Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 11/8/2007

Question
Hello, my name is Jayne.  About 5 years ago, my sister, who's 35,  was experiencing mild "stroke like" symptoms.  After an MRI, she was told that she didn't have a stroke, but she did have four lesions on her brain.  They thought she had MS.  After the spinal tap, no MS, diagnosed with B-12 deficiency.  Was never told WHY she had lesions on her brain.  Within the past 6 months, she's been experiencing severe short term memory loss so bad that she's thinking she should quit her job before making any huge errors.  Terrible ringing in her ears that has effected her hearing, mild headaches that she wakes up with at least three times a week.  Nausea at all times of the day about 4-5 times a week.  She describes a feeling that she's off balance, like she just stepped off a boat.  That unbalanced feeling comes and goes in waves.  Sometimes it's severe but only for a few seconds at a time.  She sees "floaters" in front of her eyes, she described the pressure between her eyes as if you were purposely crossing your eyes very hard.  She said that she's making very stupid mistakes at work, (forgetting to sign something) and consicously stuttering severely with clients on the phone.  Her boss tells her something and she stares at him as it goes in one ear and out the other.  She's been screaming at her kids, which is so not like her.  She said she wakes up in a bad mood.  The latest thing she told me was that she's been getting the hiccups.  Only like 3-4 hiccups in a row about 3-4 times a week.  She's also been getting heart palpitations.  She's had them before because she once had panick attacks. Hasn't had a panick attack in about 4 years.  I noticed that when she goes to tell me something, she'll stop mid sentence and say, "I forgot what I was going to say."  She's had some minor tingling in her hands for only seconds at a time.  She described her head as feeling "empty", like there's nothing there or like she has an "inner" itch that you can rub all you want but can't seem to really get relief.  When she reads or writes, she has to do it over and over before getting it right as she reverses letters and numbers like she's dislexic.  Our grandmother, on our father's side died in 1947 at the age of 29 from some rare brain tumor.  I was wondering if they are hereditary? Also, can a brain lesion grow into a tumor?  I thought that tumors start out as brain lesions.  Am I correct?  She has doc appointments scheduled with in the next few weeks, but she said she feels like the "lights" are going to go out at any moment.   Thanks for any input you may have on this situation.

Answer
This sounds like a severe neurological disorder, but not necessarily a brain tumor! I'm not a neurologist or a neurosurgeon but a medical oncologist & radiation therapist with experience of treating brain tumors. I therefore STRONGLY suggest that she lets a very experienced neurologist check her including CT and MRI scans etc. in order to find out what is wrong with her SOONEST! Good luck!