lightheadedness, numbness and weakness in left arm, MRI of spine shows no clear answer, EMG normal, MRI of Brain next week....

Hello everyone-- I have been experiencing numbness and weakness in my left arm since July 2010, and, during this episode, dizziness/light headedness was involved.  I went to my GP and was prescribed prednisone, got blood work (came back normal), and was sent to a chiropractor.  After a spine Xray and, eventually, an upper and lower back MRI (after several more episodes of the numbness, one episode lasting almost a week), the tests came back normal showing no clear reason for the numbness and difficulties I was having.  I saw a neurologist for the first time last Tuesday and had an EMG today which showed all the nerves reacting normally... now I have an MRI of my brain next Thursday, and a follow up with the neurologist the week after that.  I had an episode of arm numbness/weakness and lightheadedness for a good part of the day yesterday and have been battling some fatigue (even after sleeping well) for weeks, months, years (blood work done for this, no clear reason given from results).  I exercise regularly, try to get 7-8 hours a sleep a night, do not smoke, drink socially, and try to eat healthy..... any thoughts/suggestions/feelings on what could be wrong?  Thank you!

[wiggles94]

Hi flutterbye,
It sounds like you are heading in the right direction seeing a neuro and having an MRI done on your brain.  The process of dx someone with your symptoms may take some time.  I assume that since you posted to the MS forum, you are worried it could be MS.

The symptoms you describe could be from MS and many other things as well.  MS is a rule out disease, so the docs have to take a very careful look and make sure there isn't something else going on, and even then if you don't meet the criteria, you may not be dx for a while.  This whole process can be overwhelming and frustrating and take a long time.

Keep good notes on what is going on with your body so you can share them at your appts. AS you go through testing, ask for copies of all results and start a folder so when you see new docs you have all your info.  You have to be your best advocate!

ON a personal note - the symptoms you describe, numbness in left arm (IN july 09 for me!) were what sent me to look for answers after experiencing many strange things for years....and ignoring them all.  I have been diagnosed with CIS (clinically isolated syndrome) and am being treated with disease modifying drugs, as my docs think I am high risk to develop into clinically definitive MS.  The sooner you start treatment, the better but you need to make sure you are treating the right thing!  I am in the process of getting a 2nd opinion, but staying on my meds in the meantime.

Be patient with yourself and your docs, and keep looking for answers. Best of luck to you.

Carol

[essdipity]

Welcome to our forum, Flutter. Carol has done a great job of covering the preliminaries.

I too hope you soon get to the bottom of things. Ask your neuro and the tech when you go for the brain MRI whether the MS protocol will be used. That's important. Also, since you seem to be having a flare now, an MRI with and without contrast should be done.

Good luck to you. Please also see our Health Pages (upper right) for lots of good and accurate information.

ess

[flutterbye811]

thank you both for the helpful information, and thank you Carol for sharing your story!  I am getting the MRI without contrast as ordered by my neurologist, but I guess I never knew what the difference was to ask for both.  Will something show up without contrast that could still help give me answers?  

I'll do some research on MS protocol and will mention it on Thursday.  

Thank you so much again!

[flutterbye811]

hello again, I just got back from my chiropractor who saw the physicians report for my MRI of the brain and it came back negative, so now I am am waiting for my neurologist appointment next Thursday to see where we go from here... mixed feelings right now, i guess since the numbness has still been there, but hopefully the neurologist will have some decent suggestions.....  anyone go through something similar their first time around?  Thanks again for listening!

[Stef6102]

I am in the same boat. I have everythign done like you, but I also have severe headaches and lower back pain. They still don't know. I had another EMG done today and now my left arm is worse. At ths point I don't care what it is, I just want some answers. I am on muscle relaxers and hydromorphine and they don't touch the pain I am in. Any thoughts? Does this sound like MS?