is it MS?

[hopeathome]

I went to see a neurologist because I was seeing double when I drove. Didn't matter night or day. I never knew when it would happen. When it did it was so scary... The double line was double and cars coming towards me, I couldn't tell which lane they were in because there were two cars. It was gotten progressively worse. I can't drive now. I have had my whole car go off the road and thank God come out of the ditch and no damage to me or anyone else. That is just a matter of time if I kept driving. I went to a neurologist ( I am 56), he said it was Myasthenia, but sent me to a Neuro/Ophthalmologist for a second opinion. There are 2 in the state and he is the best. He said it was not Myasthenia and wants my neurologist to look more into MS. The Neuro/Ophthalmologist did a 3 hour exam. He said my eye muscles were normal, my site was 20/20 with my glasses on but that he saw shadows behind my eyes. He showed me what looked like an ex ray. He says everyone has some shadowing but I had more than normal. My other symptoms are really bad fatigue. If I work out in the yard for even half an hour, I am so tired I can hardly walk into my home. Then I'm tired and will fall asleep for hours. I have confusion, loss of memory, loss of balance, trouble figuring things out, depression and deep inside I feel like there is something really wrong. My thighs hurt and if I try to get up after sitting on the floor it feels as though I weigh 800 lbs. sometimes I just can't get up. I can't do most things I used to do. It is progressing almost daily. I'm scared. My SED rate is 69! that freaks me out because that's high. It's a way of telling how much inflammation is in your body. I don't have RA , already checked that out.  My MRI came back normal, but the neuro/ophthalmologist said he saw " a couple of squiggly lines" I have an appt. next week with the neurologist. He will have had a chance to see the report from the other doctor. I read about people that have gone for years and still don't know what's wrong. I live 30 miles from a town of any size. I can't imagine not being able to drive and feeling this was the rest of my life. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. I have search the web endlessly for what causes double vision. MS was one MG was another and Graves disease. It all sounds so overwhelming and grim.

Thanks,
Hope

[Ricobord]

Make sure you get checked out for Lyme Disease, especially because you live in the country and love to garden.  Don't let any doctor who thinks, "We don't have Lyme here" stop you from getting tested.  It is in every state in the country.

Ask for a Western Blot.  The screening tests is a false negative in way too many cases, leaving people undiagnosed for months or years. You can be CDC "negative" and still show antibodies unique to Lyme, so be sure to get a copy of all of your test results. A negative does not exclude Lyme.

You are welcome to come post on the Lyme forum.

[Gio77Italy]

I've found many many people with symptoms similar to yours, in many cases it started with infection symptoms.

I know an American girl who had diplopia (double vision) for months and now it seems to have regressed.

It is impossible for anyone at the moment to tell if your condition will progress or regress spontaneously , do not despair and do not rush for diagnosis!

In 2010 I had a similar thing, my legs would give out, for some days, then followed months of lack of short memory, phobia, lack of concentration, bad coordination, stiffness in arms. when it started coincidentally I did blood tests and my ESR was pretty high. also Wbc were high and low hemoglobin. I also had something out of range in serum proteins.

recently I had another "episode" again after headache and diarrhea,  progressive weakness began etc. they found Complement C3 was high. try to do all those tests including Complements System.

I believe it could be some sort of auto-immune reaction that I read in some specific syndromes can be treated with Plasmapheresis. an immunological / hematological problem any ways.

Since you have vision problems try to do a simple test on yourself, the Romberg's test. look it up on Youtube to see how it's done, it will take a minute!

[saucygrl]

Not knowing what is going on is a really scary feeling!  At least your neurologist will have the report from the opthomalogist with the suggestion to look deeper into MS.  Did the MRI follow MS protocol?  Did they use contrast and how strong was the machine?  

Make a list of questions and concerns for the neurologist appointment next week.  There are a lot of things that mimic MS so don't panic.  Stress will definitely make it worse.  Many of your symptoms are the same ones that I experience and I was diagnosed in November 2011.  Many people with MS are heat sensitive so try cool showers.  I know that my vision gets worse when I feel overheated and I'm much more wobbly.  

The internet can be a really good thing, but it can also scare the heck out of a person.  There are health pages on the right side of your screen and you might try looking through those.  I know a week seems like a long time out still, but try to breathe!

Good luck!!
Chris