is this MS??

[berth1dm]

Hi, here are my symptoms
On Jan 1, I woke up with tingling in my toes it moved to my feet and hands and arms.  It lasted about 2 weeks, it would come and go, be on both sides of the body at the same time, opposite hand and opposite foot or one side.  I also developed stabbing pains in my face, twitching all over my body and ringing in both my ears.  I went to the doctor, neuro exam was mostly normal.  I had hyper reflexes (have had those all my life) and 2 beat clonus on each foot.  I had fatigueing nystamus in both eyes (horizontal).  She order an MRI of the head with contrast, which came up negative for any lesions and looked normal.  She order B-12, diabetes, lead posioning, Mg level and Chem-Profile, all which turned up normal.  I do know that one of the signs of MS is L'Hermittes phenomenon, knowing this I having been testing myself everyday, throughout the day.  Actually I have been wrenching on my neck and twisting it is weird positions.  After two months of doing this, I now having tingling down my left leg when I bend my neck.  I also see floaters in both my eyes on a daily basis and flashing lights when I move my eyes fast.  They look like sparkels; blue, purple and yellow.  The other day I was staring at the sky for a long time and it looked as if the clouds were pulsating and dancing.  

My medical history includes, strabismus both eyes with surgeries.  

My questions is this MS?
Did I cause L'Hermittes sign by wrenching on my neck?
Am I at increased risk for MS?
Are floaters a symptom of MS
How confident can I be about the negative MRI.

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

The diagnosis of MS is based on clinical history, MRI findings, and spinal tap results. As I have not personally examined you nor have I reviewed your films, I cannot make an accurate diagnosis. It is possible that some of your symptoms could be due to MS, however a normal MRI in the face of active symptoms makes the diagnosis less likely. The nystagmus you have could be due to the eye surgeries and strabismus. Typical eye symptoms for MS include painful decreased vision in one eye and color/brightness dulling. Floaters are not specific for MS, but could be a primary eye problem with or without some relationship to MS. LHermitte's sign is an electric shock like sensation down your neck with simple bending. If you're twisting or contorting your neck, you could cause your own damage. If you're still concerned about the diagnosis of MS, consider seeing an ophthalmologist for a formal eye exam and perhaps a spinal tap for further evaluation. If there is no objective findings on the neuro/eye exam, normal spinal tap and MRI, then it is very very unlikely that you have MS. GOod luck.

[Enhanced Lesions on White Matter]

I have MS and recommend if your insurance will allow that you have a full MRI w and w/o contract of brain, brainstem and lumbar. Its important that they check everywhere for lesions. Also to serve as a good baseline. Also, it is your right to know where your lesions are and what symptoms may result. The MRI alone will not be the reason for the DX. They will probably want you to take a spinal tap since your MRI is negative. I never had this done because I had MS lesions and other symptoms. Personally, I am so much better off having started MS therapy so early on so if you have MS I hope you consider starting an ABC drug right away. Suggestions: go see an eye doctor regarding the floaters. Hopefully they can tell if they are just dead cells in the iris or something else. It is unbelievable how the slightest thing in the spine can cause a great array of problems so I really hope you get the MRI and MRA's done to give your doc a better picture of what might be happening. Good luck and I mean that

[berth1dm]

do these sound like MS symptoms to you
did you ever have ringing in your ears or see floaters or flashing lights?  I am really scared.  I also heard that MRIs are not very accurate if you have early symptoms of MS.  Thanks for your response

[berth1dm]

I was also tested for thyroid and that was normal.

[Enhanced Lesions on White Matter]

First please dont be scared of MS. If you have to have a white matter disease you want to take MS. The majority of the MS population (from what is published) is RRMS 85% of them. They say 50% of those may become progressive after 10 years of onset of the disease. The word progressive just means a symptom will worsen and/or they will get more lesions. That doesn't mean disability at all. Please dont be scared.
Floaters if they are ruled just dead cells in the iris are not MS. THe ringing in the ears is called Tinnitus (look up on this site) I have pulsatte tinnitus but I dont have lesions on that area of the brain stem so my tinnitus is from something else not MS. Something like 3 million people have tinnitus. You need to see an Ear Nose Throat specialist for that. Add that to your list :)
Really please get the MRI's of brain, brainstem, lumbar. Go to ENT for the tinnitus and think positive.  MS is not a death sentence and is really very managable when caught early.

Good luck and God Bless

[sharons]

My daughter age 31 received a lupron injection on January 11,2002.  The next day while she was at work, she noticed that her right eye was getting bluired.  She called her doctor, and he said it was not a side effect of the lupron.  The next day she could not see out of both of her eyes.  The Eye doctor said it was from the shot.  She had MRis Spinial taps and ct scans .  They did thid three times and they all came back negitive. She went to Yale univerisity where the doctors there said that hernerves in her eyes were swollen.  They called it papilledema.  She also hemmeraged behind her left eye.  She can not see.  They also said she may have pesudotumor cerebri.  She had no pressure in her spine when they did the taps.  Could this be MS?  4 of her doctors said that it was from the lupron shot, but the doctor at Yale said maby Ms or pseudotumor.  What could it be?  Will it go away?

[ked]

I am 27 years old.  Last September, my left arm started going numb off and on.  I was under a lot of stress with September 11th.  Although I was not directly affected I am a worrier.  My grandfather also passed away after about a month in the hospital. I went to my family doctor who ordered a CT scan w and w/out.  It was fine, scheduled me an appt. with neurologist.  I figured it was just stress and canceled it.  

My left arm still goes numb on me.  On March 7th, I had one of these spells which also made my heart race for the first time.  After several hours of this I went to the er.  My heart rate was 173.  I had an echo done (MVP), event monitor (showed PVC, palpitations, etc.)  Since then my right arm has also started tingling.  Well now it has moved to both of my legs also.  My arms mainly to this during the night which wakes me up.  My legs do this off and on all the time.  I have one spasm during the night with my right leg.  I have noticed some short term memory loss and confusion with words.  This may be some of the side effects of Toprol that I am taking for my heart rate.  I have an appt. w/ the neurologist this week.  Does anyone have these symptoms?

[AtWitsEnd]

Hi
i have read many of your posts.. I also have MS and would love to talk to you.
Could you please email me at ***@****
thanks
Stacey