MS? Anxiety?

[Millerman]

     First of all, thank you for taking the time to read this and address my concerns.  
After passing out six weeks ago at the eye doctor (I fainted while having my tear duct probed), I have been experiencing slight dizziness.  Since about a week after that, I’ve experienced bouts of leg weakness, hand/arm weakness/shakiness, and twitches.  For the past week or two, I have been twitching 30 or 40 times a day at any place on my body.  I have had a brain MRI, cervical spine MRI, spinal tap, CBC, VNG, EEG, carotid ultrasound, and nerve conduction.  VNG showed peripheral nystagmus and spinal tap showed mildly elevated proteins (53, not 15-45).  No banding, no elevated IgG or IgM.  Cerv MRI showed mild degeneration of C2-C6, and a hemangioma at T5, but an unremarkable spinal cord.  My neuro thinks that when I passed out sitting up rather than lying down, that my ear nerves were damaged and that the dizziness was/is real, but that everything I’ve experienced since then with the weakness and twitches has been from anxiety.  My concerns are:

1. Should I be concerned about the elevated proteins in my CSF?  He said this was not a concern, but then why was it flagged on the CSF report?
2. Can anxiety make you twitch all over your body 30-40 times a day?
3. Is a hemangioma something I need to keep an eye on?
4. If I were early in MS, could it be that lesions and bands just haven’t had time to develop/show up?
5. How dependable are VNG results?  My dizziness is not always positional—sometimes I’m dizzy just sitting doing nothing…does that mean it could be central?
6. If this is anxiety, how long will it be before the Zoloft makes a difference?
7. If this is not anxiety, what could it be?

I’m sorry to ask so much—I just so badly want some answers and peace of mind.

Thank you.

Chris

[Millerman]

Thanks for the info.  I didn't bump my head.  I was seated in a chair and the neuro thought that since I never got horizontal, the lack of blood damaged the nerves in my inner ear.  But if that's the case, I don't know why my dizziness has good days and bad days.  Like you said, it's not a spinning...it's more like you just got off of an elevator.  Just a subtle disequilibrium.

But after I came to, I did feel concussed in a sense.  I was hazy and slow and super tired the rest of the day.  then got dizzy 4 days later.  Not sure why the ear damage would take four days to manifest.  

You're right--it's scary stuff.  What I wouldn't give to trade all this for a nice, simple, virulent flu.  :)

Thanks,
Chris

[whiteorchid]

Chris -

Did you hit your head when you passed out?  I'm only asking because my symptoms (similar) started when I was in a whiplash accident.  It's been four months and the first 1-2 months were hell.   Slowly the symptoms are lessening, but I still have some buzzing, dizziness at times (not spinning - just a swaying kind of dizzy feeling).

I have mild bulging in my C5-6-7 vertebra, but from what I've read, most people have some sort of bulging or spinal issue, without even knowing it.  So -- most likely you have a concussion and possibly a herniation somwhere.

Good luck and know that the symptoms will lessen (no obsess - anxiety only makes it worse).  Do some yoga, find a good doctor who will listen and possibly look into b12 deficiency -- even if you're not deficient, I've read b12 injections can help with some of your symptoms.  

I'm no expert - just someone going through similar health issues (it is SCARY) but I've found thinking positive helps and exercising and yoga takes the edge off.