HELP WITH QUESTIONS~

[kate1975]

I am 33 and have had a elevated sedrate level of 90 for several years. In the past few years I have had severe leg pain that has gradually gotten worse. Its in the muscles, I had a very bad car accident a few years ago and dont know if maybe that triggered something. Does anyone know if a elevated sedrate has anything to do with MS. I have not been diagnosed with ms. Drs. Are trying to figure out what is wrong with me.
Thanks for your help.

[spastic]

Hi, I too have elevated sed rate but I have Still's Disease.  An elevated sed rate means that you have an inflammatory process going on in your body.  an ESR tests help diagnose conditions associated with acute and chronic inflammation, including infections, cancers, and autoimmune diseases. You need to have this investigated further.  Have they done an ANA or RF test?  I hope this info helps.  Please keep me posted.

Your Friend,

Ada

[kate1975]

Hi Ada...
Thanks for responding. Yes, I have had those test done. They have done so many and gotten no where. I am not trying to find things for my self. I have had some symptoms of ms and just wandered if a ESR went along with that. My Ana was slightly elevated and the RF was normal. I am now seeing a endocrinologist.I hope she can figure me out...

[spastic]

Glad to hear that you are seeing an endo.  Did you have symptoms before your car accident?  There is a connection in physical trauma and certain autoimmune disorders.  Do you ever get any rashes, fevers, joint pain?  Sorry for all the questions, I just want to try and help.  

Many Hugs,

Ada

[kate1975]

Oh I need help...
I see where I had a typo in my previous post. I Am trying to figure my self out. Before ma car accident I did have a ESR. but not the leg pain. I now have a below normal temperature a rash, migraines and joint and muscle aches and fatigue.  Sounds pretty crazy huh...
Any help is appreciated...

[spastic]

You don't sound crazy at all.  Ok, on my profile I have pictures of the Still's rash.  Take a look at it and see if it looks anything like your rash.  I might sound crazy talking about Stills all the time but it is hard to diagnose and some Dr's haven't even heard of it.  Your symptoms sound a lot like mine, I just had fevers everyday for months and months.  It would come on quickly and stay for a few hours and then POOF disappear, like magic.  My first symptoms were the joint and muscle aches and the fatigue.

I think you need to have an EMG done, to see if you are having neuropathy in your leg.

[Momzilla]

Hi, Kate, and welcome!  I'm sorry you are having such troubles, and now frustration with diagnosis.

Sedimentation rate is an indication of inflammation, I believe.  And ANA is a test for autoimmune diseases.  I believe that having both of these tests showing abnormalities would tend to indicate more of a rheumatologic disease that is auto-immune related.  Rash, joint pain and fevers would fit with this, too, I believe.  Have you seen a rheumatologist?

I think Ada is right in that your symptoms match with someone who has some kind of auto-immune disorder.  She would know!  Lupus can also produce a rash.  I'm not sure about other rheumatologic diseases, but it seems like rash and fevers point to rheumy illnesses.

I am not making much sense right now.  I'm really tired.  I hope I'm not confusing you more.  Have you seen a rheumatologist?  I think that would make more sense than a neurologist at this point.  What does your internist say?

Feel well, and keep us posted!

Zilla*

[kate1975]

Oh my. I  was scheduled to have one done a couple of years ago and the Dr was so weired. Every time he went to poke me I would jump off the bed. Is it very painful? I neven let him touch me, i am not scared of needles but he was scary. Thanks so much for this information! This is more help than I have gotten...
Kate

[kate1975]

  My interest sent me to an rheum. several years ago. I have had a ESR for 11 years that we know of. But they have never found the reason why. After not finding anything they decided I just carried a ESR. Which fluctuates from 60-120 . But I know with the symptoms I have that something is WRONG!  My internist has now sent me to an endocrinologist who said she will get to the bottom of this. I like her and have confidence in her. Dont know where this will end up. I do try to do my own work at home Cant count on the Drs. for everything.
Thanks....
Kate

[spastic]

Alarm bells are going to off in my head.  Stills, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, CRPS is a strange thing that usually happens after a traumatic experience.  For  instance, having a car accident, surgeries, getting shot can trigger this hypersensitive response.

The funny thing with Still's is that most labs come back normal except Sed Rate, sometimes ferritin will be elevated and WBC will be elevated but its usually not enough to convince a Dr that you have that particular disease.  It took me months and months to get diagnosed.  I wrote journals, took my temp. every hour, took pictures of my rashes, kept a pain diary.

Your in a good place here on the forum, I assure you.  We will help as much as we can.  We all have become "family" here.  

Your Cyber Sister,

Ada

[kate1975]

Does any one with ms..Know if a ESR comes with ms....

[Quixotic1]

Hi there!  Yes, you had a whole lots of response to your post, but none to your specific question.  No, an elevated ESR or Sed Rate has nothing to do with MS.  All the inflammation in MS is in the Central Nervous System.  The CNS is "hidden" from the body by the blood brain barrier.  So the immune-mediated inflammation there does not raise the ESR out in the body (as shown on blood tests)

I'm sure you have, but has your doctor ever checked for elevated muscle enzymes in your blood?  This would show up on your blood tests as a CK or a CPK.

Doe you have any rashes?

A Sed Rate that high means something.  Have you been tested for Lyme disease?

We all want to see you through this.  But the answer to your question is no.  There is nothing in MS that will raise your ESR.

Quix

[kate1975]

Thanks much for your help..I dont think I have been tested for lyme disease.  I go back to my endo on the 23rd and I have a host of questions for her now. The only type of rash i get is more like hives. I get them on my back, arms and neck. I have always thought they were from allergies. Thanks for your help~
Kate