Neurological symptoms?

[Maya23]

I am having really awful symptoms of vertigo at the moment, whenever I move my eyes left or right it sets of a spinning sensation, and even when I am lying still i feel like I'm on a boat. When I walk I often stagger like a drunk person. It's lasted for a month already and it's accompanied by brain fog (difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, hard to finish a sentence at times) and some nausea and the usual aches and pains. I seem to be OK mentally when I'm with company (family & close friends) but when alone my thoughts seem to quickly degenerate into a negative place, with voices telling me nasty things about myself. I try to ignore them and I find meditation helpful. I occasionally get restless hands and feet too.

My Rhuematologist has referred me to a Neurologist.

Has anyone also suffered from vertigo and then had a diagnosis of 'CNS lupus' or something like that? I know lupus can affect the brain so is this one of the neurological symptoms? The Lupus UK info sheet about brain fog doesn't mention dizziness or vertigo.

[Sher78]

No diagnosis of CNS but diagnosed as having acute Psychosis because of lupus & APS. My symptoms (which led 2 diagnosis of psychosis by a Neuro & Psych r listed somewhere on here but depression is also caused by lupus too as is problems with cns is not necessarily actual CNS lupus if that makes any sense?!

[MandieR]

sorry to sound thick but what is CNS

[Paul_Howard Partner LUPUS UK in reply to MandieR]

Central Nervous System

[Tigerlily4]

Yes, I did Dryad and the first set of symptoms you mention were caused by an inner ear infection. Did anyone have a look at yours and perhaps try you on a course of anti-biotics? Augmentin is especially good for ear infections. The other symptoms you mention can be caused by a flare and are symptoms of inflammation of the brain - which will hopefully be transitory and can be treated with anti-inflammatories. Big hugs - none of this is nice! Wish you better soon. oxo

[MandieR]

And now, I cannot believe that I didnt recognîse what CNS was lol.

[daisyd]

Hi, I suffered from really bad vertigo. I have been taking betahistine for years now,it is usually taken for Menizers ? Spelling which I haven't got, is absolutely brilliant it could be an ear infection. But if you have had a problem for a while it maybe worth asking your Gp about it

I have mild Lupus and Hughes and sneddons syndrome

Karen

[Maya23]

Thanks for your answers.

Here's some info I found about brain fog (cognitive disfunction):

"This impairment in intellectual ability has been termed cognitive dysfunction, and has recently become the focus of much interesting research. It is now recognized that cognitive dysfunction is one of the subtler manifestations of “Neuropsychiatric SLE” (NPSLE), that is lupus that affects the nervous system, with manifestations that are either neurologic or psychiatric in nature. Nervous system involvement is common in SLE patients with estimates of occurrence in 25-75% of patients. It encompasses a variety of clinical syndromes that affect the brain, the spinal cord, or the nerves to the arms and legs; including seizures, strokes, psychosis, neuropathy, movement disorders, and even headaches and MS-like symptoms.

Who is affected?

Cognitive dysfunction has become recognized as a critical manifestation of NPSLE, and more objective criteria have been developed to define the syndrome in a recent academic symposium and workshop sponsored by the American College of Rheumatology. It has been shown in several key research studies to affect a significant portion of lupus patients. It is estimated that approximately 33% of lupus patients who have never had any other signs of NPSLE will have detectable cognitive dysfunction. Up to 88% of patients who had a prior major neuropsychiatric event show some level of cognitive dysfunction, probably due to residual damage to the nervous system.

How is cognition impaired?

The following key components of cognition that could be impaired in SLE were identified at the ACR symposium,

1) Simple attention—the ability to register and retain information

2) Reasoning—problem solving

3) Executive skills and complex attention—planning, organizing, sequencing information

4) Memory—learning, recall

5) Visual spatial processing—recognizing visual patterns

6) Language—verbal fluency

7) Psychomotor speed—ability to rapidly process and produce written and oral information."

Read the rest here:

lupusinternational.com/Abou...

[Tigerlily4]

Great article Dryad - thanks!