Do these symptoms sound like MS or something else?

[Juliet1971]

I've had strange sensations for the past two months. I have an MRI scheduled for next week, although my GP said she didn't expect much to come of it. I am still feeling very anxious about the possibility of MS. I am a 38 yo woman. About two months ago, I had a horrible virus/sinus infection/bronchitis. Right around that same time, I noticed a slight tingling on the right side of my face. My GP said it was related to the sinus infection and that antibiotics should take cake of it. The sinus infection is gone, but the symptoms aren't and they seem to have spread. I had a head CT about a month ago that was clear.  Currently, I feel a slightly tingly, tight, almost cold feeling on the right side of my face into my eye, eyebrow, side of my nose, and down along the side of my mouth. The skin feels like it should be numb, but when I touch it and when my GP touched it, it seemed as if actual sensation is more or less normal.

I have had dry eyes for several years and have been tested for lupus and Sjogren's. Those were negative, but I do have a low positive ANA (1:64). A rheumatologist said that was insignificant several years ago. In October or November of this year, I noticed that my right eye--same side with the strange sensations--was much drier than the left. I saw my ophthamologist and she said my eye itself looked great and that I just don't close that eye as tightly at night. That was part of what led my GP to order the CT scan, since I think she was worried that there could be a mass pressing behind that eye. There was nothing there.

The strange tight sensations are making me very anxious. They are not constant, but come and go throughout the day. I'm feeling even more anxious because doing the MRI means not nursing my baby for most of two days and I'm hoping I'll be able to go back to it. :)

Does this sound like a likely course for MS? I'm just trying to get my brain around all the likely possibilities so that I'm not blindsided.

Thank you for your advice!

[cz1970]

Have they worked you up for Trigeminal Neuralgia? Your symptoms are not exactly those of TN (most people complain of sever pain) but it does sound like the same facial nerve is affected. There are virus' and other things that can cause the same symptoms. Also if you had a sinus infection bad enough, any inflammation of a nerve can cause the tingly sensations. Nerves can take months to calm down too. So, don't worry (easy to say) but you should know a lot more after the MRI. You'll probly get some good sleep in the MRI too! I fall asleep everytime :) Good luck!

cz

[Juliet1971]

Thanks for the comment! About nursing...this is just what my ped and my GP have agreed to recommend to me (with a 14 month old 23 lb baby). I have to do a steroid prep because of allergy risk and the dose of steroids is high enough that I can't nurse the day of the MRI and then for 24 hours after. Some people say not to worry at all, some way no nursing for 72 hours...we're trying to find the happy medium. :)

[ChunkyMonkeysMommy]

This doesn't sound like anything familiar to me, but maybe it will to someone else here, as MS affects people in different ways and also there are so many mimics. I hope someone can help put your mind at ease!

P.S. That's good to know about the MRI and nursing, I wasn't aware of that and had been wondering! Thanks!