BUMP...SYMPTOMS..ANYONE ELSE FEELING THIS WAY??

[shawnie31]

HI I HOPE YOU DON'T MIND..BUT I RE-POSTED MY LIST OF SYMPTOMS..IF ANYONE FEELS LIKE READING

I was just reffered last week to a neuro in Ottawa, Ontario. Not sure how long the wait is.

My symptoms started to be more noticeable to me shortly after I was recovering from a total hysterectomy (for endometriosis which took docs 7yrs to find because I was Dx with Crohns disease in 2002) hysterectomy was done June 08'. My recovery went well, 8wks in was struck with Vertigo and was not able to function for approx 6wks.

My symptoms are not present everyday, they show up for 6 to 10 days then I feel perfectly fine for 30 to 40 days in between.

Symptoms:

- LEAKING URINE (which I always thought was cause of my endo)-stress incontinence was rulled out, gyno said bladder looked really good when I had my hysterectomy in 08
-LEGS FEEL HEAVY, and like they don't want to cooperate at times they also feel like they have been stretched a mile and rolled over(thought I was out of shape)
- BLURRED VISION, (this is very disturbing at times but the optometrist said everything looks good)
-TINGLING.....head and face especially, my back... feet at times but mostly my scalp.
-FATIGUE- feels very different from when your just pooped out.
-MEMORY, difficulty remembering what to say, peoples name don't always come to mind when I see them (even though I know the person well it takes me a few moments then I can recall their name but I struggle hard thinking ok I know this person..it only bothers me when it happens while I'm at work I feel like an *** sometimes. I used to take pride remembering peoples names and that's why this issue here bothers me because it's out of my norm.
-DROPPING THINGS (but this doesn't happen too often)A few occasions I have dropped plates or have placed items that didn't belong in a cupboard and should have gone in the fridge, but I actually stopped myself  before doing it.
-MULTI-TASKING is difficult when my symptoms are present. Like, driving and listening to my son talk and trying to concentrate where I'm suppose to go is hard. Or when I'm preparing a meal and my son or husband is taking to me I have difficulty remembering what to do next.
-HANDWRITING, during my flare of symptoms I find that I make alot of mistakes when I'm writing simple things down..I even make spelling mistakes writing my own name..

Theirs more, but these are the ones I get mostly when my symptoms show up..

I have seen an internist a few weeks ago and he told me that if I wasn't going blind in one eye and if I don't see double then it's not possible it's MS. He is sending me for more lab work I have a follow up with him at the end of April.

Thanks for your interest I really feel helpless at this time, because I haven't shared much of this info with friends or family because theirs no Dx yet and I feel silly explaining all and what if it's nothing at all. I would rather wait, but it's making it hard at times to function at work. I work shifts so night shifts I can keep to myself alot but dayshifts are hard on me.


I have received info as to when my neuro appt will be. It's in July, I will be seeing a neuro who is a Prof of Neurology at the University of Ottawa and is the Director of the MS research unit had done alot of his specialized training in London, England. Now, if my GP doens't think their was much showing on my MRI, why do I need to see this neurologist. I am very greatful for the referral, but theirs so many other neurologist in Ottawa that maybe aren't as busy as he is.. I don't know.. just thinking out loud here, I feel like theirs something my Dr isn't telling me...He's also been on televison W5 talking about his research on MS etc..


If anyone feels like discussing their symptoms with me that would be great, I find this to be so informative!!

thanks again Shawnie

[Quixotic1]

Hi, and thanks for answers our questions.

All of the things you list can and are seen commonly in MS.  This, though, does not mean they show that you do have MS.

As we said before, your internist is sadly lacking in education about a common neurological disease.  Why would he send you to a neurologist if your MRI looked okay?  Well, at least he does recognize that your symptoms are neurolgical in nature.  So a referral to a neuro is appropriate whether he thinks you have MS or not.

A 4 month wait does seem like a long time, but it also appears that you are seeing a true MS specialist.   I'm impressed that at least your internist wants to send you to someone who is really knowledgeable.   Why don't you call and see if you can be put on a "cancellation list?"  Lulu had a good idea there.

