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Can someone please help


For 3 months now I have been having some tingling in my left leg and numbness in toes I also have some weakness in it but it's not limiting, it just gets too tired when trying to work out and I'm always conscious of a different feel when I walk as if it's not supportive. I had some pain in the area from the knee to the ankle for a month prior to the tingling but I ignored it because of being busy with work thinking it would disappear but it didn't. I went to an orthopedic doctor and he requested a lumbar MRI which came back normal, so he said I'm referring you to a neurologist. In my family history we have a member with MS so they did a brain and a cervical MRI which both came back normal according to the radiologist So they said MS is unlikely. It's been 3 months now and I've been getting this tingling or creeping sensation in my leg similar to when you get anxious but only in my leg and sometimes I feel it up my spine. Also I get occasional mild left eye pain and I feel my eyes get so heavy that I struggle to keep them open (is this optic neuritis) and my left hand gets tingly to any small activity. Stretching doesn't help and having no answers by these specialists is making me too anxious and tired. Should I seek another opinion? Are radiologists always accurate reading MRIs? Can early MS be like this and later gets more aggressive? I'm thankful in advance for any input or advice because this is taking over my life in a severe manner. I got severely anxious because of lack of answers.
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987762 tn?1671273328
COMMUNITY LEADER
Hi there, i didn't realise you'd posted 3 times, i've responded to one of your other posts...

"It's been 3 months now and I've been getting this tingling or creeping sensation in my leg similar to when you get anxious...."

You asked;

Q:I get occasional mild left eye pain and I feel my eyes get so heavy that I struggle to keep them open (is this optic neuritis)
A: Yesterday you stated you get "subtle blurred vision" but even with this additional information what your describing doesn't sound suggestive of ON, it's more likely related to fatigue and or your anxiety, especially if your sleep quality is being effected, but if you have concern please get your eyes checked.

Q: Should I seek another opinion?
A: I personally don't think there would be a benefit to you in seeking another 'neurological' opinion when you don't have any abnormal suggestive or consistent neurological evidence, neurological conditions are very low on your list of possible causes.

Q: Are radiologists always accurate reading MRIs?
A: Generally yes, it's kind of a loaded question though, obviously mistakes do happen but if you are looking for 100% reassurance to ease your anxiety somewhat, all i can give you is the odds of completely missing everything suggestive or consistent with demyelination is so slim its highly unlikely to have happened.

Q: Can early MS be like this and later gets more aggressive?
A: It's not typical of neurological conditions like MS to present with the type of symptom pattern you describe, it's not typical to not have any abnormal diagnostic neurological evidence at all.......it's not typical of MS so it's unlikely to be a neurological like MS, worrying about aggressive progression of a condition you don't have any evidence of is not a good think to be doing when your anxiety is taking over your life!

In the post i responded to, you only off hand mentioned being stressed and i suggested it might be beneficial for you 'consider' getting your mental health assessed to rule it in or out as causation and gain the additional support but after reading this additional information, i think it relevant to point out your anxiety sounds to be a much bigger issue at the moment than you indicated in your other post.....

Please seriously consider seeing someone about your current anxiety levels, but things that might help you reduce your health related anxiety are things like distracting your self physically and or mentally, avoiding googling symptoms, avoiding reading about any specific condition your anxious about, avoid giving voice to your anxious thoughts etc and definitely all worth trying to see if it helps you get your anxiety under control.

Hope that helps......JJ  
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5265383 tn?1669040108
From your other post:
"So far it's a clear brain and Cervical MRI, reflexes are normal but I have subjective weakness in left leg and right arm. Neurologists thinks it's confusing at this point but I'm still worried by lack of answers. Is it typical to have weakness in right arm and left leg. I do get a subtle blurred vision and I do feel a little fatigued but I'm also stressed out by this whole process."

You also added tingling in left hand in this post.

First, none of us here are doctors, but most have gone through a (generally lengthy) diagnostic process.  We can only speak through our experience.

Second, no, it wouldn't be typical for early ms to have weakness in opposite arm and leg.  Did you get a copy of the report yourself?  If so, refer to the Impressions section to see what was observed.  If not, it's within your right as a patient to get a copy.

Normally, ms related weakness would also show corresponding signs on a neurological exam. You mentioned that your reflexes were fine and I would assume that a few more tests were done as well.  Absence of signs upon a neuro exam is good news!  Is there any chance you have a compression injury in your arm?  Carpal or cubital tunnel, for instance.  I'd recommend a visit to a really good physiotherapist who could assess both arms, hands and legs, and quantify weakness for you and perhaps identify a structural cause.

Have you had your blood sugar (random glucose, A1C) recently?  Your leg symptoms could be caused by a foray into type 2 diabetes, so it would be prudent to have that checked out.

With respect to the eye pain, see an ophthalmologist.  They will be able to check for any underlying conditions that could be causing issues.  It's most likely not neurological, but it's good to get this assessed.  BTW your first post suggest blurriness; you added pain to this one, so it's a little confusing.

I would suggest you get help with your anxiety while trying to figure out answers.  Anxiety can bump up symptoms drastically, so it ends up being hard to know what's what, and the worst thing is ending up with a neurologist who assumes it's ALL anxiety.

If your MRI is perfectly clean, or just a few non-specific lesions due to age, and without any neuro exam results, I would say it's highly unlikely that you're dealing with ms.    If I were you, I would see your gp and have bloodwork done if you haven't -- have them check B12, D and magnesium as a minimum.  Deficiencies in these areas can cause neuro symptoms such as yours, and by supplementing you may see improvement. Also sugar as I mentioned above, and thyroid hormone levels, are also part of the rule out bloodwork.  

In my experience, with a clear mri a second neuro opinion is unlikely to offer up any more help, and it's best to have other specialists follow up with specific symptoms.

This board is really quiet now; my apologies that it's taken  a bit to get back to you.  
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