Need Help pls

Im having tingling in my left arm/leg  it wont go away  and lately i noticed im having burning pain after lots of walking  both of my legs feels stiff    brain mri was done last nov  and its negative  my pcp thinks anxiety related    i went to see neurologist  last dec also  he seems not too concern about my sx  he think anxiety related  he suggest to see psych  w/c i did  last jan 05  psych doc thinks im having gen. anxiety disorder  im so anxious about my sx i research on net  everyday and read esp here seems all my sx related to MS now i think i have MS  my psych doc start me on lexapro 5mg but i stop taking it gives me bad insomnia  my pcp going to see me again in march he said if sx persist he will do spine mri  im really hoping not ms but it seems like i have all ms sx  pls advise me thanks

[Christopher R Newey, DO]

Thanks for using the forum. I am happy to address your questions, and my answer will be based on the information you provided here. Please make sure you recognize that this forum is for educational purposes only, and it does not substitute for a formal office visit with a doctor.

Without the ability to examine and obtain a history, I can not tell you what the exact cause of the symptoms is. However I will try to provide you with some useful information.

Multiple sclerosis (or MS) is an inflammatory demyelinating disease that affects the central nervous system. To make the diagnosis there are specific criteria, in which objective neurologic findings are present affecting 2 or more locations in the nervous system in 2 or more episodes. In order to make this diagnosis, a detailed history and neurologic examination is required. MRI is very helpful and needed as it helps determining the presence of white matter lesions in 2 or more locations, however there are multiple conditions producing MRI changes that could be mistaken for MS, and the MRI should be reviewed properly and correlated to the symptoms. When the diagnosis is in doubt, LP to study the CSF is helpful, and if there is still some doubt, there are other tests such as evoked potentials that can help.

Additionally, anxiety is a psychological and physiological condition with a multitude of symptoms. They include heart palpitations, muscle tension, fatigue, nausea, chest pain, shortness of breath, headaches, and GI symptoms such as diarrhea to name a few. Anxiety can also be accompanied with panic attacks such as a feeling of impending doom or death.

It is concerning to have one sided symptoms that are constant. You may benefit from an MRI of the brain and/or EEG to evaluate the electrical activity of your brain. I would suggest that you continue to monitor your symptoms. If you have new symptoms (such as weakness, visual disturbances, etc), you should be re-evaluated by your primary care physician.

Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.