a little lost

[shell774]

hi, i am a 32yr old mum of 4. Almost 18 months ago now i started getting symptoms and still am no closer to getting any answers. It started with pins & needles (numbness) feeling in my big toe left side then spread into my whole foot and then into the right foot and then made it's way up to my calf muscle (this took about 1 week)
I started geting the feeling of being off balance, aches and pains in my body, headaches and extreme tiredness to the point of when i got home from work i would just plonk on lounge and stay there unable to get up, hold a coffee cup or walk up stairs. I went to local doctor he said maybe ms and sent me to an immune specialist she did mri- i had 3 leasions in white matter spine was clear yet she did not think i had ms, i had blood test and my vitiman d levels were extremly low everything else was fine she sent me for that eye test (sorry can't remember the name) she said that was fine. She still did not think i had ms but sent me to a nuro anyway. I went to nuro told him of everything that was happening and he said no you don't have ms - i asked what the leasions could be from then? an he said i did not know and to come back in 6months in that time i went to immune doc again and she said she did not think it was anything and that i needed to loose 10kgs (my weight is 70kgs).i was so frustrated. The symptoms died down after about 4months, i did not have the energy i use to but was able to go about everything fine. Then about 2 months ago i started getting new symptoms twitches (they feel like electric shocks) and spasams, some numbness in the left side of my face plus hands and feet (it does not stay. it comes & goes), general acheness in my joints and muscles (heavy legs), shakes in my hands and when i'm really tired my whole body and the thing that is the most worryings is forgetting things it started as little things and now i would be mid sentence and i would forget words or what i was saying (my husband says it's getting worse) i was cooking dinner last night and forgt about it completly and then where i leave things or what i say, but then at other times my memory is perfectly fine. my old symptons are there as well i have headaches and sometimes double vision in one eye. i went back to nuro and told him of the symptoms returning and the memory concerns- i didn't tell him about the twitches because he makes me feel like a hypocondract. He has sent me for more mri's of brain and spine + blood test (lupus) he still does not think i have ms. It just feels to hard to go through all this again with a new doctor!! sorry it's so long iam just frustrated...

[shell774]

Thankyou for your advice and support. I have another mri next week so hopefully it will help some and if my nuro brushes it off again i think it's time to look for someone else. I will look up the ms foundation. thankyou..
good luck to everyone out there looking for answers aswell

[Pippi1996]

I have problems with muscle twitching over my body and facial twitching and spasms on the right side of my face for the past year.  I know how frustrating it is having to deal with losing control of your body and not having the answers to what is going on.  I've also have the tingling and my hands and feet.  I've had dizzy spells or vertigo were it feels like the room is spinning.  The dizziness was so bad that it brought me to my knees.  My memory was very poor also.  I would think of something one second and forget about the next.  My lab results also showed my Vitamin D level was extremely low at (14) and I was put on a very high dose of Vitamin D4 for a bit.  After taking the Vitamin D4, the vertigo stopped and my memory has improved tremendously.  You may ask your doctor to check your iron level.  You may be anemic.  I know women can become anemic after having children.  I also have iron-deficient anemia but I don't have any children.  Low iron levels can cause muscle twitching, dizziness, and fatigue along with other things.  Also have your doctor test for diabetes.  Low calcium levels can also cause muscle twitching and spasms, tingling in hands and feet, fatigue, forgetfulness, and insomnia.  I do hope you don't have MS but I do pray your doctors find out whats causing all your symptoms.  Please do keep me posted.  It seems you and I are battling similiar conditions.  God Bless.  

[Inny2009]

I know what your going through shell...im 22 and have had symptoms for 3 years and they are getting worse, people thought i was nuts! (i am thankfully going to a neuro here soon so I hope that proves for answers).

Anyway...these girls are right! you are not a hypochondriac! I do have a suggestion to be taken seriously (maybe...)

When you are feeling so exhausted to where you know your husband has to help you walk or even carry you. Go to the ER then...that happened to me...my regular doctor insisted i go to the ER and be admitted to the hospital for a diagnosis since I had lost all feelings in my legs and couldnt walk but in the end it didnt work out for me. But it might for you!!!!

I would also see if you could go to an MS specialist. If you look up the MS foundation and call the number that they provide, they answer your questions along with provide you locations and numbers and addresses to MS specialists in your area.

Sarah is right though...I dont know what all testing you have had done but you need to make sure all other illnesses are ruled out ...because there are alot of mimics. Its going to be rough, and frusterating to do all those tests but in the end you either come up with an answer..or no answer which means a possible diagnosis of MS later

Keep strong!!! MS is hard to diagnose from what I hear..I mean i have had 3 years of symptoms and im just now starting to get somewhere.. Good luck and please keep us posted on how your doing.

Inny

[Sparkysarah]

I agree with Red that it certainly sounds like some of your symptoms appear to be like some that we all experience with MS (although my neuro said headaches are not a symptom). But there are many similar conditions which need to be ruled out.

I think that a second opinion wd be helpful..just to be seen with fresh eyes and it can feel fairly soul destoying when you know what you are feeling in your body and other people cannot see it and you start to feel like a hypochondriac. YOU ARE NOT!!!

Take comfort from others on this site and come back again and just share what you are feeling or ask any questions. Do also check out the health pages and when you type again please break up the text with smaller paragraphs as a lot of people find it easier to read.

Take care and be well

Love Sarah

[RedFlame]

Is there anyway you can possibly get a second opinion from a different neurologist?  It really sounds like you are having alot of symptoms similar with MS.  I think younger woment are not  taken seriously.  I'm not sure why though.  

If you can't get a second opinion, I would leave messages for him even though you feel he is discounting you,  

Is there a possibility and your husband would call and demand that you receive attention?

sometimes that will carry more weight---sad but true

Red