Aching

I'm an active 23 yr.old female with pain starting over two years ago. I lead a healthy lifestyle, am rarely sick, am not on any medications & have had near perfect health except cysts/mass in eye & toes that were removed in childhood.(Chest pains starting in high school from infalmmation of sternum) My family history includes benign brain tumor, & MS(my mom). I experience deep painful aching with swollen feeling but no swelling present in one or both legs from my lower back & side down into my foot. My lower back, hip, knee & ankle will ache. It may affect one side that includes shoulder to hand pain & weakness but I'm guessing that's because I sleep on my side. If I push myself when the pain is bad, it starts to burn, becomes numb, its harder to walk, feels like my foot wants to drag, & I have to sit down. Rest, including a night's sleep, elevation of my legs or exercise doesn't help. It tends to remain constant & lasts from a few days or weeks & then I'm back to perfect & weeks or months can pass without it happening again. It makes my legs & arms feel weak, heavy & uncoordinated & half-asleep. Any heat(esp. humidity)makes me feel like rubber,very uncomfortable & tired-I love cold weather. About four times (during past year & a half) I've had 30 seconds of intense waist pain like someone is pulling my belt tighter than possible-? I do have fatigue-many times extreme fatigue for a couple days, otherwise I can sleep 12 hours at a crack at times. Normally about nine hours fully refreshes me. Increasing headaches-painful headaches are over the right eye or intense ones with nausea & sensitivity to light/sound. Any exertion (bending down, going up stairs) produces painful throbbing. My vision gets blurry/foggy for a few minutes which has happened a couple times where I'm blinking & squinting trying to focus & nothing will-due to college reading I assume. I had a Lumbar MRI over a year ago which was normal & I tested negative for rheumatoid arthritis. I'm nauseated frequently to the point where I cannot read & also have days of dizziness.(I lose my balance more often in the but have never fallen & seem a little clumsy in dropping my keys, etc.) New sensations of vibrating as if heavy construction is underground are happening in my legs & now arms that go off & on. I've also felt a slight pressure under my left ribs for many months-digestion? I mentioned everything from my main gripe of leg pain to minor annoyances just to be complete. Would you suggest that these symptoms indicate that they are neurological in origin? Do you think it wise for a B12 or thyroid test? I  Thank you for your insight-all aspects of it have become frustrating.

[CCF Neuro[P] MD, RPS]

Dear Kelly:

I am sorry to hear about your symptoms.  It is difficult to tell you something specific, as your symptoms are pretty well spread to multiple body parts and symptoms.  I think what might be useful is a complete neurological exam and initial work up for your symptoms (my include CBC, sedimentation rate, electrolytes, vitamin B12 & folate level, etc).  This might help give a direction to further work up.  With a family history of MS, this might also be looked at by initially doing an MRI of the brain and maybe some other studies.  This initial work-up will help ease the unknown and give you a direction to giving a name to your symptoms.

Sincerely,


CCF Neuro MD