worried about ms..again

[worried415]

I have had nuerological symptoms come and go for the past 18 1/2 years; since I was 21...I am now 39 female.
started with bladder problems that lasted 7 years. Symptoms waxed and waned and included: feeling like i would have to  urinate all the time, emptying would help temporarily.  After first child was born symptoms subsided.  Now, they bother me very infrequently; also infrequent symptoms of urgency lately;
When 24, had chicken pox, then vision in one eye became cloudy...lasted for several days...dr. thought it was from chicken pox, but maybe it optic nueritis??? eyes have been checked by reg. eye dr. (md) and no signs of optic nueritis. 5 years ago, had an episode where vision distorted upon wakening from deep sleep;still happens sometimes.When awakening from deep sleep where vison is distorted. Also, since first episode vision is streaky; when something passes in front of vision quickly.  Also, one pupil slightly larger than other.
other symptoms include hands going numb during sleep, tingling in many areas-legs, arms, head, strange sensations under skin, slight numbness on tip of one to for years; muscle twitches in back, leg, hip, arm..they dont last very long..., slight numbness here and there over the years-not lasting very long..never had dizziness or weakness; Also have had night sweats for years, extremeties fall asleep easily; (when legs are crossed),also toe cramps up (i.e. when pointing toes)and foot cramps lately. fatigue comes and goes;never feel rested upon wakening. MRI's & spinal tap-15 yrs ago -normal. TOo scared to go to neuro. Sound like ms?

[RockRose]

Worried - it sounds like maybe anxiety is causing some of your problems.

It sounds like also,  you've had a variety of things that came and went - like bladder infections,  and chicken pox (which is very hard on an adult).  And when you cross your legs they fall asleep, and also you may be low in potassium because you keep getting foot cramps.

It doesn't necessarily sound like you have a serious disease.

Best wishes.

[worried415]

thanks for your comments. I do have anxiety...alot!!
I did have one bladder infection, thats how it all started...i had an infection and took anti-biotics, and it went away. but then a month later, i thought i had other infections, but i didnt. i went to many dr.s and they couldnt find anything..  

Also, what about the vision problems?? the streakiness is always there....???  

also, today, after i got out of bed, a part of my thigh--the front went numb..it scared me..but it only lasted maybe one minute. and went away.  

Ive also had burning in the back of my right thigh on and off for a few months..it subsided for now.


any other comments??

could it be mild ms????  

[4t1074]

sounds like anxiety.  Get you some wellbutrin or zoloft or something close.  the only way you will tell if something is going on is to go to the neuro.

[MortgageLady]

I was just reading your posting...and I want you to know that bladder infections is actually a sign of MS.  I get them frequently and what I found out was the symptoms were there even when the infections were not, the only way they could figure this out, was for a Urologist to go into my bladder, in the office, and take a sample of my bladder tissue, not a fun thing...but found out that my situation happens to be Interstitial Cystitis.  This means that the lining of the bladder is very weak or thin, and the acidity in the urine can be make it extremely painful.  The frequency, urgency, I actually got confirmation after I was taking a Vitamin C supplement, you really have to stay away from almost any acidity...and I started urinating blood, which was unbelievably painful, and ended up in the ER.  But, once you adjust your diet.  If that is part of the issue, it does help!  Very little fruits, and juices unfortunately.  I have been tested 2x over years for MS, it has come back negative both times.  I get severe joint pain. Headaches/migraines,my vision gets cloudy and sometimes double.  My legs, almost every day, get where they twitch really bad, uncontrollably...and I was diagnosed with a pineal cyst, which depending on who you talk to...this could mean nothing, and yet it may be a huge deal!  Who knows...I don't have depression although I do have frustration...lol..Any advise is welcome!!!

[worried415]

i was tested for interstitial cistitis and it was found that i dont have it... also, only once was there an actual infection where bacteria was found...so my bladder was not retaining urine, as in some ms cases.

what test did you ahve for ms,l and how long have you ahd symptoms?

I was reading that with relapse/remitting you have exerbations where new symptoms appear or old symptoms worsen and it lasts for at least 24 hrs..i dont beleive ive ever had this happen in the 18 years... i just have symptoms that wax and wane..but no "attacks" with a definate start and end time.

Does ayone know about this??

also, does anyone know about having a mild case of ms for so long...would it still be reommended to go on the interferan meds???

[worried415]

one other thing--i got tested for Interstitial by going into the hoospital as an outpatient and them looking inside my bladder..and i guess they took tissue samples, and they also filled my bladder with water...

It was about 8 years ago, but they told me it was the only way to diagnose it. maybe its different now.

[Saidee]

Please check this out anyone worried about tingling,numbness,tickling,burning sensations

http://www.anxietyzone.com/index.php?topic=1070.0

Good Luck!!

[cjzabel]

Hello I am not a doctor but I am a nursing student and I can tell you that none of your symptoms realy seem to fit MS. First anxiety can cause tingling all over hotflashes and weird skin sensations. The foot cramping sounds like lack of potasium.The bladder issues can be caused by having children and also from having sexual realations try to urinate right after. Try to take a multivitamin. If you do take something for anxiety you could try Lexapro I take it for anxiety, but I will warn you like any drug it has sideaffects but you have to stay with it, it takes at least two weeks to work. Most of all try to relax, and try to get some sort of exersise at least 30 minutes a day it realy will help. Good luck.

