I'm new with a few questions... :)

[B_A_Dream]

So I am going to a neurologist right now, I have to put that out there first and foremost. I just feel like I am not getting the care or attention I need... not really sure what to do.

I may or may not have MS... whatever it is, It is definitely something and I am desperately trying to find out!

All started almost 2 months ago. I was at work and my right foot "fell asleep"... the next day it happened, a couple times... then a few days later my foot and the front of my lower leg.... then about a week later... my right leg felt fine, but my left leg had "fallen asleep" These tingling sensations I had would last a few hours at a time, go away and come back a few hours later. I went to the ER when it lasted over 4 hrs, for fear of a blood clot or something. I was referred to a neuro, who at first thought it was of a "non-organic etiology"... in other words, it was all in my head??? through the weeks, I had off an on symptoms such as burning sensation that is sometimes unbearable on upper back, near right shoulder, pain in forearm accompanied with tingling and loss of function in pinky and ring finger (this lasted about 2 weeks, just recently subsided), heightened sensation on tips of left thumb and pointer finger (lasted about a week), Pins and needles sensations on feet and legs, sometimes feels like individual needles... here and there "pokes", left side of face tingled for approx day and a half, during this time i was actually asked by a coworker had I been to the dentist because left side of my face "looked funny".... I went to the bathroom, and didn't notice a difference.

I have also noticed that my feet and hands go numb "easier" than before. About a week ago, I crossed my legs for maybe 1 or 2 min, when I touched my foot it was dead numb. It took quite a while (maybe more than 30 min) to get sensation back. Have also woken up in the night with dead numbness in leg from knee down that took 30 min to an hour to get sensation back.  Another thing I noticed was that riding or driving in the car makes all the symptoms worse. When driving (I use my right foot a lot, I drive manual) my foot cramps really bad, and goes numb. My arm feels super heavy, to the point that it almost hurts to shift or especially hard to change the station on the radio. I recently road 6 hrs in the car and both feet went completely numb, and I got incredibly car sick. I felt like I was on the worst rollercoaster, and continued spinning long after getting out of the car. I should also mention that I have had intence vertigo off and on and extreme fatigue (the best way I can explain it is the fatigue in the beginning of pregnancy.... but i am not pregnant.)

So my neuro sent me for a brain MRI. Came back with an "abnormality" in the cortex involving the white matter. in the right fronto-parietal lobe. (I am mainly affected on my right side.) originally thought to be a DNET tumor (although another etiology could not be excluded) but did spectroscopy and perfusion imaging that showed it was not a tumor. Abnormality is still unknown. Was then prescribed anti-seizure meds in which i did NOT take, but found another neuro.... since it is unlikely that an abnormality on my right side of the brain is causing symptoms on the right side of my body..... New neuro ordered VEP (normal) Cspine MRI (normal) and blood work for Cytomegalovirus, sjrogen's, and zinc levels. (still dont have results - although I personally dont think its any of those)

my question is... do my symptoms sound like possible early MS? I feel like the location of my symptoms (mainly) would show up on a thoracic MRI - which my doc didnt order. When he called to tell me my last scan was normal, he said maybe we will know more about the brain abnormality in a 3 month follow-up scan.... but what about NOW? I am walking around every day for the last 3 weeks feeling like I have a tight fuzzy heavy sock of my right leg. sometimes it is only to the ankle, sometimes all the way to the knee. There is no way i could be imagining these things, because until all this started... I didnt even know what the ULNAR nerve was..... and I am having "ulnar" like problems in my arm. oh... also need to add that I also had an EMG in which all was normal, but the doc did note that there was slightly diminished muscle activity in my right hand (the one with the issues...) I also have no or almost no reflex on my right elbow.

Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance

...Dream

[B_A_Dream]

My second neuro said that the brain abnormality couldn't really be the cause of my symptoms, since they happen on the same side of the body (abnormality is on the right, mostly affected on my right side) but he said that he also doesn't think it is unconnected and is why he was thinking something like MS, that would cause lesions in several different places... i.e., brain lesion isnt affecting me but maybe a spinal lesion is.... which is why he ordered the Cspine MRI, which came back normal.

from the research i have done, my symptoms indicate a thoracic spinal lesion more than anything.

and to Jen, I have only had 1 mri of my brain... the neuro wants to follow up with another in 3 months. both MRIs (brain and Cspine) were done on a 3T machine with and without contrast. the machines at this MRI clinic are supposed to be the best in florida as well as the radiologist.

I am just hoping they figure out what is wrong, this can't be normal!!!!

Oh, I have also heard about borderline b12 deficiency, and had that checked and my level was 400. I don't know if that is considered borderline or not. just wondering if anyone here knows

[sllowe]

Hi Dream,

Because of all the mimics of MS and syndromes and diseases with similiar symptoms it's really hard to say either way.  It does sound like the Dr. is still doing a work up if you've not received results from the labs yet.

It is frustrating and easy to get impatient especially when you are feeling badly. Did the Dr. say this abnormality and location could cause what your experiencing?

Thanks for joining us.  Wishing you better days, hang in there best you can and hope we can help.

[jensequitur]

It sounds neurological, and with the abnormality in your cortex, it's indicative of MS.  However, the lesion activity isn't necessarily going to be in your thoracic.  

So the last MRI of your head showed nothing?  What was the strength of the MRI, and was it done with contrast?