Fam. History MS. Do I have it too?

[Suedoll]

Hello, I am a thirty-one year old female.Three weeks ago, I started having some slight tingling in my left foot. The tingling has since moved to my right foot, right fingers, and left fingers. The tingling is intermittant-but strongest in my left foot. My Mother was diagnosed with MS twenty years ago, so I'm concerned! I do have other back damage to the area. I have gone through five pregnancies, broke C-2 in a car wreck as a teenager-have bone spurs at site, have slight scoliosis, and some disc degeneration. Around four weeks ago, one of my kids fell hard on my lower back as I was laying on the floor on my stomach. The next day, I tripped in a hole, and caught myself with my left leg and knee, while holding one of my kids. I should mention that there is soreness present in a swollen muscle-near sciatic nerve, on the left side. I have been to my family doc, and a chiropractor already. The fam. doc thinks it is all nervouse stress-since I have also been under pressure lately ( rosy cheeks and chest, slight tinnitus, heart palpations-few.). I wonder if I am having Anxiety Disorder and am having nerve injury, or is this poss. MS. Can injury to one side of scicatic nerve be causing tinging in so many places? I'd like to add if I wasn't experiencing Anxiety Disorder before I saw my fam. doc, I am now!! Thanks for your time!

[Suedoll]

Thank you Dr. for your prompt reply. I am sure I'm just a bit paranoid because of the things I witnessed growing up. My mother's MS has affected her a bit differently than most cases that I've heard of. Mom has had MS now for around twenty years-and has never had a bit of pain, just difficulty with vision, walking and her mind. We're not talking minor recall difficulties, we are talking major dementia. The problems with her mind started way back in the begining. Mother can't remember people's names, drive, read, operate a remote control, operate a phone, or do simple mental tasks. Many people believe she has Alzheimer's-she is that bad!! As to answer comments made earlier by forum members, my mother was diagnosed when I was nearly twelve. I suspect she had it for some time before the diagnosis. She went through denial for years, and refused all meds until recently. She is now on shots, and completed Novatrone therapy a couple of years ago. Mom is also on Dilantin because she had what appeareed to be mini strokes a few years back. To answer the gal with Endo., I have had five kids in the past eleven years. A year ago I was checked very thoroughly for cysts and Endo. at my GYN.-I came up negative for both. I guess it is poss. that something could have developed within this past year, but prob. not likely. I am really amazed that Endometriosis can mimick MS. My Mom's symptoms started with the dragging of one leg! Thanks again ! I will post a follow up when and if things ever get figured out!

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-PW]

While MS has a genetic component, it is by no means definetely transferred from one generation to the next. It is probably a combination of multiple genetic and environmental factors, that we don't actually know the reason for yet

Your sensory symptoms are in all 4 extremities so are less likely to be due to one or more focal lesions, for instance due to MS. Abnormalities like abnormal electrolytes (eg magnesium) or low carbon dioxide in the blood (from overbreathing) can cause these symptoms
You seem to have plenty of other potential contributors to peripheral nerve problems.
Time will tell if other symptoms more suggestive of MS occur which will need further evaluation, but the likeliehood is low, and this should reassure you
Good luck

[sk1220]

Hi,

I'm so sorry to hear you are having problems :( It is terrible worrying about MS. I was very worried about MS a few weeks ago because I was having tingling in my hands and feet, as well as episodes of leg dragging. I also thought it could be stress and anxiety related, as I lead a pretty stressful life, and thinking about MS doesn't help that at all. I went to a neurologist who did a brain MRI and it came back normal. I then went to my GYN because my leg dragging seemed to be cyclical in nature. He performed an LAP to look at my pelvis and he found enodmetriosis. He said it appears to be near the nerves in my lower back, and it is undoubtedly causing my leg pain/dragging. That was a huge relief but now I have to think about what to do because endometriosis is an incurable (but not life threatening) disease. As for the tingling, I am starting to think that it is partially stress related and partially endo related. My left arm tingles a LOT around the time of my period, and if the endo is invading nerves, than it could be causing that (keep in mind my symptoms are highly unusual but not unheard of for endo). I just started Paxil a month ago and it is already helping a lot of my stress/anxiety go away. I am very happy to finaly be on it, as I have had an anxiety disorder for many years. I just wanted to let you know what I've been through so that maybe you can retrieve something from it, whether it be noticing your symptoms are cyclical, or receiving some help for your anxiety. I hope it is not MS, and you are able to find answers soon. Sometimes finding the answers is the best way to get rid of the anxiety. Take care, if you ever need to e-mail feel free (***@****).

- Susie

[Mother Margaret]

Hoping all the 'accidents' you will recover from.  

As to MS, I've seen info that states it is an autoimmune disorder of the immune system.

There is a common cleaning/degreaser chemcial (also in paints and plastics and dry cleaning businesses) that can cause autoimmune problems in many areas ... as well as the brain and nervous system:  It is 2-butoxyethanol or also known by other names, ethylene glycol monobutly ether. www.valdezlink.com/same.htm

I suspect that it causes the fatigue doctors are looking for.  Anyway, did your mom have MS before you were born, or after?

It would be possible to be affected by this chemical prior to birth & get various 'birth defects'  Some that would show up at birth, and others that could show up later, like ALD, hemangiomas.  However, it is also possible to get your own exposures throughout your life ... and to get it 2nd hand from someone else ... Worst exposure is in your eye membranes & someone expelling it in their respirtation, would be a source of exposure.

http://home.gci.net/~blessing/pages/adrenoleukodystrophy.htm

http://home.gci.net/~blessing/pages/thefatigue.htm

Help will come for those afflicted with the Gulf war syndrome symptoms or CFS, CFIDS, ME, FM ... when the autoimmune immune system stops.  That's the help we need