Is this MS, Thyroid, or a Deficiency?

[chas610]

Hello everyone,

I want to start off that I'm a 21 year old female, and I've been having issues. I had muscle spasms in my calves along with muscle tightness, bone pain, and feelings of weepiness and anxiety since June 2011. This started after my husband's best friend shot himself. I went to my doctor and he tested me for vitamin D and B12 deficiency. I came back with a Vitamin D deficiency but he said it wasn't bad enough for a shot. I knew I wouldn't have problems with B12 since I was taking a B vitamin complex with iron and vitamin C I got from Sprout's. I took the vitamin D for a month or a month and a half. All my symptoms went away. I got over confident and weaned myself off of it since I was getting enough sunlight and eating more diary. However, I developed different symptoms. I have been having muscle twitches for since October/November a month or 2 months after I weaned myself off the vitamin D. I have been having them all over... and I mean all over (even private areas, sorry TMI). I have since developed very mild limb jerks. I only notice these symptoms when I'm not moving around. Also, I woke up one morning and had brain fog with dizziness. It felt like vertigo and I felt nauseous. It didn't last all day and I haven't had those issues since then. I do notice that I have a hard time concentrating like spacing out, and memory loss.

Another issue, I had my wisdom teeth cut out last Friday morning. After the surgery, I noticed that I started getting numbness in my pinky. I also started noticing it in both feet. I also got my bone pain back, and noticed some of the very mild joint pain I had before like in my Vitamin D deficiency, but it doesn't feel exactly the same. Also, I've been basically on a starvation diet since I can barely eat and lost 5 pounds. I'm already naturally underweight.  I read online that a magnesium deficiency can cause some of these problems... and every time I google them I end up with Fibromyalgia, MS, Magnesium deficiency, B12 Deficiency, Thyroid problems... or worse, ALS. I stopped taking the B complex many months ago, and instead begin taking a multi vitamin with extra vitamin D on the side (1000IU). I did notice that it doesn't have a lot of Magnesium in it. It only has 50mg. Anyway, I have since developed issues with breathing after surgery. It's been over just over a week, and when I walk around for a while I get chest pains and my heart feels like it's going to beat out of my chest. Also, I do have a swollen lymph node in my neck that I've had since October/November and another one that showed up after surgery but that could be due to swelling. Also, I've been having problems with swallowing and breathing but the doctor said that it could be due to the fact that I'm still swollen. I'm just scared and confused. I don't understand what's going on, and I have been having anxiety about it.

[cleo500]

Oh wow, you are the ONLY other person I have met who has mentioned the eye pain!!! First, trauma causes MS to flair up, so grief or surgery can trigger symptoms. Getting back to the eye pain...

I've been complaining of that now for over a year.  Ive seen every type of specialist and no one has a clue. It happens when I stare at a computer, but then progressed and started when I just focused and concentrated on anything. Finally, my neurologist said it could be permanent damage from optic neuritis that I have had two or three times (same eye as the pain). She put me on Ampyra for it. That is known as  the "walking pill," which also greatly now helps my drop foot in both feet. Apparently, a known happy side effect is that it reduces the occurrence of residual pain from previous damage resulting from past flair ups (i.e., the eye pain). :) So, discuss that with your doctor. Mine only put me on it for my eye pain, even though I had been telling her that I ruin every shoe I own from my drop foot!

[Red_Star]

Magnesium oxide is poorly absorbed - 4% in studies.  Look for types of magnesium that end in "ate" like citrate or glycinate. I also have hypothyroidism/hyperthyroidism and imbalances in thyroid hormone can also affect the nervous symptom. I have symptoms from burning feet to tingling/numbness.

[paulvand]

How to it all turn out for you?  I have very similar symptoms. I am just getting over a Vitamin D deficiency and subacute thyroditis.  I am in the hypo phase, but I have all the same tingling, pain, twitching and numbness that doesn't seem typical for hyoo. I have read that vitamin d supplements can cause a magnesium deficiency, which can cause these symptoms. So I am trying magnesium oxide, first pill today.  What did you do? What helped?

