Does this seem like MS?

[marvel19]

Hello Everyone,

I am so grateful to find this forum. Thank you for having me!

I am a 29 year old female with several lesions within the periventricular white matter. I have had joint pain in shoulder, hips and wrists. Recently, I have headaches behind my eye, blurred vision in one eye, burning in feet, cramping in hands and feet, electrical shocks in my feet, random creepy crawly on upper arms and lower legs...tremors in hand and arms....anxiety, depression and mood swings.

Cognitively (if that is even a word) my typing is more difficult, hard time with word recall, I have to slow down my speech pattern to get words out. When I write I leave out letters in words and seem to switch letters around alot.

My hands hurt so bad I could barely grip my steering wheel...I cannot walk barefoot anymore because it hurts too much! I was treated with Prednisone taper felt better while for a week then symptoms returned.

Negative LP, and negative bloodwork for RA and Lupus...Negative Optic Neuritis...


I truly appreciate any insight or comments. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

[marvel19]

Hello Everyone,

I saw a new neurologist today, to get get a second opinion. I am seeing a cardiologist tomorrow and will get MRI of C and T spine Monday... I at least feel like I am getting somewhere now..I liked this neuro much much better. I have to wait to see neuro-opthamologist until November, that's ok though I will make it.

[Fluffysmom]

Hi there!

A neuro-opthalmologist is a great idea; they can run tests and discover things that don't show up on a regular eye exam, or even an exam by a regular ophthalmologist.  I saw one and he was excellent; covered everything, looked at my brain MRI, noted a lesion on my pons that none of my three neurologists noted, and was very helpful and understanding.

A rheumatologist can run other tests; I had one who ordered a nuclear medicine bone scan,and another who ran ENA testing after my ANA was weakly positive, as well as SSA, SSB, Sed Rate, CBC, C-reactive protein; I forget what all.  My blood tests were negative, except for an elevated Sed Rate and CRP.  A good rheumatologist will listen to your symptoms and decide what tests should be run, what some possibilities might be.

Nice to meet you; hope to see you around.

Kathy

[marvel19]

Thank you everyone for your comments...I appreciate your perspectives, I am being referred to a neuro-opthamologist? Hopefully I can get some answers. I am glad to have your support. Would you recommend a rheumatologist even if bloodwork is negative for RA? I think my gp did a ANA I will have to review my results. Thanks

[Heather3418]

Welcome to the MS Forum.  We're glad you're here.

There are a couple of things that you mentioned that are not consistent with MS.  You can have two different things going on in your body at once, remember that.

Your joint pain is not indicative of MS.  That may be arthritis or even fibromyalgia.  The pain in your hands, may be from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

The fact that you have lesions that are seen in the venticule area of the brain, IS suggestive of MS.  So are your other complaints.  As I said, you may have more than one thing going on.  Not only should you see an MS Specialist, but a Rheumatologist for the joint pain and your hands.

Yes there are mimics of MS, but it sounds like your doctor is ruling them out by doing other testing.  As was said, you need to have an ANA and SEDRATE done by the Rheumy, to check for inflammation.  Not all people with MS have a positive ANA "titer".  Mine's been positive once and negative the next and I have been diagnosed with MS for 14 years.  My SEDRATE is normal too, but I have documented arthritis.  Go figure.

Please keep us updated about further testing and again, we are glad you joined us.

All the Best,
Heather

[marvel19]

Bump

[Lulu54]

hi Marvel, Welcome to our community here - we're full of advice and answers and good for listening too.  It can be so frustrating to have symptoms and no answers.

Our health pages (upper right side of this page, yellow icon in the link to them) are full of information about the diagnostic process for MS.    You will want to read the ones that focus on negative LP and still having MS.  It explains how that can happen.

There is also information on the MS mimics - it is possible that you have something else besides this MiSerable disease lurking in your body.  

There is also a good site through the University of Maryland that lists an extensive cross reference of diseases with MS symptoms - you might check this too ..........
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/multiple-sclerosis-000474.htm

All your symptoms sound neurological to me, so keep pursuing an answer.  Find yourself a neurologist you are comfortable with, preferably an MS specialist - and keep searching.

I see you are from Utah - which has quickly become one of my favorite states to visit - your national parks and natural beauty in the hills and mountains are breathtaking.  

my best,
Lulu

[scaredguy309]

Well she did say she has periventricular lesions which are considered typical for ms but ofcorse not conclusive. The important thing is to catch the disease in action. Am sure you know it happens in flairs where the symptoms come and go...so when you're experiencing most syptoms or they are most severe, then you should insist on taking or redoing tests as its your best chance of catching it. Try doing cbc with full differential, ANA for lupus. For ms, check for the optic neurits while the symptoms of eye pain and blurred vision is happening and spinal tap would be helpful. Am telling you this cu like i said, these autoimmunes don't always show in tests, especially during a period of remission.

[kellieg71]

Have you been refered to a Neurologist?  Or has your general Dr. sent you for a MRI?
That is where you probably need to focus now.
Good luck
Kellie