I hope the blood work that your internist sent you for is for some of the mimics of MS.  Most of them are diagnosed by blood tests.  these include Vitamin deficiencies, autoimmune diseases like Lupus or Sjogren's, clotting disorders, infections like Lyme Disease, and other assorted disorders.  In MS you would expect these blood tests to be negative.

When a person with other neuro symptoms has visual symptoms, I always recommend that they see someone more skilled than an optometrist.  I recommend that you get a referral to an ophthalmologist.  Blurry vision can be from many things, but does need evaluation.  An optometrist hardly has the training to truly evaluate for eye diseases.  They are becoming trained in screening for them, but this is more serious.  Until recent years, they were mostly technicians who determined your prescritpion for glasses.  (personal bias and opinion).

There are a couple ways to look for other good MS Neurologists if you don't want to wait four months.  One way is to look for ratings of them like on msneuroratings.org.  This is not a huge database, but there are ratings of docs in many countries.  I recommend all of us who have good and bad experiences with docs to document these on this and other sites like "ratemd."  The more we document our experiences the better we will advertise the good docs and the more well-known the stinkers will be!  This is a part of advocacy.

You can also find the local MS support groups by contacting you local MS society.  Attend a meeting or two.  Speak up and say you are looking for a good, compassionate, and SMART MS neuro.  People (like here) are glad to tell you who to go to and who to avoid.

If you find someone with a lot of good recommendations, then you can see if they would see you first.

Quix

[Lulu54]

Hi Shawnie,
Welcome back with your quesitons. I saw your other post but figured I would respond here.  There are some days that so many new things get posted that the older ones slip away to page 2 with little notice.  We have been slammed with new forum members lately - which is great but really divides everyone's attention.

I have everything you listed in your symptoms except vision problems.  My vision is excellent. The whole list you have there sure sounds a lot like MS, but I'm not your doctor and can't make that final call.

Do yourself a big favor and read our health pages about MS - there is a lot of vital information there that will help to take the mystery out of this disease and the diagnosis process.  If you find things there you don't quite understand, be sure to ask and some one will jump in and help.

July does seem like a long wait - perhaps you can call them and ask to be put on a cancellation list in case something opens up sooner?

My best to you,
Lulu

[ShockedToday]

Shawnie,

I'm sorry you are going through all this.  That dr sounds like an idiot.  I'm glad you are going to be seeing someone else and I hope you get in to see that person soon and get the answers that you need.

As for your symptoms, I currently have or have had all of them.  Currently I would say I'm in remission (my dx of ms was taken away-long story) but I still the following symptoms: incontinence, tremors, balance & memory issues which get worse if I over do it or get too hot.

HTH

[shawnie31]

Hi there,

Were you diagnosed with MS if so which one?? Did it take long for the Dr's to figure it out?? Would you say it has changed your life?

[KeyWestGirl1]

I'm a new member to the site, but MS and I have been duking it out for since '97.  I've experienced most of your symptoms, at varying times.  Handwriting issues-1st twelve months post diagnosis, then again when I worked in a very toxic school for two years in 2005-2007 (I got out of there as quickly as possible), which is when the tingling occurred too. After a few years I could "feel a relapse coming on". Blurred vision or a limp in my gait are the calling cards I'm used to.  When I feel any of these things, I put my husband and teen ager on alert, so they force me to slow down, or rest-go to bed early. This has helped me side step the Prednisone-which I hate.  A mental health day taken on a Friday and/or Monday helps too, because everyone is at work or school,EXCEPT ME, which is best, for me-but everyone's path with this thing varies.  Hope this helps.

KeyWestGirl1

[Lulu54]

Hi Shawnie,
I slept way too much last night and really have to get moving, but I promise I will come back to this later when  I return home.  You have lots going on and I know the feeling of having questions but no answers.  I'm sure someone else will be along too, but weekends get kind of slow here.

I promise, I'll be back,
Lulu