Does Anyone Think These Are MS Symptoms?

Hi Everyone,

I'm relatively new to MedHelp.  Thanks for being there for me.

I'm a 36 year-old mother of 3.  I'm in pretty good shape and I'm active.  

I've had some strange neurological symptoms lately, and of course I'm worried.  Last year I had an intermittent eyelid twitch that lasted for about 3-4 months (Oct. to around Nov-Dec).  It was driving me crazy.  On Thanksgiving day, I had a sensation that warm water was being poured down my leg.  This was also intermittent and lasted a few weeks.  At about the same time, I also noticed very slight buzzing sensations in my thumb and in the crease of my elbow.  Those only lasted a second and then stopped.  They occurred for a few days, and never came back.  Around May or so, I then noticed another sensation, similar to the buzzing, but more like rubbing.  At first I thought my bra strap was rubbing my back.  This comes and goes at random, but seems to happen more when I think about it.  Now lately, I've been noticing some muscle twitches (which I also had last year off and on) that are very slight and very random.  They happen just about anywhere from my eyebrow to my calves and are very brief.  Once in a blue moon I'll get an eyelid twitch (either eye), sometimes when I sneeze and then just whenever.  But it's literally 1 twitch and that's it.  The last two symptoms I've had were occassional tight feelings around my sinuses (eye and nose area) and then a handful of times I had a very warm sensation in my left foot, almost like it was near a heater.  I've also felt more buzzes, all in different places, but all are very slight.  If I'm moving or doing something, I barely notice.  They are very brief.  I've never experienced anything like this before, and I'd like to know what you all think.  I just had a physical with bloodwork, and everything came back fine.  My reflexes were normal, my eyes are fine, etc.  My doctor knows that I analyze everything, so he said if I wanted to see a neurologist, he'd certainly set me up with one, but he didn't think it would be necessary.  He also shared with me that he was worried about MS himself years ago, because he had severely burning feet that wouldn't get better (but eventually did).  He's a John's Hopkins doctor, so I feel fairly comfortable with his opinion.  I have some doctor-competency issues, because I have Celiac Disease (wheat/oats/ory/barley intolerance), which took 6 years to diagnose.  No one took my symptoms seriously, and I lost faith in a lot of doctors.  I know my thyroid level is fine because it was just checked, plus I take Synthroid for hypothyroidism (thanks to my Celiac condition).

Sorry so long, but I want to be thorough.  I haven't seen any other doctors besides my primary.  I really don't want to, unless I need to.  I've had no muscle weakness or anything like that.  Can stress cause any of my symptoms?  I feel very alone, and when I get worked up, I feel like the twitching and buzzing get worse.  I don't want to be a complainer, but having been SO SICK for SO LONG with Celiac Disease, I guess I'm looking for people who feel like I do.  I've been on a gluten-free diet for over 4 years now, so all of those problems are finally gone.  I just don't want new ones.  Thanks for your help, and for listening.

[Super_sally888]

Hi,
I can't really answer about your sensations.... but if you think you should see a neurologist you should.  You know your body and if something is not quite right.  If you are worried, maybe an MRI.  

Else sometimes if nothing shows up (it will be hard for most neuros to take you seriously if they can't see anything wrong), it may be a matter of waiting and just getting on with your life as best you can.

Stress can do bizaire things, but it doesn't in itself cause weird sensations.  Are you having any other things like feeling extra tired?

Given the celiac, make sure you are ok for your B vitamins.  These can cause neurological symptoms....  Given the hypothyroid, make sure your dose is optimal.

I can relate to a lot of what you're saying though, and your experience... I have hypothyroid (diagnosed 2000 after 3 years of continual weight gain, feeling bad, and being told I was just eating too much), also celiac - diagnosed through elimination diet late last year - after 8+ years of being told I just had severe IBS or maybe "stress" related.

I also like to be an informed patient.

Best wishes.  Hang around for a while.

Sally

[Monikat]

Thanks for your comments.  Hmmm...I'm not sure about the stress thing.  I did some other looking around, and see that stress and anxiety can cause numerous weird happenings.  I appreciate your
help!  If you have any Celiac issues, that's become my specialty!  I seem to know more than most docs.  As far as my sensations, I'll keep watching for a bit.  Sometimes my dealings with doctors make me more stressed.  Have a good day!

