What could this be?

[Dazy08]

25 year old female. Symptoms on and off for the past 3 1/2 years.

DrSharma suggested I be tested for MS, bigsissie suggested it might be thyroid because of elevated TSH, but that has since been retested and the results were normal, as well as those for free-T4.

My c-reactive protein level was elevated (.8 mg/dL)indicating inflammation, but my rheumatologist said it didn't concern him.

This was originally posted in the neurology forum:

I've been experiencing severe fatigue since April of this year.  I have some fatigue throughout the year, but nowhere near as bad as it is now.  I've noticed that it usually gets worse, or at least becomes problematic, during the spring and on into the summer, and then I usually start feeling better some time in the fall.  In addition to fatigue, I also have joint pain and stiffness (mostly in my legs) that is usually worse in the morning and gradually gets a little better, but still persists throughout the day. I have muscle weakness in my arms, and my hands feel clumsy- I tend to drop things and I feel like I have to concentrate to grab small things like change. Lately, I've also been experiencing migraines that last for 2 to 3 days.  I used to get a migraine every now (they would be worse in the summer), but now they occur more often.  I've probably had 3 or 4 in the last couple of weeks.  I have memory problems.  I've been having visual problems...pain upon movement (usually in the left eye but sometimes in the right eye as well), I have static vision and everything in my periphery seems to be moving (this has gradually gotten worse over the last week), flashes of light in my periphery, and some flashes of light when I move my eyes (brighter and in the center).  I saw my opthamologist, who said my eyes were healthy and everything looked fine; my prescription hadn't even changed in the 2 years since I last saw him.  He said I could be experiencing complications from my chronic eye, which I have dealt with for the last 4 or so years (usually worse when my allergies act up).  He went on to say if it's not the dry eye that's causing my visual symptoms it could be a migraine variant.  Regarding my other symptoms, I saw a general practitioner who tested for vitamin D deficiency, lyme disease, and a couple other vitamin deficiencies.  Everything was normal, with the exception of a slightly low level of vitmain D, but he said it wasn't low enough to explain my symptoms.  So, he sent me to a rheumatologist, who tested me for lupus, sarcoidosis, rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid abnormalities, anemia, and some other stuff.  Everything was normal except my TSH level, which was elevated.  He said this could indicated an underactive thyroid, but he wanted to confirm so he did another test looking at TSH and free-T4.  I got the results today, and both were normal.  So my rheum. decided to put me on an antidepressant to see if that helps the fatigue and he'll see me in 2 months.  I had been against just trying a medication to see if it worked, but after all this I might as well.  But in the back of my mind, I keep thinking could it be something neurological?  Or is it just in my head?  Should I get a second opinion and/or see a neurologist?  Help!

[Dazy08]

Thanks for the input. It's looking like a neuro consult is the next step. The rheumatologist hasn't been able to tell me anything convincing.

[Dazy08]

Thanks for the info. I went back to my primary physician about the migraines and he prescribed Imitrex. I've only had one small migraine since getting the rx, for which I took half of a tablet. It put me to sleep, but I felt a lot better when I woke up, and somewhat refreshed. I saw the rheumatlogist today and he said he thinks it's fibromyalgia. It seemed like he just sort of came up with it half way through the appointment and wasn't really confident in the diagnosis...like he just said it to be saying something other than "I don't know." In regards to my vitamin d, he said he thought it was a normal level (22), so that wasn't anything to worry about. He hasn't done any other tests. His suggestion to treat the fibromyalgia is to exercise for 5 mins 3 times a day. I seriously doubt this is what's causing my problems, I'm not tender anywhere which he would know if he actually examined me, and - don't have widespread pain. I barely even have pain. When I visited my regular dr we did discuss a neuro consult, so it does look like if it is ms, I'm half way there. I don't want to be a complete skeptic, so I'll try the exercise, not like I'm not active anyway.  Sorry this reply turned into a bit of a rant, but it's just easier to let the frustration out to someone who know what it's like. Thanks again.

[jenniferk86]

by the way im 25 also... and symptoms of chiari and ms both start presenting in this age range and mimic each other and both go along with thyroid problems and vit d def.

[jenniferk86]

It sounds like it could be MS to me... It also sounds exactly like me... almost to the T.. like very scary exactly like me.... search all my posts and look at my entries.. even the fatigue I was diagnosed with vit d def. and felt more tired in the spring and summer too... I had slight thyroid and even took and am taking levothyroxine to see if it would help but mostly normal... I too was tested for ms for vision and clumsiness... you need an mri to rule out ms... but this is one tip I will offer for you only because you sound like me in every way shape and form and because of the additional symptom of headache... I want you to look up the condition Chiari 1 malformation and the symptoms....and when you go for you mri to rule out or to see if you have ms... mention to the radiologist and dr. to look for chiari 1 malformation.  The condition is pretty rare and is often missed the condition goes undiagnosed even on mri's and by radiologists often and takes 6-10 years to diagnose on average.  mine was found when sent to get an mri to see if I had ms.... so make sure you get a copy of the mri cd's or films so you can look at them or post them and I will look at them if they say you dont have anything... but I bet your answer will lie in your mri, even if it isnt chiari... it may be, and it is possible ms, and could be something else, but I wanted to make you aware of this condition.  good luck and feel free to personal message me with questions.

[WhtWolf263]

i would see the neurologist or also lossibly see someone with you local MS ***.