MS symptoms? Anxious...

[bc15756]

Hi all!  

I am a 26 year old healthy female.  I have been experiencing some strange symptoms since December.  First, I began having a small blurry spot in my vision in one eye last summer, which I asked the eye doctor about when I went in November.  The spot came and went, and I could always see through it.  She performed a visual field test, which was normal, and also had me back to dialate my eyes.  She said the blurry spot was caused my a floater, which she said she saw in the area of my blurred vision, and that it would clear up.

Also, I began having some tingling and "numbness" in my left arm shortly thereafter.  I say "numbness" because I have no loss of feeling, but my arm just feels heavy, and in some cases it feels like it feels when circulation is coming back into the arm after having been asleep.  At other times I would describe the feeling as a dull ache.  My arm also feels somewhat weak at times, even though I have no loss of strength.  My pinky finger feels the most "numb".  Mostly, I just feel aware of my arm, which is distracting.  The feeling began in December, and cleared up totally after a few weeks.  It returned about a week or two later, mildly, and then just now has become more noticeable again.  I went to the doctor, who suspected a pinched nerve, but said to come back if the problem continued.  He ran bloodwork, including thyroid, ANA and RF tests, all of which were normal.  He also mentioned multiple sclerosis, but said that I do not have typical presentation, and he would not want to proceed at this time since he doesn't think I have it.  The heavy, dull ache feeling also appears in my left leg from time to time.  I also get a strange swollen feeling in my right hand when I wake up in the morning, but it goes away.    

I've become very anxious about multiple sclerosis.  I am concerned that the eye problem was optic neuritis, and with the feeling I have in my arm and sometimes leg, that these signs point to MS.  I have also experienced vertigo from time to time...specifically the feeling that there is spinning inside my head.  It never affects my balance.  Do these symptoms sound like MS?  Any input would be appreciated, since I am becoming quite nervous.  I'm not sure if I should go back to the dr at this point with these symptoms.  Thank you!  

[aldez]

Hi, all of the symptoms you describe on  your post are symptoms that I and I am sure other MSers have had but that doesn't mean you have MS.

Let me explain:

MS is a very unpredictable illness and each and every person that has it would experience it different from another MSer.

Optic Neuritis is a very common (first symptom) in MS. Usually affects one eye but just to show you I had Optic Neuritis during my 1st. and 2nd. Attacks and both of my eyes were affected. You might want to look at  http://www.ms-multiple-sclerosis-symptoms.com/Optic-neuritis.html

On your post you mentioned ” I began having some tingling and "numbness" in my left arm…..”  these are regular sensations and things you’ll see in MS. The vertigo that you mentioned is also seen in MS. (remember, not everyone would have it) so I would make an appointment with a good neurologist (one with experience in Multiple Sclerosis) and discuss with him or her all the symptoms you have mentioned. You might want to visit http://ms-multple-sclerosis-symptoms.com/MS-symptoms.html

I can tell you that when it comes to diagnosing MS a lot of times it is very difficult to reach a definite diagnosis. My first neuro told me that if nothing happens in the next 5 years I had nothing to worry about (A year after that I had my second episode).

You can read more about some of the usual test performed to diagnose MS at http://www.ms-multiple-sclerosis-symptoms.com/diagnosing-multiple-sclerosis.html. I hope this information helps you. Take care.

Alex

[jujuminx]

If we are voting here, I would vote for follow up with neurologist. I haven't have any eye problems w my MS but the numbness and heaviness, etc are familar to me as that is what I have experienced.  This doesn't mean you have MS but it does mean that it warrants a f/u to be checked out.

Julie

[addicted2harleys]

Hello there, bc-

Welcome to our forum.  I am sorry that you have been feeling these strange sensations with your body.  You are not alone, that is for sure.  There are many people right here on our forum that are and/or have experienced these types of things too.  

I have to agree with Bob.  You should see about getting a referral to a neurologist.  I also welcome you to check out our Health Pages.  There is a link to them at the top right hand side of this page.  There is a world of information in there on many, many different topics.

Anyways, welcome again!
Addi

[COBOB]

Having had Optic Neuritis twice, I can say that your eye symptom doesn't sound like the Optic Neuritis I had.  I had a couple of days of ice pick pain behind my affected eye followed by loss of red color saturation perception, loss of the visual acuity, loss of brightness, loss of contrast and the development of a "blind spot" (a scotoma) in the visual field of my effected eye.  The proof that it was Optic Neuritis was an abnormal conduction velocity on VEP when my right eye was tested.  A follow up MRI showed a decreased caliber of my right optic nerve and left optic tract.

Given the strange feeling in your arms/hands and vertigo, you should consider seeing a neurologist just to be safe.  The neurologist may want to perform an MRI to look for evidence of demyelination in the brain and spine.

Bob