antibiotics seem to help

[jeanieden]

I have had many confusing symptoms increasing over last ten years. Started with thirst and a burning mouth. Had that diagnoses of burning mouth syndrome at mayo. Gradually have developed severe leg spasms leg and low back pain. Left side lower mouth very painful. Front of right foot numb and painful as well as right leg weak and left arm weak.get pins and needles, a migraine every several months. Bu . Most confusing is. Antibiotics help me feel a lot better. They help the bad fatigue and the leg pain and general weakness. MRI showed nothing, having spinal tap in two days. Any clue on antibiotic issue? Jeanie

[HVAC]

There are plenty of tick illnesses.

Alex

[jeanieden]

Yes I was checked at least once for Lyme about a year ago, nothing. I just know I get gradually sicker, worse fatigue and general weakness, more leg and especially mouth pain back pain, . had urine checked other day and no infection. My mdput me on cefdiner, myusual antibiotic, and pain is better.
I actually found a tic on my bed a few years ago.are there other diseases from ticks? I had my spinal tap a week ago. Haven't heard results yet.

[HVAC]

Have you been checked for Lyme? That is one illness with Neurological symptoms which gets better with antibiotics.

Alex

[aspen2]

I believe I said that?  :)

[kwarendorf]

Depending on how it was read your post may have left the impression that antibiotics may alleviate MS symptoms. I wanted to make clear that this is not the case. If an existing infection is aggravating MS symptoms, and antibiotics clear up the infection, then you may experience symptom relief. But antibiotics have no direct impact on MS symptoms.

[kwarendorf]

Even in these cases the antibiotics are tra=eating the infection, not MS. Absent an infection antibiotics will not improve MS symptoms.

Kyle

[aspen2]

I wish I could help more ... I will say that my urologist finally put me on 2 months of prophylactic antibiotics, which kept the infection away for quite some time.  That was in 2014.

This year, I was put on a higher dose for 4 weeks.  That was in the srpring.

I would prefer no antibiotics, however due to my bladder issues it seems there is no choice.  And without occasionally knocking down the infections, my symptoms end up escalated.

Do you have bladder issues? Are you retaining by any chance?  Perhaps a visit to a urologist will shed some light?  The lower back pain and leg spasms both could point to retention (amongst, I'm sure, other things, but just an idea).

[jeanieden]

I don't know if I'm ever infection  totally free, although antibiotics help, I still do have symptoms after antibiotics,,and occasional prednisone bursrts. So its like it never leaves me even after several weeks of antibiotics,even iv. Jeanie

[aspen2]

I have.  It wasn't helpful because it was clear, so my neuro removed his dx despite everything leading that way to date.  I remain in limbo.

Do you have symptoms when you are infection free?

[aspen2]

Well, except they do help symptoms which worsen when there is infection, absolutely, as per my neurologist.

[kwarendorf]

Hi JD -

It sure sounds like you have a lot going on, but it doesn't sound like MS to me. As JJ said, antibiotocs are for infections, not neuological condtions like MS. Per se, antibiotics won't help symptoms caused by MS.

Kyle

[jeanieden]

Thanks for answering, my infection 4 weeks ago was sepsis, 102 fever in er, it happened so fast, couldn't get to er fast enough. 3 days in hospital and never found source for infection. Before that I like you thought I couldn't run fever. I just wish I could get diagnosed. I wound up in psyche ward year and half ago because I passed out and narcam brought me back, so they called it overdose of narcotics, which I did not take too many. Drs took my pain meds away and it took four months to get them back. Without that and antibiotics I m sure I would die. Have you had a spinal tap? Jeanie

[supermum_ms]

Hi Jeanie,

If you've been prescribed an antibiotic and the antibiotics are actually making you feel a lot better, to me it suggests you do have an infection, and since infections cause or exaserbate fatigue, weakness and can lower pain tolerance, its likely why the prescribed antibiotics are making your feel better.

Do you have MS?

Cheers.......JJ      

[aspen2]

I have had the same issue, which confused my neurologist.  Over time, I've learned that I have a tendency towards recurrent infections which worsen my neurological symptoms (in my case, mostly UTIs due to a neurogenic bladder), but sometimes other random weird things.  Is it all antibiotics, or just certain ones?
For some reason (naturopath says because  my immune system is either shot or severely disregulated) I don't get fevers so my infections are not obvious until they are really bad -- by then I'm into a relapse of whatever I have (I am undiagnosed, by the way).
Initially I wondered at the possibility of Lyme, however at one point I was put on an antibiotics helpful for Lyme and they did nothing.
I don't know whether you have the same cause as I do, but just wanted to let you know my experience.  It has confused a lot of my doctors.