Aa
MS or something else? Low vitamin D
Hello,
Previous written on a post a few weeks ago (just trying to keep up with all of these crazy symptoms).
My first question I guess is what would cause "minor buldging without stenosis" in different areas of my spine? Could these be areas that have developed or are lesion like? My reflexes are hyperactive in my knees. B12 was okay, Vitamin D is low (I live in Florida) Brain scan said Negative however I do have three non specific lesions that MS specialist says are not ms. He believes small ischemic blood vessel disease. Please see below.
I am a 37 year old woman. I have always been a natural at sports. Most recently, ready to compete in a level one bodybuilding competition about 1-1/2 years ago. I am also a recovering alcoholic - I have three years sobriety and recently picked up my three year medallion.
About a year ago, I would pick up my dog (puppy at the time) and I guess it may have been the way I held her, my back was slightly arched and I would get this extremely painful aching pressure in both hamstrings, enough so that I might drop to the floor. It would alleviate once I put her down and stood up. It hurt terribly. I have also had tendonitis in my right hip from weight training that can act up now and again. It felt a bit numb around this time. I didn't think a whole heck of a lot about it. Went to the family doctor - he looked a little curious. Gave me predisone and said I could check out an Orthopedic. I did so. Orthopedic did lumbar mri (no contrast) and back x-ray. Ortho said spine looked great. MRI indicated a "very small annular tear at L-4 L-5, minor bulding, no stenosis. He said my knees were a little hyper reflexive. Said I could go to Neuro to get checked out or that it may just "go away' and not come back.
One night I woke up with lower abs "vibrating" a little creepy, but I didn't flip out.
Made appointment with Neuro. Before appointment (around new years this year 2009). Before appt. I started having these crazy muscle twitches, all over my body, head to toe (the type I guess they talk about with ALS). Felt like popcorn all over. Saw neuro, felt like he wasn't really listening. He said "Alcoholic - Magnesium or B12 deficiently). I have been sober and recovering for three years. Chuckled when I mentioned MS. Send me on my way to buy supplements.
Within a short period of a week or so the twitching mellowed somewhat and I began to have pins and needls (mostly in legs), burning sensation in legs and arms like IcyHot. Hot water sensation running down by back and shoulders. Back of neck tingling, burning pains. I have had cognitive disfuctions I could not understand what people were saying, hard time finding words, balance issues (walk like a drunk). I mostly seem to fall or lean to the left. Floaters in my eyes. I have one spec in my left eye that is always there. Newer - I now see a shimmering around car lights at night. This affects both eyes - like halos but with prizims, big starbursts. Had a few days where I was so exhausted I just wanted to lay down and when I did here comes some restless lets and even my right arm.
I then started having bilaterial numbness in the pinky and ring fingers on both hands. Bilaterial numbness in the 2 toes next to pinky toes on each foot. Stiffness in my hamstrings from time to time (the same area of the hamstrings that I had the crushing pain in a year before). Feels like I walk funny. Walking into door jams. Brain MRI showed non-specific lesions 2 very small and one larger. I am now seeing two Neuros, one is an MS specialist and both state that those lesions are not to worry about. Not MS like lesions. Expected some do to smoking and drinking history.
MS specialist says "periprhial neuropathy". I thought that would make both feet numb (glove and stocking effect), not 2 bilaterial toes and fingers. He ordered cervical MRI (said lesions there would cause such symptoms). Cervical MRI was clean for lesions, but again as the first one on the hamstrings prior had minor buldging, no stenosis. He does not think MS. I am moving forward with LP because I am scared. Now he does not want to do LP, but EMG study again. The first one was okay.
Symptoms seem to be backing off. Depressed, afraid, bloodwork all came back normal. Was malnourished at the time I got sober, but have eaten well since. Can B12 Def. be missed in bloodwork? Mine was fine. They also did Lyme titer. Magnesium was fine. Anybody have similar?
Update - symptoms are all still here. The all over twitches seem to be coming back.
