Muscle spasms and MS

[slbaker2425]

I just received a tentative diagnosis of MS.  I am having a spinal tap to confirm next week.  I had an MRI last week that showed several lesions and one particularly large one on the left side in the motor area.  I have severe musle spasms in my arm and leg that run up through my neck into my face.  No contortion in the face but definately in the wrist and hand.  It is not painful but uncomfortable.  Each episode lasts under a minute but I can have upwards of 20 or more a day.  My doctor put me on gabapentin to try to control the spasms.  When coming in and going out of the "spasms" it feels as though your limb has fallen asleep and is waking up.  It is a prickly, tingling sensation - quite annoying.  When I have one it is on the entire right side of my body at once.  Anyone with MS ever experience this?  Strangely enough I am almost hoping the diagnosis comes back as MS because the next thought is that it might be a tumor.  I'd rather deal with the know than the unknown.  My Uncle had MS but didn't experience the same symptoms as I, but I realize it may depend on where the lesions are.  He lived with the disease for about 35 years then ended up dying from bone cancer.  I know I can live a quality life with MS - I am more nervous about an alternative diagnosis.

[jensequitur]

I would go ahead and do the spine MRI anyway - chances are there's something there, and it helps to know what's going on so that they can anticipate future problems.

[slbaker2425]

My doctor mentioned a spinal MRI depending on how the brain MRI came out.  The brain MRI is very indicative of MS that is why she requested the spinal tap.  If the spinal tap comes up indicative of MS then that will be the final diagnosis.  If it doesn't she will re-run the MRI in three months to check the lesion.  She will also check for stroke and other reasons for the lesion.

[slbaker2425]

My doctors are Wilmington -- it's a nice little town.  My neurologist is pretty young - I like that...hoping she will be progressive thinking.

[jensequitur]

Was this a brain MRI?  I recommend getting a spinal MRI as well - as I said, injury to the spine will cause painful spasms of the arms and legs.

[Lulu54]

I left a note on your other post - It sounds like you already know quite a bit about this MiSerable disease and have a good outlook toward the possible dx.  Good luck and keep us posted, ok?  

BTW I have a sister in Wilmington and I am up in Beavercreek, not far from you.

best, Lulu

[slbaker2425]

Yes, I did have an MRI.  I have a sizable lesion on the left side in the motor area which would explain the spasms. I also have several other lesions throughout.  I am having a spinal tap next week to see if the results are indicative of MS.

Thanks for the welcome.  I'm just going to be on edge until after the spinal tap.  If that comes back normal, I'm back to square one.

[jensequitur]

I've never had a spasm of the entire right side at the same time... but that doesn't mean much.  Have you had an MRI of the neck or spine?  With your muscle spasms, I would suspect that there was some damage in the spine as well.

Bummer!  Welcome to the forum - this is a good place to answer any questions you might have about MS.  Check out our Health Pages - on the upper right hand corner of your screen.  There's information about symptoms, paresthesia, the various tests used in the diagnosis of MS, and a writeup on the McDonald criteria.