After all these years could this be MS?

[trishw148]

1989 after birth of first child, stiff hands and feet for about a month.
1990 after birth of second child tingling hands for several weeks
1996 after birth of fourth child all hell broke loose!  Headaches, shaking hands and body, brain fog (couldn't remember my phone number), couldn't sign my name since my hands were shaking so much, decreased vision in one eye.  A few times I awoke with this crazy urge to urinate where I would have wet the bed if I didn't get to bathroom.  One time, I felt like I was burned suddenly on one arm.  Went to dr who said MS would not present in all these different areas of the brain at one time.  Twitches; once in church my baby finger just started going up and down.  Dr. said stress.  Went to eye doctor who said no optic neuritis and changed my prescription.  Oddly, at my next eye exam, my vision was back to my old normal (same way for 20 years).  Had a perceived weakness in calf (but I think it was more obsession with having had MS).  
Went to Neuro in 2001 even though I felt better, but it was over this perceived weakness in calf and shakiness plus always thinking my 1996-1997 episode was MS.  He said no MS, ordered MRI which was clean.  Said that shows it was probably viral or hormonal.

2008 Had an MRI for a weird incident that lasted 10 minutes which was diagnosed as scitoma (migraine without aura) and they did an MRI which was totally clean.  

In the last 12 years probably had period of time with alot of shakiness which I think was stress since I was responsible for taking my oldest on all her college visits.  Other than that ok until about five months ago when I started with a  worsening lip spasm.  It can go on for hours.  Saw a neuro and forgot to mention all the previous stuff since it was so long ago and I kind of put the MS fear to rest.  He ordered an MRI which showed ONE 3mm white spot in frontal lobe.  Of the differential dxs was Migraine and MS.  Neuro said flat out the mri was normal.

Could all these old things have been undiagnosed MS?  Was my original PCP correct in saying MS doesnt present with symptoms from all over the brain?  MRI 2002 clean, MRI 2008 clean, MRI 2013 one spot in frontal lobe but considered normal.

I am starting to twitch all over but the lip is the worst.  I have a history of stress manifesting itself physically.  Once, had myself convinced I had colon cancer, had diarrhea after every meal, cramping, blood.  Finally got the colonoscopy and it miraculously all stopped once I found out it was clear.  

[trishw148]

Thank you for taking the time to reply.  My primary care did not consider my last mri 2013 to be normal since it had a 3mm white spot on the frontal lobe.  Of the possible causes listed on the radiology report was migraine (which I don't get), something that when I looked it up was related to atherosclerosis (my cholesterol, weight, activity, diet, etc... don't support that) and less likely was demylenating disease.  It did not light up with contrast.  Thank you for the reassurance.  Best wishes to all those fighting this disease.   You all are an inspiration to me by taking the time to reply to an anxious undiagnosed person.

[supermum_ms]

Hi there

I think from what you've mentioned, it would be highly unusual for MS to 'present' with so many sx's and then not experience those 'same' sx's at other times but not only that, it would be highly unusual for someone to have MS for well over a decade and not have any test or clinical evidence of MS, show up through out those years.

Nothing that I can see from your past or current experience is suggestive of MS, you haven't developed any clinical signs or failed neurological testing, your MRI's of 2002, 2008 and 2013 are all normal, and with your visual (probably other tests) in all those years also not suggestive of neurological causation, then logically MS is highly doubtful in my opinion.

What you appear to be saying in your posts, is that you are very aware that you do experience sx's related to conditions you become afraid of having and when you eventually become comfortable and confident that you don't have the condition you are afraid of, those sx's miraculously all stop. When people have health anxiety for example, it's not uncommon for their pattern of sx's and behaviour to cycle, and part of it is to include seeking out testing and continual reassurance that they are ok.

With your medical anxiety history, is it possible that your current experience is another physical display of your anxiety, worsening because your worried again, your thoughts are focused on your health but because the underlying issue (mental health) is not being adequately addressed, this time you are not able to get enough reassurance to alter your thought pattern?

If mental health is at all a possible cause, please consider seeing someone to help you get on top of your anxiety and change your tomorrows!

Cheers........JJ    

      

[kwarendorf]

Hi Trish -

As Sarah mentioned, it's unlikely that a single lesion would have caused all of your symptoms. A single lesion typically causes a certain type of symptom, rather than multiple symptoms.

Yes, old lesions would show up on current MRI's. Either the would appear as non-enhancing lesions in the presence of a contrast agent, or as black holes. Black holes are the void that is left in a lesion completely atrophies.

Issues from long ago, that seemed unrelated to anything  can be MS related. I had 20 years of seemingly unrelated symptoms all connected to MS when I was dx'd 2 years ago. There would be some evidence of prior disease activity however. In my case I had both old and new lesions in my brain and in my c & T-spine MRI's. I also had my very own black hole :-)

Kyle

[trishw148]

Thanks for taking the time to reply.  I definitely have periods of medical anxiety.  I was actually hoping a CLEAR mri would cause my twitching to vanish!
  
Both times I saw a neurologist they did a full neurological exam which was fine (the last being two weeks ago).  I really never thought of MS while dealing with this lip twitching issue until my MRI results with the ONE 3mm white spot.  I will mention my long ago symptoms to the neurologist at my next appointment.  I was just looking for confirmation of what my PCP said in 1996 that MS doesn't present with issues all over the brain.

Last question, IF way back all those issues which stemmed from lesions all over the place, would those scars show up on an mri three years later?  I had a clear mri three years after all those symptoms.  No spinal MRI is in my history.

[SarahL2491]

MS does not present in the way you mention, and not usually bilaterally.  With that many episodes, you should see more than one lesion.  Did they ever do any MRI of your spine?  

Is it possible there is some anxiety involved?  I note the results from your colonoscopy with symptoms disappearing.  Often after childbirth, strange things happen.  I had stomach cramps for 2 months after the birth of my 2nd child before they disappeared.