a video since a level of psychiatry is involved in becoming a neurologist.
Delayed diagnosis, therfore delayed treatment and the irreparable damage, inflammation and emotional roller-coaster this causes the human spirit and why so many complex patients seem to be delayed vs. patients without multiple issues; none of which they had any role in choosing.
Love your MRI interpretation videos! I have learned so much 🤔
Thanks. I'll make more of these.
Hi Dr Beaber. Thank you for the information. Good review. 57 YOM diagnosed @ 55 via MRI.
Thank you for this information. It was incredibly helpful. The lesion on my spine at C2-C3 on the left side has diminished significantly, however, the spasticity and paresthesia have not abated. O.T. and P.T. have helped tremendously with mobility. I'm still classified as RRMS, but my baseline changed significantly with this last bout in 2023. I feel like I've progressed to SPMS, but I also know that treatment options for RRMS are more abundant than for secondary or primary progressive MS. I think that's why my neuro has stuck with this Dx.
I have spoken to many neurologists who told me they would avoid documenting a specific MS subtype in the medical record due to fear of restrictions from insurance companies.
This is an extremely awesome and well done video.
#sharingiscaring.
The corresponding chart was a huge sell
Ty Dr Beabs❤
Thanks so much Dr. Beaber. I love the informative videos like this. I would like to see a video on rapamycin. It seems like a possible good treatment for MS but since it isn’t profitable it isn’t getting the clinical trials. Or am I misinformed on this one?
Maybe Vickie, but I am not aware of an actual randomized trial of rapamycin in humans with MS. There is a study in a mouse model of MS: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7728797/ You could have made the same argument about simvastatin which does in fact have a randomized trial showing a statistically significant benefit: www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(13)62242-4/fulltext
@@DrBrandonBeaber thanks!
Very interesting! Thank you. I’m more interested in looking at my next Mri scans.
I hope it was helpful and not too anxiety-provoking
Thank you for the video. I've had MS for around 28 yrs and I've had 'innumerable' lesions for years, but mysteriously mostly sensory symptoms that heal quickly. So far. But I'm turning 50 soon, so I'm not sure what may come next. 😬 These MRIs are very interesting, though. Thank you for sharing them..
I'm glad you are doing well. The correlation between MRI findings and symptoms is far from perfect.
Regarding anxiety, I had a cervicomedullary lesion plus a few more spinal lesions (including one at C3) and a cerebellar lesion at diagnosis. I was only 27 years old and that lesion especially scared the crap out of me. 2 years later and I'm almost symptom free, responding very well to Kesimpta. All I get now is sensory problems when I exercise. It still scares me a bit but way less than it did. Sometimes you just can't know!
I'm glad you are doing well. As I said, I don't think it's healthy to worry too much about symptoms you don't have.
Also on Kesimpta 2-1/2 years, all good, no relapse known. Very grateful thus far. 🙏this stays the same!
Need to lose some weight. Yoga, bike riding & low stress seems to help me the most. Best to you from Colo
Thanks Dr Beaber, incredibly interesting video and great overview :) I think it is great to have this information to be properly informed, thank you! I find it strange MS patients are not all recommended Alpha lipoic acid - it has shown to GREATLY reduce brain atrophy in several studies (slow BVL by 70% or so if I remember correctly - one or two long term studies that have demonstrated this).
You are referring to this small study: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5489387/ They did not show a clear benefit in the timed 25 foot walk though. Certainly, the safety profile of alpha lipoic acid is unassailable.
@@DrBrandonBeaber indeed! Small study or not a ~70% reduction over 2 years is significant and profound in my books. And indeed 25 foot walk wont change... damage has been done - however If it had been taken preventatively over many years perhaps it would have been beneficial, maintaining brain volume. Interestingly, similar to tecfidera/ vumerity, it is an antioxidant. I am surprised not more are talking about it / performing research. Not only for MS but for the general population this could be huge. However perhaps there is no money in telling people to take rather cheap supplements...
@@DrBrandonBeaber I have indeed been taking ALA due to the safety profile. Similar to vit D studies it seems there is very little harm in taking it, particularly if the upshot may be reduced BVL.
