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[Tingles29]

Hello, I'm a male that's is close to 30.  I've had strange symptons that is scaring me for 2 weeks now.  

Started off being dizzy for a day then I started getting pins and needles in my feet.  They traveled up to my knees.  As the days go on the pins and needles go where they want.  Sometimes in my face.  Sometimes in the back of my head where it feels numb.  Sometimes my hands.  Sometimes all over my back. I have even felt them go on my stomach.  

The pins and needles will sometimes become itchy and hot.  I notice if I sneeze or if I get emotional I feel them all just hit my body like goosepumps.  However they are most predominant in my head and second my legs.  

When I type my symptoms of paresthia, dizzy, and eye pain, 7 different conditions pop up that they say is possible.  Snake bite- not that, diabetes neuorpathy- I don't have diabetes, whip lash- nope, stroke- nope, I forgot the other one but it wasn't that for sure, and then MS.

So now I'm convinced I have MS.  Went to my family doctor for bloodwork. Everything was great.  SO NOW THAT MEANS I HAVE MS RIGHT?  That would be the only condition that wouldn't affect my blood.  There were no vitamin defincencys at all either.  I went to eye doctor before this happened to me and my eyes were healthy too which means it's not an eye problem.

It really is starting to consume me as I think I am having MS.  I need to get a neuro doctor but my GP wants me to wait another few weeks. IM SO DEPRESSED AND SCARED:(

IM SICK OF THESE PINS AND NEEDLES! Christmas time is my favorite time of the year now it's ruined for me because I can't stop obsessing about this.

I know MS is different for everyone, but is there a good chance these tingles that hit my body will never leave me alone???!!!!!  Is this the new beginning of feeling electric forevor!  I always thought I was healthy. I'm athletic and work out 5 days a week. Now I haven't done anything active since my anxiety is keeping me isolated.

Lastly if this is MS which the computer and everything I read is pointing too, what is a typical prognosis for a man that's 30?  Has there been men that lived with this condition for let's say 35 years without a wheelchair?  That would put me at 65 years old. I want to keep my independence so bad since I am a bachelor and it looks like marriage won't be coming since I don't even have a girlfriend.  Plus would I still be able to have kids in the future? I'm afraid I won't be able to even get an erection if I lose sensation down there.  

Thank you in advance for any input. Happy holidays!!!

[Willowwoman777]

Have they checked you for fibromyalgia? the "pins and needles" are listed on their website as affecting lower and upper extremities.

[supermum_ms]

I do think your anxiety is pushing you to jump way too far ahead, look at facts and put your fear aside for the moment. Just because the blood work is fine doesn't really mean anything other than the tests your dr ordered have failed to find the problem. For example if someone has a pinched nerve, blood tests are not going to find the problem or help the dr come up with a dx, there are different tests for different things.

So all you can say for sure is that all the blood tests you have had, failed to identify a problem. Having every blood test under the sun come up normal, would still not mean you have MS. It is true that MS is a dx of exclusion but to be dx with MS you need to have dx clinical sx + an abnormal MRI of the brain and or spine + all MS mimics excluded + 2 or more attacks.

Dont let your concern jump too far ahead, it seriously isn't helpful and can often exaserbate the situation. There are a few things you have said that actually makes MS fall lower on the possible list, MS parasthesia's dont usually move or travel around from place to place, the damage MS causes doesn't really happen like your describing. You mention that when your watching tv so presumably your talking about when your sitting down the pins and needles start in your feet and legs etc.

This is indicating that the pins and needles are situation specific, happening due to an action or situation which could be indicating it is something like a pinched nerve or blocked blood supply issue or similar, rather than an indication of damage to your CNS. I wouldn't say that you do have any HUGE indicators towards MS, a post viral infection could be an explanation, MS is not the only thing that has these issues. Medications do have side affects too, so if you are taking anything percribed or over the counter anything, that is something to look into. Could working out be a factor in this, its all possible at this stage and MS just isn't at the top of the list, IMO.

