Q: I have white patches on my brain. I have also been diagnosed to have early portal gastropathy. I get severe cramps in my head and my right thigh has become numb. What should I do?

A:I assume that you have either had a CAT scan or MRI of the brain and that the white patches you mention are seen in these studies. If that be the case then depending on how much of the white patches one sees it may be normal or a reflection of disease in the small blood vessels of the brain where the blood vessels have clotted. Usually nothing can be done to reverse this but the rate of progression can be reduced by correcting other associated illnesses such as high blood pressure and diabetes and high cholesterol. Portal gastropathy in very simple terms means that there is dilatation of the blood vessels just under the lining of the stomach and is seen during an upper GI endoscopy (which I am assuming you have had done). Portal gastropathy is usually associated with liver disease most often alcoholic. I would suggest you see an Internal Medicine doctor and a Gastroenterologist to help you with further evaluation and treatment.