MS and Lupus together

[scaredguy309]

Well, i have been doing alot of research and it looks like i have both lupus and MS unofficially.Yes i am still waiting for my ANA but look at these symptoms. I have attacks that came a couple months ago, left and recently came back, only to leave again. My first attack came with mostly faigue, headache and joint pain. Recently they came back worse. Am constantly in the sun cause i live in the tropics so  don't know if it was because of that, but i got a red butterfly rash on my face together with some white patches of dried skin on my face. Then that disappeared and then came the joint pains, little fatigue, few headaches, all over body aches, many fasiculations all over (small spasms), muscle pains. When those started subsiding, i became weak all over with depression, difficulty swallowing and anxiety. However I have a histor of panic attack so the depression and swallowing with choking sensation is most likely due to that. The biggest worry is my muscles. Don't know when it started but i just know it was there after the first attack and remains. My muscles have tremors when i do eccentric contractions. Example when I contract my bicept, there is a little vibration but its not as bad as when i extend it. Like if i have some weight such as a dumb bell, and i slowly lower my bicept (extension) with it in hand, that movement is jerky. This happens in all, and i mean all my muscles.Even in contraction they seem to be contracting slower than normal. Example when squatting and i observe my thigh muscles, you can actually see them contracting and relaxing in a slower than usual fasion. Normally they're supposed to contract and relax so quickly that it just seems like a vibration. Hope someone understands as am trying to put this as simple as possible. Now all my symptoms are gone except my eyes heart at times, still have spasms/fasiculations and ofcorse my muscles. Strangest thing is my muscle strength doesn't seem to be affected. I know cuz i do gym. My blood works so far: some lupus latex test (not ana) was neg, Rheum factor:neg Liver, kidney and pancreas function:normal, CK levels:norm and sed rate remains at 3. Only abnormal results are: lymphocytes: slightly high, neutrophiles: slightly low, LDL(cholesterol): slightly high Any ideas?

[biowham]

I did, and they do not seem like a combination of lupus and MS.  The fascics are NOT typical MS symptoms. If you're depressed and you've got anxiety, you might want to look into a neuropsych evaluation to get a handle on your symptoms and how you're managing the stress of them. But with your complaints about the muscle twitching and with no weakness, what you describe does not sound like MS or really any of the usual neuropathies. Sounds a bit like benign fasciculations. But if you're having tremor on exertion and these twitchy things, you should probably have an EMG.

Headache and joint pain are also not typical signs of MS, especially the joint pain. The overall body complaints are also not an MS type of symptom. MS onset is usually localized paresthesias or weakness or optic neuritis, and usually does NOT involve global symptoms. A rheumatic disorder CAN cause global symptoms and joint pain, but as I said, your rheumatic results don't really point to anything yet.

It's certainly your own business whether or not you want to "pre-diagnose" yourself and worry about it in the absence of data, but that sort of worry will not help your existing symptoms of depression and anxiety. I really do recommend that you seek a neuropsych consult so you can get a handle at least on the two things you absolutely know you have: anxiety and depression. That way, you'll be better equipped to manage any stress that comes with the testing and the waiting and any eventual diagnosis for the other stuff.

Bio

[scaredguy309]

Ok, nothing has officially been diagnosed yet. But did you read those symptoms! Like i said, a combination of lupus and ms. Yes the blood work seems good but thats not uncommon in early onset of those disorders. The one test i will count on is the ANA which is due in bout 10 days. My rheumy says its possible it could be lupus but is not counting on it. but the ana is needed. However at that time i didn't notice the ms symptoms as much. my eyes heart sometimes, few headaches, a slight but constant pain in the back of my neck and most of all the muscle symptoms i metioned above. At some point i was a bit weak and i still get afraid when swallowing or maybe am just not swallowing normally. am depressed...

[biowham]

The folks on here have given you good advice. You should definitely avoid putting the cart before the horse. For one thing, I'm confused. It may be buried in that block paragraph in your first post (we always suggest that people break up their text into small blocks so folks here can read them more easily), but...do you have an official MS dx? There are a number of disorders to which the symptoms you describe are related, but they do not sound much like MS at all. What you describe sounds rheumatic, but your bloods don't really indicate that.

Since your chief complaint appears to be fascics in the muscles, has anyone done any EMG testing on you?

Bio

[scaredguy309]

Thankyou, but remember am also dealing with lupus symptoms and am male. Males are less likely to get these 2 but when they do, they're often more aggressive.

[Fluffysmom]

Hey there, once again, don't get ahead of yourself.  Remember, MS isn't a death sentence; some people have very little disability for many years, and MANY MANY people with MS continue to work for decades.

Having good doctors working with you, treating symptoms, finding the right diagnosis, and if it includes MS, taking disease modifying drugs; all these can help you live a productive life well.  

Take a deep breath; have you ever taken any meditation classes?  I've found meditating (breathing in and out, not having racing thoughts) has helped me deal with pain as well as my worries and frustrations about not getting a diagnosis, while for the last 15 months I've had symptoms that interfere with daily life.

I'm doing the best I can, and enjoying life.  This forum; all the knowledge, caring, and support really really helps.

Take care,

Kathy

[scaredguy309]

am so afraid of what going to happen to me if i find out i have MS. Am a med student and am only 22. If i do find out i have MS then my dreams are crushed.No hospital wud hire me. If its only lupus then maybe but not both. Am getting symptoms all over but i have anxiety issues which make it hard to isolate the symptoms. This *****.