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Taking Treatment For Aseptic Meningitis. MRI Showed Chronic Small Vessel Ischemic Disease. Any Suggestion?
Question: I am 58 now and when I was in my 20's I had Aseptic Menengitis and since that time in following years have been treated with medication to control seizures. I had a few were Grand Mal seizures early on before medication was established but I mostly had partial complex. I was on Dilantin for 20 years but have over the last 6 years have been taking Lamictal & Keppra. My last MRI in 2006 showed Chronic Small Vessel Ischemic Disease. At the time of that MRI I was having difficulty with my medication and was actually toxic with the Dilantin at 40. I have not had a seizure since the Fall of 2008. I attempted to get Long Term Care Insurance and was turned down because of this MRI. Can you help me understand?
Hello
Thanks for the query
It looks like you are suffering from seizure disorder which is well controlled. I would like to know few more things
1. How long after the treatment of aseptic meningitis did the seizure disorder start?
Was any scan done of the brain then? Do you have the reports ?
2. Were any medications started after the MRI findings ?
3. Do you smoke? How long have you smoked and how much per day?
4. Are you a hypertensive, diabetic or have cholesterol issues?
Please get back to me, I am awaiting your reply
Regards
Thanks for the query
It looks like you are suffering from seizure disorder which is well controlled. I would like to know few more things
1. How long after the treatment of aseptic meningitis did the seizure disorder start?
Was any scan done of the brain then? Do you have the reports ?
2. Were any medications started after the MRI findings ?
3. Do you smoke? How long have you smoked and how much per day?
4. Are you a hypertensive, diabetic or have cholesterol issues?
Please get back to me, I am awaiting your reply
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answers to above questions:
1) Seizures started approx. 18 months after Menengitis. CT scan was done (over 30 years ago), no report now.
2) Not initially until after the seizures started over 30 years ago. Dilantin was started and controlled based on levels.
3) No I do not smoke and never have done so.
4) I have controlled hypertension, not diabetic or have any cholesterol issues.
1) Seizures started approx. 18 months after Menengitis. CT scan was done (over 30 years ago), no report now.
2) Not initially until after the seizures started over 30 years ago. Dilantin was started and controlled based on levels.
3) No I do not smoke and never have done so.
4) I have controlled hypertension, not diabetic or have any cholesterol issues.
Hello
Thanks for replying
It looks like you are having a well controlled seizure disorder which I think is unrelated to the aseptic meningitis more so because the MRI brain now doesn't show any sequelae
Now to make you understand the MRI finding I would like to highlight first that as age advances there will be certain changes in our arterial system where small lipid materials gets deposited in their walls, these lipid deposits are more in people with hypertension, diabetes and cholesterol, it is faster in people who smoke and drink excessively. When these lipid deposits in the small vessels which are minute in size known as capillaries it leads to reduced blood supply to that particular area of the brain supplied by the vessel. That is exactly what has happened in your condition. It is usually treated with blood thinners like aspirin and clopidogrel.
I don't know on what grounds they have denied insurance but I personally feel they should have a second look as it could be unrelated to the seizure disorder and more to do with the hypertension which is anyways well controlled.
I would like to add one last point is vasculitis of the small vessel (inflammation of the vessels) people present with similar MRI findings and can also have seizures but in them they usually have a neurological deficit such as weakness of limbs, difficulty in talking,etc and it is more of an acute rather than a chronic event.
I hope I have answered your query
I am sorry for the late reply, I was held up at the hospital, if you have any further queries I will be happy to help you out
I wish you good health
Regards
Thanks for replying
It looks like you are having a well controlled seizure disorder which I think is unrelated to the aseptic meningitis more so because the MRI brain now doesn't show any sequelae
Now to make you understand the MRI finding I would like to highlight first that as age advances there will be certain changes in our arterial system where small lipid materials gets deposited in their walls, these lipid deposits are more in people with hypertension, diabetes and cholesterol, it is faster in people who smoke and drink excessively. When these lipid deposits in the small vessels which are minute in size known as capillaries it leads to reduced blood supply to that particular area of the brain supplied by the vessel. That is exactly what has happened in your condition. It is usually treated with blood thinners like aspirin and clopidogrel.
I don't know on what grounds they have denied insurance but I personally feel they should have a second look as it could be unrelated to the seizure disorder and more to do with the hypertension which is anyways well controlled.
I would like to add one last point is vasculitis of the small vessel (inflammation of the vessels) people present with similar MRI findings and can also have seizures but in them they usually have a neurological deficit such as weakness of limbs, difficulty in talking,etc and it is more of an acute rather than a chronic event.
I hope I have answered your query
I am sorry for the late reply, I was held up at the hospital, if you have any further queries I will be happy to help you out
I wish you good health
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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