I am now having some trouble swallowing. Like the food slows as it is going down. I am also starting to get small "hiccups" when I am eating. I have more pins and needles now in my left foot. Vibrations in my legs. My cognitive seems to have improved, but the others seem to be hanging around.
My more recent blood work came back, vitamin D2 was negative 4 and D3 was low at 20? Doc said very low D. From what I understand, people with MS generally have a low D and perhaps should not take the extra D. I am a Floridian, born and raised. I am in the sun etc. I am or have been a bodybuilder and have been tan etc.
Where do we go from here? I took a temp leave from work because I feel like I can't keep up and want to try to get a Dx. I am trying to get into Shands (with the support of both family doctor and neuro) and they seem to be hard to get into. My insurance covers Shands. Does not cover Mayo fully (where I would prefer to go). What have you all done with these types of situations? Does anyone know how to get into these clinics faster? Would you go to Mayo even if it would cause you to have more debt? Does anyone here consider stem cell treatments in other countries if it turns up to be MS? I am also more fearful that it could be devics disease? Thanks for any input you can give. I want to go to the hospital this week just to see if they can find anything and push me over to Shands or Mayo.
Previous written on a post a few weeks ago (just trying to keep up with all of these crazy symptoms).
My first question I guess is what would cause "minor buldging without stenosis" in different areas of my spine? Could these be areas that have developed or are lesion like? My reflexes are hyperactive in my knees. B12 was okay, Vitamin D is low (I live in Florida) Brain scan said Negative however I do have three non specific lesions that MS specialist says are not ms. He believes small ischemic blood vessel disease. Please see below.
I am a 37 year old woman. I have always been a natural at sports. Most recently, ready to compete in a level one bodybuilding competition about 1-1/2 years ago. I am also a recovering alcoholic - I have three years sobriety and recently picked up my three year medallion.
About a year ago, I would pick up my dog (puppy at the time) and I guess it may have been the way I held her, my back was slightly arched and I would get this extremely painful aching pressure in both hamstrings, enough so that I might drop to the floor. It would alleviate once I put her down and stood up. It hurt terribly. I have also had tendonitis in my right hip from weight training that can act up now and again. It felt a bit numb around this time. I didn't think a whole heck of a lot about it. Went to the family doctor - he looked a little curious. Gave me predisone and said I could check out an Orthopedic. I did so. Orthopedic did lumbar mri (no contrast) and back x-ray. Ortho said spine looked great. MRI indicated a "very small annular tear at L-4 L-5, minor bulding, no stenosis. He said my knees were a little hyper reflexive. Said I could go to Neuro to get checked out or that it may just "go away' and not come back.
One night I woke up with lower abs "vibrating" a little creepy, but I didn't flip out.
Made appointment with Neuro. Before appointment (around new years this year 2009). Before appt. I started having these crazy muscle twitches, all over my body, head to toe (the type I guess they talk about with ALS). Felt like popcorn all over. Saw neuro, felt like he wasn't really listening. He said "Alcoholic - Magnesium or B12 deficiently). I have been sober and recovering for three years. Chuckled when I mentioned MS. Send me on my way to buy supplements.
Within a short period of a week or so the twitching mellowed somewhat and I began to have pins and needls (mostly in legs), burning sensation in legs and arms like IcyHot. Hot water sensation running down by back and shoulders. Back of neck tingling, burning pains. I have had cognitive disfuctions I could not understand what people were saying, hard time finding words, balance issues (walk like a drunk). I mostly seem to fall or lean to the left. Floaters in my eyes. I have one spec in my left eye that is always there. Newer - I now see a shimmering around car lights at night. This affects both eyes - like halos but with prizims, big starbursts. Had a few days where I was so exhausted I just wanted to lay down and when I did here comes some restless lets and even my right arm.
I then started having bilaterial numbness in the pinky and ring fingers on both hands. Bilaterial numbness in the 2 toes next to pinky toes on each foot. Stiffness in my hamstrings from time to time (the same area of the hamstrings that I had the crushing pain in a year before). Feels like I walk funny. Walking into door jams. Brain MRI showed non-specific lesions 2 very small and one larger. I am now seeing two Neuros, one is an MS specialist and both state that those lesions are not to worry about. Not MS like lesions. Expected some do to smoking and drinking history.
