MS and Left Maxillary SInus Cyst interaction

[KathyAS]

I have a long history of cervical spinal cord damage to the C1 - C6 cervical spine. A year and 1/2 ago due to a year of excruciating pain due to trigeminal neuralgia and sudden muscle loss to my left leg the then MRI's showed some scarring in my corpus collosum and lumbar spine. I was then diagnosed with MS and everyone but me seemed to be happy with the diagnosis. Since then my left leg has become increasingly weaker, and my left foot is icy cold and the temperature increases to normal as I move up higher on my shin to my knee. Attempting to see if there were additional issues in my brain or cervical spine the neurologist ran new MRIs. What showed up was no change to demylination/scarring and the scarring is itsefl minimal and doesn't seem to justify the loss of motor function in my ability to pick up my left leg from knee down. In addition I have begun to have increased trigeminal pain that lasts for hours or days with out relenting. The MRIs also showed up a left maxillary sinus cyst and this seems to impact my facial pain when I have increased sinus congestion. There is a knot behind my left ear indicating an internal cyst that grows and decreases depending on sinus issues and the signal in the right ear canal seems to be irregular. Two other possible influences on my present condition include a fall I took about 4 years ago where I retained soft tissue damage and had retained a large fluid retention on my upper thigh where I had fallen on the sharp edge of the stairway. Over the past 4 years I also ceased hormone replacement therapy (I had a full hysterectomy when I was 29 and had gone into estrogen shock).

I have lived for the past thirty years with MS like symptoms when I have been under stress or ill and always sensitive to heat so much of what I experience is not different except for the trigeminal pain that lasts and lasts and the loss of my lower left leg motor funtion and my left foot being icy. I can't believe this is only MS and am wondering if the cyst is pressing against the nerve and causing the consistent pain when a flare occurs or if when I fell that I caused some venous damage to my left leg and now have a ciruclatory problem both of which can be remediated leaving me with just MS to deal with. Which I think is enough.

[sllowe]

Hi Kathy,

Well, you sure do have a lot to contend with.  I'm so glad you found us.  The forum is very active this week, so feel free to bump up this thread here for all to comment if you see it slipping down the page.

I do have a few questions for you though.  Did the Dr recommend going on DMDs for MS?  I know it's a hard dx to believe in, but the meds do have a proven track record where progression is concerned.  Also, you are suffering from TM and from what I understand there are meds that could help with that pain.  Please consider this for yourself and your sanity.  It's hard to make decision or think things through when you are in pain.

Believe me, I'm not a med pusher.  I'm also not one to take the dx of MS very quietly.  Heck, there are times I still slip into denial still, but I do have it Kathy and know what I have to do to hopefully stop it from progressing.

Hope I don't come off a preaching, I promise you I'm not.  Just looking out for you and your well being.  I needed a strong talking to and help with the information I was receiving and I found it here with this bunch of wonderful people.  

Since that time, I've learned so very much.  You'll find here too that you can discuss anything and it's ok.  We understand.  

Hope you stick around and get to know us.  Thank you for coming our way, and welcome aboard!
ttys,
Shelly

[doni54]

Hi Kathy,

Sounds like you are having a really tough go right now.  MS is bad enough on it's own, without other problems, too.

I am not qualified to give a good answer to some of your questions, but I do know that some on this forum have MS and suffer with the trigemial pain also.  I'm sure some of them will come on here soon.

I want to welcome you and let you know you've come to the right place.  There is a lot of great info included in the Health Pages.  You can access them by clicking on the icon in the upper right hand corner.

Again, we are all glad you found our litttle cyber family.

doni