[Heather3418]

I'm going to "bump" your question up, so we can see if we can get some more answers to your question.  With the speed in which this forum moves, questions get 'lost' quickly.  So let me bump this up for ya!

Heather

[Heather3418]

Now that I have a moment to answer your question...let me give you some of my thoughts...

First and foremost, I WOULD get an appointment with a Neurologist.  You do have some symptoms that are neurological in nature.  A couple of them, like the thumb and the elbow sensations, sound like it might be carpal tunnel syndrome.  Since I had this, this is my suggestion.  I had surgery later, on both hands.

Your "buzzing" symptoms are extremely common in someone with a neurological problem.  Is it MS?  Of course, I am not a doctor and I cannot say.  I do, however, have MS myself.  I have been diagnosed for over a decade.  The buzzing sensations, the sensations of burning in your feet, are some common symptoms for me, in my disease process.

Please do not take from what I say, that I am in anyway suggest that you DO have MS.  I am merely saying that I can relate.  There are so many other things that can cause the symptoms that you describe, that it indeed, takes a doctor or in this case probably a Neurologist, to sort out.

Make sure you keep an accurate timeline of all your symptoms.  What makes them worse, what makes them seem to disappear.  Are you have more of them when you have a cold or when you get overheated?  Do they come and go?  Those are the things that a Neurologist is going to ask you.  So have your list with you.

A word of advice if you do go to a Neuro.  Try not to over-complicate your list of symptoms.  Keep everything precise and as simple as you can, but still being able to inform the doctor what you are experiencing.  If you had him a list that is not put in an easy to read and 'quickly' read format, some doctors are immediately turned off.  Especially a Neuro.  They seem to be a different breed of doctor's than all the rest.  I just don't know the reason for that, but that is what I have experienced.

Please know that you are not alone.  We are all here to help if we can.  If you have any specific questions, ask away.  Since I do have MS, there might be something I can help you with in that area - short of trying to diagnose you.  That I cannot do, of course.

Hang in there.  And get that Neruology appointment scheduled.  Okay?

Best Wishes, Heather    

[Monikat]

Thank you, Heather.  I will get checked if this continues. The only on-going symptoms are the twitches.  Until last week, I haven't had a buzz since last December.  Thanks, too for trying to "bump up" my post.  Take care.

[Monikat]

I wanted to also tell you that I my symptoms do not get worse when I'm overheated or in hot water.   Cold doesn't appear to make a difference either.  This might sound crazy, but the second "round" of buzzes only started after my physical (last week) when I was focused on it.  Coincidence?  Maybe, but I seem to get weird stuff.  The year before last, my parotid glad swelled up like a balloon and was so painful that I couldn't eat anything sour.  I also had a dry mouth.  My doctor, being sensitive to my worries, ordered a blood panel to check for Sjogren's Syndrome.  No Sjogren's.  Turned out to be a salivary stone (just like a kidney stone), and it popped out of my cheek.  Voila!  No more swollen parotid gland.  The reason I'm telling you this, is because I get weird stuff all the time.  So does my mother.  I know what you say is true, that I probably SHOULD make that appointment right away, but I hesitate because I don't want to look for any more trouble!  I know I'm a coward that way, but after my bout with Celiac and doctors, I just hate it!  Honestly though, if I start with more problems, or these sensations get worse, I'll have to schedule an appointment with a neuro.  I also forgot to mention that I had a minor surgery on my flank area a few weeks before the warm water sensation started.  I know for a fact that that could cause nerve issues.  But the mild buzzes and the off-and-on twitches are what I'm not sure about.  I don't get many twitches, but I do notice them when they happen.  Thanks again so much.  I'll keep watching and tuning in here.

[mokibear]

I too have gotten weird things other than the MSish ones I've been having the last 5 years. I am not diagnosed with anything as of yet. The salivary stone hurts like a buggar for sure. I looked like a chipmunk storing nuts. Mine was 4 days before it got out.

My mother also has celiac disease and was 20 years before she was diagnosed. She was constantly told it was in her head. So I know what you went through to get that diagnosis, but don't let that stop you from trying to find out what is going on now. You know something is not right with you so do try to find someone to check it out.

Hope you feel better soon
Moki