I am afraid of having multiple sclerosis

[lightheart04]

2 of my aunts have ms. About two years ago when my daughter was born, I began getting randomly sick and exhausted with vertigo and lightheadedness to where I couldn't really function. I would go to urgent care and they would take my blood and everything would be normal. They took ultrasounds of my abdomen to check my gallbadder and it was totally normal. They gave me pills for my vertigo and sent me on my way. Now I have a new dr and I have been experiencing tingling and near numbness that starts in my left arm, then moves to my right arm, then my legs. It almost felt like they were asleep. I had sensation but it was very.. weird? But my arms/legs were just very weak. The second time this happened, I went to urgent care because I was so weak I could hardly pick up my daughter and I could hardly walk. The dr asked me to lay down and try to lift each of my legs, and I couldn't. I was sitting and had to manually try to lift my legs to move them fully. All of my bloodwork came back normal. They checked for electrolytes, B12, etc.. he said he ordered a lot of abnormal bloodwork to find the problem. It was all normal. He scheduled me with a neurologist on June 20th, and I am terrified of what they will find. I'm afraid of having MS like my aunts do :(
Does this sound like experiences anybody has had? Or like it can be anything BESIDES multiple sclerosis? Any insight is appreciated!!

[jensequitur]

I keep hearing that MS presents on one side only.  When I was diagnosed, I had optic neuritis in my right eye, left hand weakness, tingling in my chin, and my right leg was very weak.  I think that this particular piece of wisdom is for those who were diagnosed early.  I've had MS-type symptoms for some time, and was only diagnosed at 36.

[zoefromsussex]

I just wanted to add, IF you were to be dx with MS, you might not have the same bleak outlook as past sufferers because years ago there weren't the treatment options which we have today...

[zoefromsussex]

Just read your comment/question and I wondered exactly the same thing! I was dx with RRMS in Feb this year and I notice my sx moving to different sides occasionally. I can only assume it's due to nerve damage which has already occurred on both sides (I've had ON in both eyes so I'm guessing that other damage could have occurred)

[Sierra28]

I'm new to all this, so jumping off your reply to ask a question. I've read multiple times that MS sx in limbs don't MOVE from limb to limb, but is it true that you can have sx in multiple limbs at the same time? (ex left arm and leg numb at the same time, but not left arm one day and right leg the next?) Also, with something like tremors, can you have that in both hands with MS?

Thanks!

[luvnGod]

I suggest this alot, but ask them to give you a Celiac panel to check for Celiac disease.  Before a diagnosis, it can cause some of the peripheral things you describe.  Many autoimmune disease start after some major stress to the body like childbirth a surgbery, etc.  Mine started after my second child.  I do have Celiac but now an being investigated for other autoimmune disorders, MS being one.  IF this is Celiac causes this, you need to be on the Gluten free diet ASAP and you should see a lot of your symptoms go away.  DO NOT try to go on the Gluten Free diet before getting blood tests done, it will totally mess up the tests.  

Keep us updated and let us know what you find out.  I believe there is something real happening with you.  You need to know you are not alone and help is out there :)  I will say a prayer for you now...Many blessings
Stacie

[sllowe]

HI LIghtH,

Yup, it definitely can and probably is something other than MS.
No way to provide a list of all the possibilities simply because it would be too vast. Since you were sent right to a neuro, I hope he/she is able to identify the cause, or at least rule out what it's not.

I am sorry your aunts have MS, and their lives scare you :(
But, don't be afraid. Your simply going to the doctor to find let them know what is going on, and hopefuly find out the cause and cure :)
Thanks for joining us,
-Shell

[kat110]

hi first id like to say sorry for the pain your in and had i know how you feel, the time it happened to me i lived in 10 miles away from the town in a village just me and my six month old and i couldnt pick him up out of bed. the dr said it was stress but when he was called again the test started, iv had lumberpuncher (three times) and now iv got to have an mri scan which like you i dont want to hear what they say

[Deb61]

I'd see a neurologist.  You for sure need a work-up to determine the cause of your weakness and numbness.  It could be many things at this point--thyroid disease, nerve compression, diabetes, infection, a completely different autoimmune disease, etc.  If your aunts have MS, I would say you would have more of a possibility of having an autoimmune disease.  

I do agree with JJ in that MS typically doesn't present like that, but you do need to be seen by a neurologist.  Keep us updated and welcome to the forum!

[SarahL2491]

I'm going out on some limbs here, but your first seems to have started when your daughter was born and I'm leaning toward post partum on that one, that perhaps coupled with anxiety and family history having you concerned.  Have any of your doctors offered to put you on anxiety medication to see if this goes away?

another thought is a CT of the spine to see if you have any nerve pressure from time to time causing this lack of ability to function properly.

For it to be MS will involve much testing, as you probably already know, with family members with it.  Your chance of getting MS from a parent would only be 2% so probably not high probability.

We are all just patients, so are just throwing out ideas.  It could also be a coping problem.

Good luck and keep us posted, we learn something from everyone!

[supermum_ms]

Hi and welcome to our little corner of the web, you might find reading our health pages, (found just to the right of your screen) of some help in understanding MS.

I know you've asked for ideas besides MS but i dont actually think it sounds like MS either. The reason why is that you've said  "I have been experiencing tingling and near numbness that starts in my left arm, then moves to my right arm, then my legs." for this to be MS it would be highly unusual because MS doesn't move or travel from limb to limb like you've described.

Sx that travel to encorporate entire limbs and or move around and or cross over the body and or are in all 4 limbs, are typically 'red flags' leading away from CNS conditions like MS, simply due to the nature of the damage caused by CNS diseases. I really dont have much of an idea of what it could be, but because your sx seem to be mainly in your limbs, it might be worth looking at conditions that are 'peripheral' in nature.

Cheers...........JJ