Diagnosing MS after falling down?

[newHopeful]

I had car accident 3 months ago, my car flipped over my side, and my sister come over my right side (mostly neck and shoulders). 2 days after the accident I couldn't move my neck properly, and then gradually it improved and I could move my neck. One month from now I felt down on the floor because there was some water with soap and I was in hurry. so I felt down on my knees (I twisted my knees). After one day I felt of a weakness on my right side. I couldn't hold the pen properly, and also I couldn't walk properly. Three days after my hand improved without any medicine, but I had some pain on my shoulder. I went to the doctor who asked for an MRI. The MRI showed lesions in the brain and in the spine. I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. I stayed on the hospital for 5 days taking steroid 5g. then I took 40mg for one week, then 20mg for the next week. After taking the steroid I feel of little bit of stiffness on my mid back, it comes and goes (the stiffness in my back wasn't there before taking the steroid).

My question:
is this is really MS? Is there any chance I can bee missdiagnosed?

[Lulu54]

Of course you would be anxious.  And afraid.  And worried.  And all of those other emotions we all go through.  I hope you will spend some time learning more about MS before the doctor appointment so you can ask questions and talk to him in details.

my best,
Lulu

[newHopeful]

Thank you very much for taking care of my post...

Actually I have two doctors saying that I have MS, but the last one I visited said that it may not be MS, and he said that in the next appointment he will confirm the result to me.

I feel to anxious tell that time...

[Lulu54]

Hi newhopeful and welcome to our community here at MedHelp.  This is a great group to ask questions and share information with about MS.

There is always a chance that you are misdiagnosed, but that would be pretty rare.  Usually there are lots of medical tests done to make sure that what you have is really MS - did they do those tests on you?  

It would have been blood tests, neurological exams and possibly a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) too.  These tests are important because there are lots of mimics of this disease.  

Many other diseases can also look like MS, but the brain and spinal lesions make the list of other diseases pretty small.

We have had a few new people from the United Emirates come here looking for answers, which is surprising to us.  One of the factors most of us have in common is we live in areas that don't get as much sunlight as areas that are closer to the equator.  There is a theory that this lack of sunlight is linked to Vitamin D deficiencies, which may be associated with MS.

MS is common in the upper northern regions, such as Canada, northern United States, the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, etc.  It is very rare in countries closer to the equator.  


Are you able to talk to your doctors and discuss your doubts about this diagnosis?  That would be a good place to start.  

There is a lengthy list of other symptoms that look like MS at
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/multiple-sclerosis-000474.htm

You may want to read about other diseases there.

We also have a good page here about the mimics
-  
http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/Multiple-Sclerosis/MS-Mimics---Part-I/show/375?cid=36

What type of treatment did the doctor recommend for you?  There are good disease modifying drugs that can help slow the deterioration that can happen with MS.  I hope the doctor has done something like that for you.

Welcome again and feel free to ask all the questions you want.

be well,
Lulu