The problem with googling sx is obvious, a pain in the stomach suddenly becomes appendix or worse bowel cancer, if you google stress or even anxiety you'd come up with everything known to man. If your googling sx and you get more anxious then you need to put it in perspective and recognise doing so is not doing you any good. It makes sense to research things you are dx with but dont try to self dx, it will only lead you astray and negatively affect your mental health.

I do wish you good health and recommend taking a step back, stay calm and try and take it one step at a time.

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

[HoustonDogLove]

You need to get active again, why would you stop working out. If anything it should only help you. Only if it makes things worse, then I might stop.
Don't rush to conclusions Leave it to a good doctor you trust.

[COBOB]

Not really.  Early diagnosis leads to early DMD therapy.  Putting your head in the sand means that you stack up damage.  Whatever your problem may be, the best advise is to address it early and keep fighting of a diagnosis.  In some people, disability progresses very slowly and in other folks it progresses rapidly.  I am 48 and was diagnosed in about 8 months and started on DMD therapy.   I have an uncle in his early 70s who has had MS for 25 years or so, and his COPD is going to kill him, not the MS.

Bob

[Tingles29]

Thank you for the greeting and response!

I'm sorry the pins and needles all travel during the same day.  An example of yesterday electric feeling:

Watching tv on couch and feeling pins and needles on feet and legs.  While it's tingling there it will spread to my face. It will be tingling in both locations now.  Then as that is happening the back of my head by my neck will get numb and tingly.  Now all these places are together charged up.  All of a sudden my face will stop tingling but everything else will still be.

That's the pattern I've been noticing.  But sometimes it hits my back stomach and penis as well.  My doctor told me I don't sound like any of his MS patients but obviously MS is different for others from what I read.  

If it's not MS then why would all the Internet health websites keep saying it is when I type paresethia and dizziness? Also isn't it a HUGE indicator especially since my bloodwork was normal?

That's refreshing to know that if it's MS I have a chance of not ending up in a wheelchair.  I got scared because I read somewhere about men and MS having a bad prognosis.  

One other question.  If MS is my destiny wouldn't it have been better to get diagnosed in my 40's or 50's?  That way I'd be in my 60 or 70's by the time it progressed bad.   If I get it at 30 that means 45 years old is when I'll get hit hard right?
Some lady on a website said it's typically 15 years until u progress to the most debilitating stage.  

Sorry for rambling I'm just trying to get an understanding on any of those topics!

Sincerely
Josh

[daisy.girl]

I agree.....stop worrying right now. Even though your google search only gave you 7 possible cause for your symptoms, there are if fact, many, many diseases that mimic MS. It can take years for someone to get a diagnosis.

If and when you see a neurologist, you will be put through a battery of testing, blood work, evoked potentials, MRI scans, as well a thorough neuro exam, which will tell your neuro so much about your symptoms.

wishing you the best.....Merry Christmas! and hoping you enjoy this wonderful holiday!!

[COBOB]

Welcome to the forum. Your symptoms do not sound like the paresthesias (pins and needles) associated with MS.  MS tends to hit an area and stay there for a while and then hit somewhere else.  My experience has been that the paresthesias do not travel around my body to different locations on different days.  I agree that you should see a neurologist and unless your insurance company requires a referral (like and HMO,) you can just call up and make an appointment.  I know it was about a 2 week wait after I made an appointment with the Neurology Clinic at the University of Colorado Health Science Center.

As far as seeing an "eye  doctor,"  there is a big difference between an optometrist and an ophthalmologist.  The later is an MD or DO that specialized in eye diseases.  I had stabbing pain behind one eye that turned out to be optic neuritis.  It was diagnosed by a neuro-ophthalmologist after a Visually Evoked Potential test.  About 60% of ON cases have no external signs for the doctor to see on an exam.  

I'd stop worrying about  what's going to happen in 35 years.  In reality, any one of us could be hit by a bus tomorrow.  With the new disease modifying therapies and other drugs on the horizon, there is good chance that even if you have MS you could never end up in a wheelchair.

Your first step is to get seen by a Neurologist.

Bob