Have I got ms?

[Nickyb7466]

Hi I am very worried. Last April, I noticed I had a partial numb left foot which has never gone away and then in October I realised I also had a partial numb left hand.However, two weeks ago I was admitted to hospital with a horrific headache(never had a migraine) They did a ct scan followed by a lumbar puncture which came back normal. A neurologist did some tests and said I had a complete weakness on the left side and thought the problem lay in my brain. I had a mri 4days ago but have not heard anything.I have started to feel numbness in left leg.Would they have contacted me by now if it was ms.

[maxthecat43]

It just means he needs to keep looking...  There are lots of ms mimics.  

[Nickyb7466]

Results are back and the letter states "no changes of ms". I was initially pleased with this however I still have no answer to what the problem is. I spoke to neurologist who said that due to ongoing symptoms ( I have a burning prickling sensation over my legs and arms) and the numbness continues with being slightly unsteady on my feet. He wants to conduct more tests,Does this mean he thinks I still may have ms or may he think something different.

[Footsie3110]

It could be... I fell asleep the other day in the middle of a very painful deep tissue treatment on my shoulder blade!

I find sitting in an idling car somewhat hypnotic, especially with a lot of traffic noises around me. I think it's a remnant from all the times as a baby when mum would take me for a drive in the car to get me to go to sleep. :)

[Nickyb7466]

Yesterday, I fell asleep whilst waiting in traffic. Would this be considered normal if suffering from ms?

[kwarendorf]

There is a Facebook group called "We're not drunk. We have MS!" :-)

[Nickyb7466]

Thanks for taking the time to reply, I also have blurry vision and often feel quite unsteady on my feet til the point colleagues have asked me if I have been drinking. However, your post has made feel a little less anxious,so thank you. Keep you posted

[doublevision1]

The timeframe to receive MRI results varies widely depending on the facility, the referring neurologist, the urgency of the referral, etc.  I had my MRI and my results back very quickly as my MRI was prioritized as urgent due to severe symptoms, most significantly severe, rapid onset double vision.  It was not considered urgent because of possible MS (which is what it turned out to be) but because my visual impairment caused concern of a possible brain tumour, which thank god it was not.

Your symptoms could be caused by many different things, some benign, some more serious.  MS is a possibility but it has so many mimics, I encourage you to try not to get ahead of yourself and take this process one step at a time.  I konw that's not easy, we've all been there and it is a very stressful process for most of us.  What I wish I'd known then that I do know now, is that MS is not the end of the world.  It's not a death sentence, but until there's as cure, it is a life sentence, but one which is manageable.  MS research and treatments have made huge strides in the last decade and most of us will fare much better in the long run than those unfortunate enough to be diagnosed before disease modifying drugs were available.  I tell you this so that if it turns out you do have MS, you can hopefully be somewhat reassured and have hope.  But as I say, MS has many mimics and it's a process of elimination to come to this diagnosis.  Know that you're going to be okay, whichever way this turns out.

Also, don't be afraid to call your doctor to get a timeframe for when to expect your results.  Something else I've learned through being diagnosed is that the squeaky wheel gets the grease.  It's okay to be politely persistent when it comes to your health.  Request and keep copies of all of your medical reports and MRI images as you go along.

Stay in touch and let us know how you make out.  You'll find a lot of support here, if and when you need it.