MS or Fibromyalgia

[ozzy66]

Hi!  This is my first post and I am grateful to have a place to go and be heard by those who can relate.  In 4/09 I started having some very intense, painful symptoms which have landed me in the hospital on several occasions.  To date have had blood, MRI, ultrasounds, CT scans, etc.  My Brain MRI indicated scattered nonspecific white matter lesions in the frontal lobe.  My Neurologist initially said it cannot be MS because those lesions show in a very specific area of the brain. My symptoms are never ending.  Pain and almost nerve like jolts throughout body from head to toes. Horrible headaches and most recently blurred vision, muscle pain and limb weakness.  Extreme physical exhaustion.  Have been in hospital 3 times for chest pain and arm pain thinking I was having a heart attack.  Most recent visit excruciating pain under right breast in ribs.  He sent me to a rheumatologist because he believes it is fibromyalgia.  The rheumatologist is adamantly against diagnosing pts w/fibro.  Went back to neur. because the headaches are so intense I am now on a medical leave.  He ordered a spinal tap to rule out ms and lymes.  I am now awaiting the results.  Can people with MS have lesions in the frontal lobe.?  Oh, I have also learned that I have a herniated disc in my neck/does that go with MS? If spinal tap comes back normal, what do I pursue??????? My symptoms are so intense they have changed my quality of life.  

[ozzy66]

Thank you for your response and your support.  I am so grateful to have found this sight!
I hope to learn the results of spinal tap this week....atleast then I will know what my next step should be!  Have you been dx as of yet???  What are your tests/symptoms

[ozzy66]

Dear Charley:

Thank you so much for writing me....you are my first response and it is great to hear from someone who understands!!  As for testing, I had a complete heart workup.  Ultrasound, stress test with imaging etc.  All came back great according to heart dr. I do like my neurologist.  I believe that he has listened to me and believes me.  However, he said if the spinal tap comes back normal he thinks I should get a 2nd opinion.  He did seem upset with what the rheumatologist said as he does believe it is fibromyalgia.  My issue with that is, I absolutely want to rule everything else out before I accept that dx. The funny thing is I had torn my hamstring in June and have gone down hill since then.  Does that make any sense to you??  I am going to the eye dr. tomorrow regarding the vision issues. Not sure if they are just part of the headaches or something else.  The base of my skull/neck is killing me.  It is actually sore to touch and I have had a stiff neck for 1 1/2 weeks. Is it normal to have pain in so many different areas with possible ms?  What are your thoughts on the herniated disk issue?  (Sorry to bombard you with questions)  I also had a bulging disk in my lower back about 4 years ago...took six months to get over that..........my first incident was a strange sensation in what I believe was my esophagous like spasms, then arm pain in the left arm accompanied by tingling, stabbing, burning.  The burning/tingling lasted several weeks.  I also was complaining of pressure on the right side of my throat with swallowing problems.  Went to GI dr and had scope.  He said my esophagus was twisted and he dialated it.  It did get better but now I have that pressure on both sides of my neck.  I get stabbing nerve sensations anywhere but very commonly in my head, ears and jaw????  From what I've read, IF it is MS it can take years to get an accurate dx?  Thanks for listening and thank you for responding

Ozzy66

[cassrox]

The others make some great suggestions. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia about two years ago, but when I started having numbness in the right side of my face, right eye pain and trouble swallowing, my rheumatologist said that it was somethin neurological - which lead me to neuro #1 who first suggested fibro was the cause. Then he chalked it all up to stress.

Now I am seeing an MS specialist to hopfully get to the bottom of what's going on. You're right, the types of symtoms that come with both cand definitely be life changing, and as Wobbly pointed out, the diagnosis process - whatever it may be - can take some time. So hang in there - this is a great place for moral support and information about MS.

Best of luck figuring out what's going on.

Cass

[Wobbly]

I hope you are still having tests done... I played the waiting game for MRIs etc...for 4 years before I was Dx... it sometimes takes quite along time.  Make sure to keep a timeline of all your symptoms...when they start..how bad they are...how long they last...etc

new one... old one coming back... and request copies of all your test you get.. copies of your MRIs..the CD and reports...OK

let us know how things go
take care
wobbly
dx

[Charley123]

Just read my post...I'm having cognitive problems a bit today.  I hope you get the gist of it, Charley

[Charley123]

Welcome.  This is a great forum to find info.  Many of us have been to many neurologists and find that many, and they have very different takes on MS.  Pain can be part of MS and Fibromyalgia.  Many people who have non specific lesions also have MS...so your neurologist is mistaken.  Jolts happen with people with MS.  Muscle pain and weakness is common in MS.  Exhaustion=fatigue=MS.  Chest and arm pain, have you been to a cardiologist?  Actually, I think your Rheumatologist is right on.  The tests that they have for that depend on certain pressure points in the body and those pressure points could be other things as well.  People with MS can have leisons in the brain everywhere.  My spinal tap came back normal and because it did, does not mean I have MS.  I know these symptoms well and whatever they are from, they certainly do change the quality of life!  What other testing have you done?
I was tested for Lyme disease several time, went to an infectious disease clinic, went to a Rheumagologist, Opthomaologist, etc.  You didn't say what your relationship was with your Neurologist.  Do you trust him/her?  
Please check out the Health Pages (top right of this page)  There's a wealth of info there.  Hang in there, and know that we'll support you no matter what is going on with you.  Charley.