ms?

[amanda615]

hi there everyone. I am new to this kind of thing so forgive me if I don't do it right. For years I have suffered with severe headaches (migranes as I have been told) how ever in the last couple years they have progressivly gotten worse and I have developed some more symptoms and exam findings. I have had problems with my bowels (constipation ) and trouble urinating at times off/on, trouble swallowing at times, and have been noticing that I get very stiff and sore after sitting or laying for 15 mins or so. I alwasy just say i have to work out the bugs lol... because my hips down are very stiff. i also have itching epidodes where i will feel like somtihing is crawing on my arms and legs. I also have more recenltyl notice eye pain at times esp with my headaches more often in right eye and i have optic nerve thinning with visual field loss and color vision changes. I also have left sided weakness they have discobberd a drift in my left arm and some abnormal reflesxes. More recently i have developed problems talking such as stuttering and trouble finding my words. They have done MRIs in which they did find a very very small tumor in the back of my head but they don't feel it causing my problems. They didnt see any lesions that they said ms shows. however i have talked to people and read that ms does not always show up on mri and they havent looked at my spinal fluid or the vessles in my brain either. i have seen a couple of neurologists and have no answers. the eye doctor i saw yesterday seems to think it very well could be a neurodegenertive disease like ms or something and is sending me to a new neuro who is a neuroopthamologist so he will look at eyes and brain. I j ust want them to figure out what is the problem I'm 30 years old and feel like i'm 80 and I can't be the mom I want to be to my kids and wife to my husband i want to because I never feel good. does anyone have any ides, anyone gone the same thing. i'm so tired of not knowing whats going on. please any replys are welcome. and i apologize about spelling its part of my word problems and my hands get stiff and don't cooperate when typing.

[kwarendorf]

Hi Amanda - Welcome to our group, but sorry you came looking :-)

Some of what you describe sounds a bit MSish, but most does not. Because MS attacks the central nervous system symptoms can havean almost infinite universe. If you google just about any symptom, MS is usually on the list of possible causes.

I think you're on the right track by seeing a neuroopthamologist. You have a history of headaches and thinning of the optic nerve. He?she should be able to give more info. If you want to rule MS in ir out, then I'm with Alex. ind a neurologist that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of MS. It can be a long and frustrating process, but you will know whether or not MS is on the table.'

Kyle

[HVAC]

Have you seen a single neurologist over time? Neurologists track you over time. Sometimes if you switch you have to start over. Plus are any the neurologists you are seeing a MS Specialist. It is easier to be diagnosed if the neurologist knows a lot about MS.

Alex