[Red_Star]

Yes, many labs have far too low a reference range so the deficiency is missed. Eg: B12 range is a minimum of 550pg/mL in Japan and various countries in Europe but in other countries minimun range starts from 200pg/mL. You want to be far higher than 550pg/mL! Good luck! :)

[JodyDFB]

I'll keep that in mind when I ask for my specific results.

Every test I've had (my whole life?)(LOL) has come back either normal, better than normal, or excellent.  Embarrassingly, I can't say if I have had my D levels tested.  If I have, they were normal.  (Doctors only contact me if results are abnormal.).  Over the years (and recently) I've had "normal" test results for iron, B12, thyroid, etc.  Normal CBC.  Nothing flagged on a recent detailed serology report.  That's partly the obstacle to figuring out what's wrong with me.  I'm perfectly healthy, according to all the usual suspects.

But I'm committed to getting those exact figures from my latest blood tests.  "Normal" might not be good enough, and I don't know which tests were done, exactly (like, I want to know if only TSH was tested, or T3 & T4, as well).  (I left it up to my doctor to decide which ones he wanted to schedule.)

Wish me luck!  ;)

I hope you have a terrific day!

[Red_Star]

Hi again. :) Well there are a few symptoms there.  You might find a magnesium supplement improves a few symptoms or see no improvement at all.

Vitamin D deficiency may show no obvious symptoms. The only way to know if you are vitamin D deficient is a blood test called 25(OH)D. The vitamin D council recommend between 50 - 80 ng/mL (125 - 200 pmol/L). As vitamin D deficiency is linked to at least 17 types of cancer and the lower your levels the worse the cancer prognosis - it is a highly recommended test.

I might send you on another wander around Medhelp for my extensive list of causes of vitamin D deficiency! :)

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/General-Health/Vitamin-Deficiency-/show/1786254

[Monkeybubble]

I would be asking if you could be tested for Lupus. The sun sensitivity symptom stood out to me , as interesting .

[JodyDFB]

Howdy, again, Red_Star.  Thanks for directing me over here (although not likely MS, in my case).  :)

Of the symptoms listed in your comment, I have (or could have) some of them, but certainly not all (as is the case with every theory to date):

- heart palpitations, heart arrythmias (heart-pounding, actually, with no measurable increase in heart rate, and occasional flutter...all cleared via echocardiogram, 5-min. EKG, 24hr Holter monitor, and 2-week loop monitor...yet I still have bouts of flutter; lying on my right side is most likely to elicit it)
- chest tightness (lower chest/upper abdomen, in area of diaphragm)
- a feeling of a lump in the throat (occasional)
- insomnia
- light sensitivity (I've always had this [along with extreme heat-intolerance] but, if anything, I'm slightly LESS light-sensitive, since developing symptoms)
- numbness, tingling, zips, zaps and other vibratory sensations (really minor)
- headaches, migraines (headaches/pains/pressure daily)
- needing to sigh a lot (A LOT!!!) (I describe it as the feeling I'm not getting enough oxygen.  I am relaxed, and my breathing is relaxed.  After a period of time of this sensation, my body needs to take a deep breath or two.  Along with my blurred vision, the occasions of near-fainting seem like mild hypoxia to inexpert me...so this sometimes seems like it might be an oxygenation problem.  Blood gases are apparently normal, when tested, though.  There are forms of hypoxia related to inefficient transfer of oxygen, but would include low hemoglobin or low HCT.  My hemoglobin is at the high limit of normal, while my HCT is slightly elevated.  So...the opposite.)

Out of curiosity, I looked-up magnesium-rich foods, to see if I might not be consuming enough.  However, I eat most of them already, in ample quantities.

For many, many years, I've taken great pride in eating a very healthy diet of predominantly whole (and now organic) foods.  According to one dietician (who couldn't stop complimenting me on my diet), the only thing I might be lacking is vit. D, because most people are slightly deficient, and I don't consume the common processed foods which are fortified, plus I don't consume fish oils.  I did start consuming more mushrooms, at that point.  Plus, my life-long light-sensitivity means I really never spend any time in the sun.  Gardening is my only real sun exposure, for the most part, but any exposed skin is always protected with sunscreen.  Rain or shine, and even if I don't set foot outside the entire day, I've worn sunscreen every, single day since 1986.  I don't have any of the symptoms of severe vit. D deficiency, thank goodness.  ...At least, not yet.  I do my best to get adequate vit. D in my diet.  

