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4936507 tn?1365361667

24 hour "rule"

I'm just wondering about what I understand as the "rule" that your symptoms must last for at least 24 hours in order to be considered an MS symptom.

My symptoms come and go over a period of a day or a week or even a few months, but they are not constant. For example, I have tingling, which started out first in my left leg, lasted a few weeks and stopped and now has returned and is now also affecting my right arm and right leg...but it's not constant. I usually just notice it if I'm sitting still.

The vertigo behaves the same way. It has been ongoing since December, but not constant (thank God!). Also, with the vertigo, it is always worse when I'm laying down and move my head, but also happens occasionally when I'm laying completely still or sometimes when I'm standing still.

So, do these symptoms even qualify as MS symptoms since they are not constant?

I'm also wondering about whether or not I should request a brain stem auditory evoked response test (I think that's what it's called). They did the visual evoked response and it came back normal, but since I have vertigo, which is usually related to ear issues, and I also seem to have lost a bit of hearing (haven't been tested, but have known for a long time that I don't hear as well as I used to). I understand why they did the VER because of the uveitis, but I'm wondering if the auditory one would make more sense. Thoughts?

I have an appointment with an MS specialist on the 15th of April so I'm trying to gather together only relevant symptoms to take with me.

Thank you!
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4936507 tn?1365361667
Thank you very much! This clarifies a lot for me.

I've had spells where I get sharp pains in the same area (either my head, chest, arms or legs) that come out of nowhere, very sharp and painful, but go away quickly. This happens off and on for usually a couple of days and then stops happening at all for awhile. This has been going on for years, but I've never thought much of it. I thought it happened to everybody.

I'm not sure if there is any rhyme or reason for when it happens (such as when I've overdone it or not - it just seems pretty random). I don't consider myself to have gait problems, but I do have a very hard time keeping up with my husband....to me he seems to just move fast and I will try to keep up with him, but it usually gets to the point where all of a sudden my legs feel like they've got lead in them and I tell him we have to slow down. I can still walk just fine, at a slower pace, but my legs just feel extremely tight and I just can't go as fast.

I will look into that test you mentioned, ess.

Thanks again.
Helpful - 0
667078 tn?1316000935
There are 4 things which effect MS symptoms heat, fatigue, inflammation, and nerve damage. With heat and fatigue the symptoms can last as long as you are hot or tired hours or even a day or two. Once you cool down or rest these symptoms will disappear. With inflammation symptoms can last days, weeks, or months. Once the inflammation dies down the symptoms go away. Steroids are sometimes used when inflammation is really bad. This is what a relapse is. With nerve damage symptoms are permanent.

In my case when I get too hot my cognitive slows down a lot as does my walking. When I get tired I start dropping things, my walking is harder, and I have trouble with cognitive. With inflammation I may have days, weeks, months of leg issues or more pain. I have nerve damage in my brain stem so I have had permanent double vision, vertigo, left side weakness, and cognitive issues which put me in the slow class in school for 47 years. So my walking speed, dropping things, and more cognitive issues are my variables.

It takes awhile after diagnosis to recognize which is which and how to deal with symptoms.

Alex
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
There really aren't rules in MS. The standard for flares calls for symptoms lasting at least 24 hours (some say 48), but that doesn't mean they have to be constant. Off and on, as in burning or stabbing pains, etc., still qualifies, but it should be more than once in a while.

The other test you want is a VNG, videonystagmography, which should tell if symptoms are central rather than peripheral. At least in theory, anyway. I think this would be more definitive than auditory ER for vertigo.

ess
Helpful - 0
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