[justlookingforanswers]

I was just wondering what made you think of ms?  I do not have ms but my sister in law does.  She was diagnosed at age 19 and has a very aggresive (aggressive) form so I cannot help with "mild ms".  

I do, however, wonder about your "self" diagnosis.  I am not judging, please believe me, I too am a "self" diagnoser!!  Mine is just "cardiac" related.  Quite honestly I am amazed at the amount of people who are concerned about ms on here.  Please be careful what you read online.  There is ALOT of great info out there but also a lot of not so great info.  This site has been great for me, but then again--it can lead to self diagnosis and paranoia as well.  I would suggest going to a NEURO to calm your fears.  Rule it out--Nip it in the bud!!!  

Now if I could take my own advice!!! lol


I truly wish you the best.

[cjzabel]

I am glad you made the appointment. I hope they can find some answers for you it realy is depressing to not feel well and not have a diagnoses. If it is something like ms they have alot of different treatments for it, that work very well at controlling the flair ups. Please have faith in yourself, god bless, and let us know what the neuro says.

[justlookingforanswers]

I am so glad that you have made an appointment.  I wish you the very best luck to get to the bottom of your physical symptoms.  It is so hard to believe that there are so many of us out there with unexplained REAL physical problems.  I have found with mine (again, "cardiac" related) that I have done more harm than good by hanging out on the computer trying to match my symptoms to a disease or ailment.

Get a clean bill of health and then don't underestimate the power of the mind to cause very REAL, very SCARY symptoms that can sometimes be attributed to anxiety.  My next stop is talk therapy while still working on the PHYSICAL because the are still very REAL to me.

Best wishes.

[worried415]

thanks again for caring. I havent made the appt. yet but i am going to call tomorrow...i dont know which is worse..living without knowing and just hoping i dont have it, or actually finding out I do and then dealing with it...

The meds just seem so harsh and i just dont feel sick, so id hate to put those foreign substances in my body, when i basically feel okay...i guess its the future that is unknown with ms.

anyway, could you imagine if i went and did not have MS  ..after all of these years of torturing myself.....i would fell such relief..however, i just dont think that will be the case, but i will pray that it is...

Ill let you know when i make the appt. and what day it is..maybe you could pray too..every bit of prayer helps!!!

Thanks again for your support!!

[worried415]

thanks for your responses.....

I am concerned about ms, because of the numbness I have--hands falling asleep very easily, tip of toe is partially numb, also the vision problems i have. I woke from a deep sleep one night and my vision was all distorted..it was so strange, i dotn even know how to describe it..this was about 5 yrs. ago, and it still happens..since then , one of my pupils is larger than the other, and my vison is streaky, for instance if a car is going by i cant fully focus on it if its moving too quickly, so it has a tail following it....if that makes any sense...its so strange...i had my eyes checked and the eye dr.s never find anything.  also, because of my bladder which is a big ms symptom. I had it bad for about 7 years where it would alwys feel like i had to urinate, and it wouldnt be just the normal feeling either...it would drive me nuts....sometimes the feeling would subside if i voided and sometimes it wouldnt...i be in the bathroom like forty times a day probably.  
I just dont know what else it could be..also, went i went to the neuro years ago, he found a babinski reflex..also an indicater of ms...the first neuro i went to saw it, the ms speicalist did not.  
well, ive decided to make the appt.. i got a name of one of the "best of the best" neuros in NJ....

[cjzabel]

Of course I will pray for you. Even if they do think you have MS it may be such a mild form that it does not require treatment. I have read many articles stating that someone had ms for a very long time but never realy developed the disease enough to warent treatment, leaving the family to discover the ms after the persons death. All people react to things differntly. And if it has been this long you may not ever get worse. My best wishes let me know what they say. Be strong, God bless.

[worried415]

thanks again....your post helped me...I have to be strong and think positive.

If you know where you read those articles, I'd like to read them too. If you dont remember that's okay..

[cjzabel]

I could not find the exact articles, but I did find some things you will want to see.       http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2004-08/mc-pwm083004.php Paste this to your browser it a whole article about benign ms, which if you do have ms I think you would fall under this catagory. Sorry I could not find the others, I have read alot about ms over the years. I will look up some more info on campus for you ok.

[worried415]

You're the best!!

Thanks!!

Also, i made an appt. for 2/22 at an MS Center, so I'll know pretty soon whats gonig on!

[cjzabel]

were you able to look at that information? I hope it made you feel a little more at ease with your situation, so you can enjoy life more. I know how hard it is to have things going wrong with your body you don't understand. best wishes

[worried415]

hi...yes i did read it.
I am familar with that article. I have read it before.
Then my husband and I started to research to see if we could find others.  We did find some, but none as recent as that one.

The not knowing is hard, but then actually hearing the dr. say what it is, is scary too. and then having to deal with it and always having it in your head that you have this "disease" that could be very disabling.  

Im going to post here again, asking if others have read anything about benign or mild ms. and also if others have had mild symptoms for so long...are they on meds or not.  

thanks again for your help...i really appreciate it!