I had been experiencing joint pain for over 6 months and in December the doctor precribed 5mg of predisone 3 times a day. I started taking the predisone on Dec 18th and on Dec 20th I started to have a very strange sensation which I thought was a reaction to the drug. I was feeling dizzy and my legs seemed weak. I went to the emergency room and I was admitted because they felt that the symtoms could be neurological. I had a MRI the next day that showed I had a small menigeoma on the left side of the brain. It was very much a found by coincidence. I was discharged the next day and asked to follow up with a neuro surgeon. In the mean time I had sort of what felt like head fog. Almost like I was disconnected. I went to see the surgeon and he first suggested that we monitor the tumor, but the next week they called and said that it should be removed. So I went and sought another opinion. I had another MRI and they did a comparison. This surgeon said that my symtoms were not related to the menigeoma and in his opinion it should just monitored over the next three months :’(. I am somewhat confused. I am back at square one because I am still experiencing the dizzy sensation. What steps should I take now? Since I am merely the patient and rely on the professionals to help me make the right decision.

Doctor Joshua’s Answer:

Thank you for your question. Very small meningeomas do not usually cause symptoms and are often found, as you said, incidentally. Small meningeomas can often be either operated or followed, or in some cases treated with radiosurgery. I recommend that you follow your own neurosurgeon’s advice. It is somewhat understandable that you may get differing opinions; it’s possible that in your case both opinions can be correct. All depends on the localization and size of the meningioma, also whether it grows in size between follow-up MRI’s. Small meningiomas in certain locations may cause neurological symptoms or epilepsy.

I must emphasize that I have not seen your MRI and I have not examined you physically, so I cannot say anything specific in your case - I recommend that you discuss your concerns with your neurosurgeon.

Neurosurgical information in Finnish: Neurokirurgia