But now you have me at least thinking about magnesium.  :D

I guess it's one more thing to ask about, when I see my GP.  I know his intent for my latest serology report was to check B12 and Thyroid, I believe.  Maybe he also checked vit. D levels etc., too.  In any event, what I've been told is, I shouldn't go by the conventional definition of "normal", but find out what the exact readings are, and compare them to the latest expert guidelines in these specialties.  TSH, I'm told, is "normal" up to 3, but experts say it could indicate a problem if it's above 2.  Male sperm counts used to be considered normal at 80,000.  As sperm rates declined around the world, "normal" went down to 60,000, then 40,000.  They're thinking of lowering it again, to 20,000 because, "We can't have too much of the population considered 'abnormal'."

I guess I'm going to have to bring a list of questions, and take notes, on my next trip to my GP.  I'm going specifically to get some of those figures, and to request an appointment with a neuro-opthalmologist (to decipher the cause of my blurry vision).  Feel free to offer any other suggestions for that visit, if you think of anything relevant.  :)

[lru78]

Hi Chas610! I know it has been awhile since you posted your original post. Have you had any luck improving your symptoms. I too share many of the same issues..along with the lighter periods. I have read many people with the same issues but have never come across someone with the lighter periods. Have you had you iron tested, especially the ferritin?

[chas610]

Zoefromsussex, I haven't had an MRI done. My doctor did ask when I was having issues with the spasms, bone pain, and muscle tightness if I had numbness or paralysis. He asked a bunch of questions that didn't apply to me. I'm not sure how low my vitamin D was but he said it wasn't bad enough to get a shot. He recommended that I get vitamin D3 and take 500-1,000IU a day. Red_Star, I need to get Magnesium Citrate. I've been taking Magnesium Oxide, but they say the body doesn't absorb it properly. It's frustrating because it's been this way for months now. The added tingling after surgery really freaked me out too. It could be a B12 problem since I did lose blood and haven't been able to eat. Thank you two for replying to my post. I hope it's just a deficiency.

[Red_Star]

Any type of stress, both emotional and physical, can lead to magnesium deficiency.  Also, vitamin D "uses up" magnesium to convert to active vitamin D.  Any "side effects" after taking vitamin D supplementation are usually due to magnesium deficiency.

Excerpt from Best Magnesium Citrate - How to Fix Heart Palpitations or Irregular Heart Beat...

"It has been found that 4 out of 5 people in the US (or 80%) are deficient in magnesium. If you are experiencing 2 or 3 of the following symptoms, you probably are one of them.

- heart palpitations, heart arrythmias
- chest tightness
- urinary spasms
- constipation
- menstrual cramps, premenstrual irritability
- difficulty swallowing, a feeling of a lump in the throat
- insomnia
- light sensitivity, loud noise sensitivity
- high blood pressure
- numbness, tingling, zips, zaps and other vibratory sensations
- being uptight or prone to temper
- muscle twitches, soreness, cramps, spasms, tension, tightness
- back aches, neck pain
- headaches, migraines
- jaw joint problems
- needing to sigh a lot, unable to take a deep breath
- hiccups
- leg spasms, charlie horses, restless leg syndrome
- anxiety, panic attacks
- hyperactivity
- angina"

[zoefromsussex]

Hi, wow sounds like you have a hell of a lot going on there. I'm sorry you feel so bad. Have you had any specific tests for each of the condition's you mention? It's just that the symptom's are so varied and to be honest, some people on here with clinically definate MS have waited years for a diagnosis. Have you had an MRI?

[chas610]

I also forgot to mention that I noticed my periods seem a LITTLE lighter than normal the past few months, and I've been having some eye pain. I notice it when I'm staring at the computer for too long, or when I got headaches after my surgery. I think it could be sinus related since I do have post nasal drip.