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1972417 tn?1328356324

Can it MS without lesions???

Hi, I've suffered with dizzyness, walking gait disturbances, muscle spasms, cognitive problems, speech problems for no reason. They have not been able to find anything on tests besides blood work which shows that i've had epstein barr virus, hsv1 as well as nerve damage. The doctor says that he thinks the viruses attacked my nervous system so I am confused because I thought that's what ms does. I have been unable to work due to extreme fatigue, walking problems and coordination problems. I started physical theapy and the therapist said i have a definite neurological issue and coordination problems. So is this MS? I have pain and feel sick all the time...
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1972417 tn?1328356324
Thanks the doctor has sent me for blood work for that as well as some other things.
Helpful - 0
198419 tn?1360242356
Sorry - correction - it's far from a dx of symptoms....
Helpful - 0
198419 tn?1360242356
Donjoe,

Welcome to the MS forum. I mean no disrespect, but your post regarding MS being a dx of symptoms is untrue -  I would not want Dizzybee, our members, or reading visitors to be confused by this.

If you would like to know more about MS, please do visit our health pages, or seek factually correct information about MS the disease. It's from from a dx based on "symptoms." And, if you need further clarification, please ask. Many of our veteran members are very versed in the disease and can point you to factual information.

Take care
Helpful - 0
1831849 tn?1383228392
"Please get tested for lyme and don't allow them to lable you with MS. MS just like parkinsons is diagnosed by symptoms. They do not know what the underlying cause is. Lyme disease is the likely cause."

I'm a little confused, and a little offended. I'm not sure I like the phrase 'label you with MS'. MS is not a label, it's a disease.

You are correct in saying that they do not know what caused MS. Are you suggesting Lyme disease is the cause of MS?

Kyle
Helpful - 0
1353650 tn?1429463374
I agree with Ricobord. You need to seek out a lyme literate md and get properly tested for lyme disease. My husband, son and myself have this horrible condition. It causes all of the problems you have and many, many more. Diagnosis is difficult because testing is very poor, no matter what doctors tell you. The best way to get tested is through Igenex labs. Please get tested for lyme and don't allow them to lable you with MS. MS just like parkinsons is diagnosed by symptoms. They do not know what the underlying cause is. Lyme disease is the likely cause. No bulls eye rash is required to have it. My husband, son and myself all feel very ill with muscle pain, fatigue and a lot of neurological involvement. If you want any help finding a doctor for lyme disease and get properly tested and treated, contact me.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
sorry, 3rd link on my previous post was wrong.
This is the link to Columbia University's tick borne disease sitr.
http://www.columbia-lyme.org/
Helpful - 0
1523516 tn?1330044257
Hello!!  Another possibility is Celiac Disease. Google Celiac Ataxia.  Neurological symptoms can be very debilitating.  Many people, after all other tests came back negative, were tested for Celiac and found to have it, even though they never felt intestinal discomfort.  Sometimes it attacks the nervous system.  Most of the time once gluten free diet is initiated, neurological symptoms disappear or are greatly improved.  Have you been tested for Celiac?  I would ask about it just to rule it out.  It is also an autoimmune disease.  Good luck and keep us updated.

Blessings
Stacie
Helpful - 0
198419 tn?1360242356
Hi DizzyB,

My thought is not likely MS since no damage was identified. Viruses can cause so many secondary issues. There are some good facts mentioned above by Tschock (and some excellent examples!) where viruses are concerned, and attacks on the CNS. However to add some clarity to definite MS -
MS is "not"  normally given to a person to describe their condition when all other tests prove inconclusive..."    MS is not necessarily a dx of exclusion, though other possibilities are looked into as a cause.

It's a disease that is diagnosed after confirmed attacks on the CNS clinically by a professional, imaging by way of MRI, and oftentimes testing on CSF. In MANY cases as you will see by members on our forum, nothing else was identified as a cause, and still a definite dx of MS is not made. A dx of MS is not just given when all else comes up negative.

Many of us would not feel confident in our treatment if we were only dx'd- because it's nothing else.

But, if you are interested in learning more this disease, about the dx criteria, I invite you to read our health pages. But, I'd also like to mention that even though some patients fit the criteria by their own read, it does not mean they have MS. In the end, it's a clinical dx.

Like Rico mentions Lyme is a super big mimic, one that practically mimics most all symptoms MSers experience. In these cases it's super important to be inthe care of a good ID doc, or Lyme doc.

If you have no damage pointing toward the direction of a demyelinating disease and the doctor feels this is not a possibility and you are still experiencing symptoms that are affecting your daily living, press on and ask doc about lyme and other possible causes so you can move on toward a specialist to seek a cause.

Sure hope you find out what is going on, and feel well soon.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
All of your symptoms could be caused by Lyme Disease, and there is a lot of it in NJ.  Unfortunately doctors are not well informed about the disease and tend to think it always involves swollen knees and a rash. Lyme is immunosuppressive, so many people end up with elevated levels of viruses in our bodies, esp. EBV and a few others. Lyme definitely infects the nervous system unless you are convinced you don't have Lyme.

You'll need to find a LLMD, a Lyme Literate Medical Doctor to get properly diagnosed and treated (if you do have it).  Check out this document for a symptom list.  You can learn more on the ILADS wbsite and Columbia University's website.  And come over to the Lyme Disease forum to hear other stories and to ask more questions.

http://www.ilads.org/lyme_disease/B_guidelines_12_17_08.pdf
www.ilads.org
http://www.ilads.org/lyme_disease/B_guidelines_12_17_08.pdf
Helpful - 0
209987 tn?1451935465
Not necessarily. Those are also the symptoms of anxiety, and many other disorders.
As far as the attacking of the nervous system goes...many things attack the nervous system...
Have you ever seen a drunk person?
They are dizzy, their gait is off, they have involuntary muscle spasms, cognitive problems, speech problems ( slurring )...but do they call it MS? Nope! They call it being drunk.
What does alcohol do to the nervous system? It attacks it...in the same way that MS and many other things do...such as the Epstein Barr virus.
So...just because your nervous system is being "attacked" doesn't mean that you have MS...you could be an alcoholic...or you could have these problems because you once had a nasty viral/bacterial infection that attacked your nervous system.
Sorry...I'm just trying to find a way to explain this to you...and I think I'm failing.
I hope this makes sense to you.
Yes...your nervous system has been attacked. But it isn't MS and it isn't because you are sitting there drunk. It's because you were sick.
I have those same symptoms...but I have Meniere's Disease...not MS. I also have a form of Muscular Dystrophy...not MS.  Many things can cause the same symptoms...but not be a specific disease.
MS is normally "given" to a person to describe their condition when all other tests prove inconclusive. In other words...they test you for everything...and if they find "nothing" they will then agree that it could be MS...assuming you have the scar tissue I guess.
Have your doctor run more tests. I know, I know...they are unpleasant...but unless you are tested you will never know the truth about what is causing you such grief.
Keep us posted.
Helpful - 0
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