Does this sound like MS?

[Hialry's Mom]

I am hoping that some of you will read my daughter's story and help me to make sense of it.

To make a very long story short...In April 2006, my normally very strong and healthy 17 year old daughter suddenly lost her balance in dance class. She picked herself up and lost her balance again. Shortly thereafter, she developed a nasty headache and was very nauseous. She vomitted quite often over the next few days, unable to keep anything down. Finally, with the help of Gravol suppositories she started to eat a little. She noticed that she ate only because she knew that she needed to eat...she had no appetite. She was admitted to the hosptial where she spent three days. She could only walk unaided if she was on a flat, level solid surface.

During that time she also mentioned to doctors that periodically, prior to losing her balance she would suddenly find a hand or foot go numb. While at the hospital I noticed that her lips sometimes turned blue. They did a CT scan of her head, and ran various blood tests. When discharged we were told that she likely had some kind of inner ear infection.

As an out-patient she was seen by a cardiologist who did an ECG and Echo and announced that her heart was fine. She was also seen by a neurologist who, aside from the normal examination in his office, did a rudimentary EMG, said he could not see any neurological problems.

It took 3 months before Hilary could walk easily again. That summer was extremely hot in Toronto but Hilary regularly needed to wear two layers of clothes in order to be remotely comfortable. Throughout the fall her balance improved, she started going to some fitness classes and was in school.

As the weather got colder it got more and more difficult for her. The problems with the numbness seemed to worsen, on at least two occasions her legs went completely numb from mid-thigh down making it impossible to stand or walk.

The weather is getting better now and that seems to be helping her somewhat but she has new symptoms that have me very worried. At least once a day for the past 2 weeks Hilary has lost all vision in both eyes. This lasts for about a minute each time. She has no warning whatsoever that it is going to happen again.She describes it as if her field of vision is closing in from the outside toward the centre. About 5 seconds after the process starts, she is completely blind...this last a minute or so.

Also. for the last few weeks, she has had trouble with urinary urgency. Suddenly, she will realize that she has to urinate. Often, she won't make it to the toilet in time and there is a minor leak.

I mentioned both of these symptoms to our GP the other day because I find this development quite distressing. He thinks that the loss of vision could be a type of migraine (we believe that she had one migraine several months ago) and wanted her to stop taking oral contraceptives immediately. She has been off them for 10 days now with no improvement.

He also said that if she ever finds that she leaks urine before realizing that she has to go she should go to the hospital. I discussed this with her but she says that when it happens, though she does have to move VERY quickly, she does not think the leak has ever preceded awareness of the need to urinate.

She has also had some other unusual symptoms occur. Once, she said she was having a conversation with someone and suddenly was unable to put her words together. In her mind she knew what she wanted to say, but she couldn't get the ideas out properly.

Another time, she found that one arm suddenly tightened up and her hand tightened into a fist.

Hilary had the Evoked Potentials tests performed a few weeks ago. Obviously they picked up something on the vision test because she said that the technician asked her to please, concentrate. They repeated the test on each eye. She had an MRI of her neck performed last week and we have a follow-up appointment with the neurologist May 22.

Any insight you folks can provide would be truly appreciated. I am quite concerned and am trying desperately not to frighten Hilary.

Thanks, and best wishes to you all!

[Dr_Dee]

Hi,

Many of the symptoms for MS could be from many other things, In my experience it would be a good idea to have an MRI of the brain done.

I have a question - I am trying to find an answer for;
Can a trapped nerve cause blindness?

[JCmcc]

Mam,
  I keep forgetting things. I do, however, have a suggestion. I want you to go to google and to type, "LDN" or "Low Dose Naltrexone" into the search engine and learn everything you can about it, and, find a doctor who will perscribe it.
  Ever since being on LDN-I have been asymptomatic.

Thanks,
JCmcc.

[JCmcc]

Stop right there:

I did not read everything because I thought that the script had ended. I apologize for that.

Have you received the MRI report for the cervical spine, and, the brain? The brain should have been scanned with contrast as well as the c-spine. She may also want to have a lumbar puncture.

while MS at 17 is not unheard of it is not common. I retract my prior remarks. This could be MS, among other things.

Good Luck!
JCmcc.

[JCmcc]

I am not a doctor:

Periodic numbness is not common in MS. The attacks of Multiple Sclerosis are only considered an attack if, and only if, they remain for at least 24 hours.

The blue lips certainly has nothing to do with MS and the loss of app. is not common either.

She has a variable symptom chart and MS, to me, sounds unlikely.

You may want to look into tick borne illnesses such as Lyme or into other varius that perhaps could cause ADEM, and others.

I am sorry that you, her and the rest of your family are being faced with this horrid chain of events.


Good Luck!
JCmcc.

[hopeforbest]

I just wanted to offer a little support as I know what it is like to worry about a child.  About the same time last year, my then 15 yr. old daughter started complaining of various strange symptoms - shooting pains in her legs, tingling sensation on her back, significant fatigue, eyes severely blurring upon exercise in the heat, heat sensitivity, problems with speech and others.  I took her to a neuro for the standard testing - MRI of brain and c-spine with and w/o contrast.  To my great surprise, her MRIs were clear.  I was (and still am) very concerned about MS since her father also has the disease.  The clear tests have given me somewhat of a reprieve from the incredible worry I experienced but I'm not completely convinced that we are out of the woods.  

I agree with one of the other posts that generally the symptoms of MS are not so fleeting but last from days to weeks.  I am glad she had a MRI done.  I am not sure why they only chose to do one of the C-spine.  Personally, I would insist on a brain MRI also with and w/o contrast.  If both of those come back normal, that would be a good sign.  Supposedly there are a small number of people with MS (approx. 5%) that will have clear MRIs but that's a pretty small number.

I really wish your daughter the best.  I know as a mother there is nothing in your life more important right now than your daughter being OK.  Please let us know the results of her test.

[sherma]

First I would like to comment that *normally* with MS hot weather makes relapses much worse - heat intolerance is very common.  Your daughter may have a trapped nerve that is making her lose her balance.  While it is not unheard of it is rare for young people to have MS as I am sure you have found out on the internet.  You need to wait and see what the results of the MRI are for a good dx.  If the problems are still occuring then go for the EVP and lumber puncture.

Don't give in on getting the correct dx, if one neuro just dismisses her, then go to another and so on.  Not all lesions (if any) are showed on the MRI even with the contrast agent (Gadolinium).

Try not to worry  - I know thats easier said than done - but wait for the results.  Some of the symptoms you have described are similar to MS, but bear in mind *normally* relapses last from anything from 1 to 3 months and not just the odd few hours.  Does your daughter suffer from fatigue too??