Symptoms of MS

[ljm1970]

I am a 39 year old female suffering for the past year with multiple symptoms including numbness, tingling, electric shock like pain in left side of face, arm, lower legs, and both feet.  I also experience extreme dizziness, blurred vision, fatigue, wobbly feeling when walking in legs, and sometimes in hands (left side worse).  I also experience bladder problems which include hesitancy, frequency, urgency and some accidents.  I have recently started to have twitching in arms and legs.  I have a had three episodes lasting from several months (first) to several weeks (2nd and 3rd).  My family doctor did a number of tests (I had low B12 but was treated for that a year ago).  Family doctor referred me to a neurologist who didn't feel my problems were neurological in nature?  However, she did send me for a brain mri.  Brain mri indicated small right temporal lobe lesion, which neuro felt would not cause my symptoms.  I am frustrated as the neuro advised she cannot give a diagnosis on one small lesion.  Neuro will do cervical spine mri along with a second brain mri (I live in Ontario and there is a backlog of 6-12 months for this).  Would someone please give me some advice.  Do MS lesions sometimes not show in brain mri, and only on spine mri?  Do I need only the c-spine mri or should I also have a t-spine mri.  Note: prior to this, I have been completely healthy and always maintained a health lifestyle (I do not smoke, drink alcohol, take drugs prescription or otherwise - although I have gained about 10-15 pounds this last year as I haven't quit my walking due to fatigue - I eat very healthy - other than the illness, I am not under any unusual or excessive stress).  I am very frustrated, as I feel the neuro thinks this is all in my head - it isn't - something is definitely wrong.

[StormyRenee]

It is sooooo frustrating when you know somthings wrong and you cant get any answers.
I too was extremely healthy and active prior to any of this happeneing.
I started having neurological symptoms back in 1/09 after a mild cold. I went to numerous doctors and specialists and got absolutly nowhere. I finally found a doctor who listened and did not treat me as if I were crazy. He diagnosed me with Transverse Myelitis and complicated migraines.I also found out that an earlier brain mri that I had which was supposedly normal was not. I had 15 brain lesions.the new neuro could not believe they had been missed. Now I am heading towards a possible MS diagnosis.
Do not let doctors tell you it's all in your head. The first doctor I saw told me I was anorexic and suffering form panic/anxiety attacks.Now 10 months later I facing possible MS.......
Yes MRI's and even LP's can be normal and you can still have MS. It can take a while before things start showing up.
It may be time to find another neurologists.It also would not hurt to see a Rheumatologists.Other autoimmune diseases can mimic ms. The Rheumy can help rule out things like Lupus or other autoimmune nasties.
Good luck!

[kris_tin29]

I have been researching MS because of my own symptoms.  I know I read somewhere that in about 5% of MS patients there are no lesions apparent on the MRI, so an MRI alone cannot be used for a diagnosis.  

I hope you find answers soon.

Kristin