Is this MS?

[rickie11]

Hello, I am hoping to get a recommendation of what the next step for me is to do...Starting from the beginning, about 3 years ago I began having double vision. I went to my family physician who took some blood tests (diabetes, vitamin defficiency, etc) and couldn't find anything. She decided to have me get an MRI and that came back fine. I went to 2 optometrists both telling me "there is nothing wrong with your eyes." Six months later I began having numbness in my arms and legs (randomly but daily). The numbness would occur when I would cross my legs, lay on my arm, and every night I would wake up in the middle of the night to an arm or leg being numb. The numbness would go away as soon as I would re-position myself so I began thinking maybe I had a circulation problem. I went back to the doctor and they said I have great circulation and am in great shape and my heart is in perfect health. About three months after that I began having muscle spasms all over but mainly in my legs on a daily basis and I noticed my balance was a bit off. I went to a nuerologist who tested me for a ton of things! He gave me another MRI, checked my inner ear, took a bunch of blood tests, etc. He couldn't find anything and told me I may have to just live with my symptoms. The neurologist is an MS specialist and said he didn't think it was this based off my MRI. He ruled out Fibromialgia, ALS, and other scary diseases. I have not had a spinal tap and asked him why he didn't give me one and he said because my MRI came back fine.  Here I am three years later, I still have numbness, muscle spasms and double vision daily but no one can tell me what's wrong! It is definitely not going away and if anything, getting worse! What should I do and what is the next step?? Also, everytime I explain my symptoms to doctors, immediately they think MS. Can you pass an MRI and blood tests and still have MS?? Any help or suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

[rickie11]

thanks so much both of you for your suggestions. I will definitely find another doctor. I also agree, a good detox can never hurt..

[essdipity]

Welcome to our MS forum. We'll do our best to help.

I'm not a doctor, just an MS patient, but I really don't think that what you describe sounds like MS. Not that these are not symptoms found in MS, because of course they are. But random pain and paresthesias over much of your body would have to mean that you have a lot of lesions in your brain and spinal cord, and apparently you don't. Your MRI doesn't show any, nor did your neurological examinations.

However, in saying that I'm assuming that your neurologist knows what he's doing, and that your MRI was done using thee MS protocol. For a good explanation of these and lots more information, please click on Health Pages in the upper right corner.

It's very possible to have MS with a clear MRI, but you're highly unlikely to get a diagnosis in the absence of any lesions shown on imaging, together with the absence of neurological 'signs.' You say you've had blood tests, but I'm wondering how thorough they've been. There are other diseases and conditions that produce the symptoms you describe. Specifically, have you been tested for Lyme disease and Lupus?

I don't think your doctors have done well by you. Clearly something is wrong. I can only suggest that you start over with a better doctor. Hard to do, I know, but necessary.

As to the post above about diet, of course a healthful diet including lots of fruits and vegetables is a good idea for everyone, sick or otherwise. This is highly recommended. However, there's no evidence at all that diet affects MS. We do not have 'toxins' that need to be eliminated, since our digestive systems take care of that quite nicely. MS, ALS and the other diseases referred to are very serious and very different from one another. They are not just another name for toxins.

ess