Not sure if this is MS.....

[Montine]

Hi I'm Montine and I have been reading some of the posts in this section and I just have some questions....I will start with my story and just would like some feedback if possible. I'm 36 years old, I am a pill controlled diabetic. 8 months ago I started feeling a burning yet tearing pain in my left shoulder. I went to my doctor and told me at that time that it was a pulled muscle, gave me some pain pills and sent me on my way. About a month later I went back in because the pain never went away, he sent me for a MRI which showed everything was normal. At this point I decided that I would just deal with the pain and it would go away in time. Well it didn't...it got to the point that I questioned my sanity over the 3 month period my pain started spreading from my left shoulder to my neck to my right shoulder and then moved to the lower back and my hips down into my legs and then into my arms. This pain was no longer a tearing pain but more of a burning pain (almost like taking nicacin) it was constant. I then started getting joint pain in my knees,elbows,ankles. By the time I gave in and went to the doctor I could barely walk and the skin burning was so bad that I couldn't even brush my hair or shave (which is disgusting..I know) My doctor said that it sounds like RA or fibromyalgia...did a bunch or blood work and everything came back normal at this time he sends me to a neurologist, which did some testing and says its more like fibro. Back at my doctor he wasn't pleased with results because I had been taking fibro meds and was not touching any of my pain or symptons. He sends me in for a MRI to check for MS this comes back normal. This is where my questoins come in...I have not had any dizzy spells or vision problems, is this different for everyone? Is it just some people get the dizzy and vision problems? Is this type of pain associated with MS?  I also read that the MRI isn't the only means for finding MS and can actually show normal....Is this something that a neurologist tests for? Is there a different doctor that I should be seeing if this is MS other than a neurologist?  My pain is horrible and has cost me my quality of life.....is this a normal sympton of MS and if so what type of meds is out there to treat that (other than pain pills)? Thank you for reading my story! M

[LisaJF]

Welcome to the forums!

I do have a question for you though.  What was the MRI of? Just the brain? Cervical spine? Thoracic Spine?  All three?

Did you happen to see a Rheumatologist at all?  Or was referred to one?

I'm sure you are well aware that with diabetes you can have peripheral neuropathy and from my experience, most people complain of burning in the feet or hands but not extending down arms and affecting joints.  That would make me suspicious of another cause other than Diabetes.

Is your blood sugar mostly under control or do you have a tendency to be high?  You said you were "Pilled" control diabetic which indicates to me you have Type II Diabetes.  I'm just curious if the endocrinologist or your primary has done a recent HbA1C to see if you've been within normal range ?

Sorry just had a few questions -- don't have to answer them. LOL!

Lisa

PS - I hope you're feeling better?

[Montine]

First I would like to thank you for the warm welcome and your input...second I apologize for not breaking up my post :)

You have made good points that I can take to the dr. at my next appointment, which is what I was searching for. At this point, I don't really care what it is I just want my life back and I want to be pain free. I have been to a physical therapist for the last 4 months but nothing has changed other than agitating my over all pain.

I tend to have good days but it seems that I pay for them (cause I go all out) and usually the next three tofour days I can't walk, wear clothes, take a shower or anything really. Then it tends to calm down and its back to where I can deal with the pain but at some point I just get frustrated because I am so uncomfortable.

Anyway thank you guys so much for your input and I will def. take all of this to the Dr.

M

[Deb61]

Welcome to the forum!  I think JJ did a fabulous job addressing the problems you've mentioned.  It doesn't sound MSish to me, either, but your neuro hasn't helped you by just giving you pills to take for the pain without determine the cause first.

My thought is that there could be some kind of problem in your cervical spine or spine area causing this--like a bulging or ruptured disc or something like that.  Did your MRI include pictures of your c-spine area?  The diabetes may be complicating a problem that you may have.  I would insist on further x-ray or MRI if you haven't had these of the spine.

Deb

[supermum_ms]

Hi Montine and welcome to the forum, wow that was really hard for me to read, could I please ask you to break up your future posts for those of us with sight issues, ta!

This is my personal opinion because the only medical training i have is in first aid, which means i know how to call 000 or 911 depending on your country and stick a bandaide on your boo boo lol. Anyway, MS is a dx of exclusion, history and clinical neurological sx, the MRI is just one aspect of gathering evidence. I dont actually think this sounds MS-ish, though i do fully believe you have a medical issue that is not being addressed!

I think its inadequet to throw pills at you and do nothing else, its just not going to fix the problem especially if those first thoughts are correct. It is still possible you have torn/pulled/stretched  'something' in your shoulder but its going to need physio therapy, it can take months to a year to heal depending on what exactly you've done. The MRI would show damage but not all damage continues to be evident and thats where the physio therapist comes in.

The pain pills mask the problem and do nothing for the cause or fix any damage that occured, in time these meds dont work as well, you need stronger and still the cause isn't being takled. I think you need an assessment with a physio therapist, I think you may find that all the issues you accumulated since is directly related to the pain in your shoulder, carrying your self differently to accomodate or aleviate that, its an add on affect and a physio therapist will know what you can do.

I did have another thought though may not be correct but doesn't diabetes sometimes have nerve issues eg peripheral neuropathy? If so then the alternative pain medications you could try would be in that line.

Just my two cents, but i do hope you get some relief soon!!

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