Can you speak on The Cionic Sleeve versus the Bioness for MS? Thank you for all of your very valuable research on behalf of all of us with MS!
My last MRI is similar to the32year old woman's. My last MRI revealed a new C2 lesion and that's after three Ocrevus infusions. I also have a lesion on my brain stem. I've been using a rollator for three years. My Neuro said if I had less lesions on my spine I would be able to walk easier.
❤ Thank you so much, Doctor.
Thanks Dr.
24M, dxd 1 year ago, baseline MRIs showed many periventricular lesions, couple black holes here and there, as well as 8 spinal cord lesions (C1 up to C4 were hit pretty bad).
EDSS
Dr. Brandon ive been diagnosed with MS snce 3 years but im in a wheelchair already because of unexplained dizziness. All neuros said its not from ur ms because upon examination thngs r ok but i cant walk because vertigo caused a severe disabikity. Neuros say go to ent and ent say its central. I do have chronic ear infections and bppv but cant do epley maneuvers because they trigger seizures. How do neuros control central vertigo? I get severe attacks i cant even do pbysio therapy because i cant sit up straight im dizzy 24 7. Ever snce covid 3 years and 2 rounds of steroids gven when i had infections. Now i have non stop infections even though im not on DMTS. Im sick of investigating the cause i jst want somethng to control ths vertigo that caused me to be bedbound.
Hello Dr. B
Thanks for your video! I like your channel as it is quite informative. I have two questions: My EDSS when diagnosed with RRMS was 3 and now 7 months and being on Ocrevus it is 1. Is this normal ?
Also, does MS lowers IQ?
Thank you very much in advance
Thanks for very informative video Dr. Beaber! I'm curious, is there a way to tell whether motor symptoms (such as leg weakness) are caused by lesion in brain (motor cortex area) or rather by C-spine lesion, considering the patient has both of these findings?
I can often speculate on this by determining whether the symptoms correspond to the specific location of the lesion. For instance, the motor cortex has somatotopic mapping (specific regions contain fibers which go to specific areas of the body).
Thank for all the information you give us. I do have a question, or would like to see a video with talking about something. One of my symptoms the MS causes is like a Charlie horse but in the throat and vocal cords. It happens randomly and affects my breathing, speech, sound volume and tone, which I have been told is a more rare symptom of ms My specialist at Vanderbilt sent me to their voice center and they basically told me since the ms is in control there isn't much they could do for me but offer some voice exercises. Could you explain how and why ms is causing this? It would be so helpful. Thank you in advance
Would love a video on inverse vaccine research and theory
Here you go: ua-cam.com/video/ML700hPtJmI/v-deo.html
How do I get a really detailed analysis of my MRI? My PCP does a “pretty much stable, no change” review, which is great, but I’d like this kind of in depth analysis. Do you take new patients?
More typically, a neurologist rather than a primary care physician would be more qualified to review and explain an MRI done for multiple sclerosis.
@@DrBrandonBeaber yes sorry-I misspoke (wrote?)-my Neurologist does the high level overview. Do you think I could book an appointment with the Radiologist?
greetings doctor, i was advised to take black seed oil, is it good?
I am not personally aware of and high-quality studies on black seed oil in MS, so I can't comment on it.
@@DrBrandonBeaber thank you doctor
Can you have spinal lesions without having brain lesions? 🤔
This is uncommon in ms but can occur rarely
What is the definition of lesion?
This is a general term referring to an abnormality on radiologic studies. For instance, a cyst in the pancreas is also a "lesion." In multiple sclerosis, a lesion refers to an abnormality on MRI consistent with the disease.
@@DrBrandonBeaber Alright, I have alot of them on my brain MRi in various areas and Ive had cognitive and physical symptoms. Getting diagnostics. Thankyou
@@DrBrandonBeaber This is interesting. I often wonder if the lesions in MS ARE actual cysts. Around 14 years ago a well respected neurologist here in Ireland was intrigued by what he called his first time seeing a singular "floating lesion" in the neck area on my husband's MRI scan. It didn't seem to be attached to anything. Plenty of typical lesions in the brain and neck though.
Sir can you please tell me whether the machine detects the smoker or not please tell me 🙏🙏