MS specialist says "periprhial neuropathy". I thought that would make both feet numb (glove and stocking effect), not 2 bilaterial toes and fingers. He ordered cervical MRI (said lesions there would cause such symptoms). Cervical MRI was clean for lesions, but again as the first one on the hamstrings prior had minor buldging, no stenosis. He does not think MS. I am moving forward with LP because I am scared. Now he does not want to do LP, but EMG study again. The first one was okay.
Symptoms seem to be backing off. Depressed, afraid, bloodwork all came back normal. Was malnourished at the time I got sober, but have eaten well since. Can B12 Def. be missed in bloodwork? Mine was fine. They also did Lyme titer. Magnesium was fine. Anybody have similar?
Update - symptoms are all still here. The all over twitches seem to be coming back.
I am now having some trouble swallowing. Like the food slows as it is going down. I am also starting to get small "hiccups" when I am eating. I have more pins and needles now in my left foot. Vibrations in my legs. My cognitive seems to have improved, but the others seem to be hanging around.
My more recent blood work came back, vitamin D2 was negative 4 and D3 was low at 20? Doc said very low D. From what I understand, people with MS generally have a low D and perhaps should not take the extra D. I am a Floridian, born and raised. I am in the sun etc. I am or have been a bodybuilder and have been tan etc.
Where do we go from here? I took a temp leave from work because I feel like I can't keep up and want to try to get a Dx. I am trying to get into Shands (with the support of both family doctor and neuro) and they seem to be hard to get into. My insurance covers Shands. Does not cover Mayo fully (where I would prefer to go). What have you all done with these types of situations? Does anyone know how to get into these clinics faster? Would you go to Mayo even if it would cause you to have more debt? Does anyone here consider stem cell treatments in other countries if it turns up to be MS? I am also more fearful that it could be devics disease? Thanks for any input you can give. I want to go to the hospital this week just to see if they can find anything and push me over to Shands or Mayo.
Well I have other issues with my back; however, I have no pain. My MRI report mentions something in it "could" be MS lesion, but my neurologist said "he hates when radiologists do that". I think they wrote it because that is what the doctor was looking for. When I told him about the mirgraines he just steered away from it. I am taking Vitamin D yes, but I am bad about remembering!
I think I need to follow up more with the neuro. I wish this wasn't so difficult to find the actual answers!
I think I need to follow up more with the neuro. I wish this wasn't so difficult to find the actual answers!
Thanks - I am trying to remain optomistic. So you also had some white spots on the brain mri? Both neuros said mine were not characteristic of MS. The minor buldges in the spinal cord did not have lesions (was very thankful for that). However, there weren't any herinated disks or things they could see that they thought would cause nerve pain. I have had all over muscle twitches as well. Head to toe.
Have you been taking a vitamin D supplement? I know that I live in Florida and you live in California - we get some nice sun. Do you have more than one area of your back that is giving you issues? Thanks again!
Have you been taking a vitamin D supplement? I know that I live in Florida and you live in California - we get some nice sun. Do you have more than one area of your back that is giving you issues? Thanks again!
Well my doc thought I had MS, I have low vitamin D and live in ca. My doc said most women have low Vitamin D, she didn't know why though. Long story long, they ended up doing MRIs on my back and I have herniated disks that are putting pressure on my spinal cord. This is causing my tingling and vibration sensations in my lower abdomen, buttocks, genitals, legs and feet. I did have some white brain matter but he said since I have migraines and NO other signs of MS and an MRI that confirms that I have my nerves pinched that control my bowels and urinary track that he will not further search for MS.
Its a shot in the dark, but you may be surprised how your back with screw many other things up. I am in shock and scared that I will have to have a very touchy surgery because it is in my thoracic area of the spine
Its a shot in the dark, but you may be surprised how your back with screw many other things up. I am in shock and scared that I will have to have a very touchy surgery because it is in my thoracic area of the spine
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