Possible Ms??

[Shellshack]

I have been feeling 'weird' and having weird symptoms for about three years now.  Little did I know, they may be MS symptoms.  I've been to the ENT for what I thought was fluid on my inner ear, only to find out I didn't.  Which confused me on why I was dizzy and had vertigo so much.  Then my stomach started hurting and feeling like a band squeezing it, which I thought was maybe my gallbladder.  I went to a gastrologist and had a colonoscopy and EDG, only to find out I have 1) a lazy bowel and 2) and irritable stomach.  I began having numbness in the top of my left foot.  It came and went.  Then my entire arm felt numb, then my leg joined, then the side of my face (left)~and this landed me in the ER thinking it was a stroke.  Only to find out 'nothing'.  I then was referred to a neurologist.  At my first apt. he said he feels like I have MS and we needed to run some test to confirm.  I have had bloodwork to rule out other things.  It has come back normal.  I just had a series of MRI's on my brain, lumbar spine and thoracic spine with and without contrast.  I had a visiual and brainstem evoked potentials test.  Something called and SSEP upper and lower, which I just had yesterday and was painful shocks!  I am scheduled for an EDG/NCV upper and lower tomorrow.  My question is this...can anyone tell me what to look for when getting my results.  How to understand my results?  My left leg is giving me a fit today after the SSEP test.  I don't know why.  I have floaters in my left eye as well.  There is a long list of symptoms.  I'm only 34.  I coach gymnastics.  I am in the 'what if' land and searching for answers, as I am sure many of you have been yourself.  I guess I'm looking for support, advice and any helpful information from people who understand what I'm going through.  It's hard when you starting doubting yourself and thinking 'maybe it is all in my head afterall', but then your symptoms are so real.  The neuro gave me a list of four med's to start researching for treatment and the top of the list was Copaxine?  I looked it up briefly but then decided to wait on the results of all of the tests.  Any advice???  Thanks!!

[Shellshack]

Just wanted to update you on my EMG testing today.  The neurologist performed the test and did tell me something was going on with my neck.  He wouldn't go into details and said we'd have to wait on all of the test to get back.  The technician did tell me that they had found some things in the tests they had performed and the neuro. would go over everything with me but not to stress out that it wasn't anything 'life threatening'.  So, I am wondering now if it is something with my neck?  Or if it could still  be MS?  I have numbness in my leg and arm on the left side.  Can something in your neck cause numbness in both of these areas?  Floaters in my left eye?  Dizziness?  Vertigo??  I am relieved they found something, but still in the limbo land of what is it??  I go to an eye dr. on Monday to have him look at my left eye because of the floaters I'm seeing.  My nuerologist told me to go.  I am finally finished with all of my testing, and praying for some definite answers.  I am wondering if I somehow have damage to my neck I don't even know about and it's causing all of these weird symptoms I don't even know about?  Or is this MS symptoms?    Ah, I don't play this waiting game well....lol...wish I knew the answers ASAP.

Thanks for your replies and information.  I am going to wait until my appointment on May 7th and see what my nuero says about everything then, including my bloodwork and TSH levels.

I guess my question is if anyone knows of what could be wrong with my neck and why it's causing my numbness in my arm and leg and face?

[Heather3418]

Thank you SO much for taking the time to answer this question so thoroughly.  It's nice to know that the MedHelp CL's can be there for each other and all of it's members, to help with specific questions.  

The MS Forum thanks for you for contribution and expertise in this area.

Thanks again,
Heather

[ChitChatNine]

I am the CL of the Thyroid Community and hoping to help you in regards to your bloodwork thyroid levels .. I do have one ? about the name of the test they did. Was it a TSH level?  The post has TCH and I am pretty sure it is just a typo but wanted to make sure we are on the same page with my answers to you as the relate to TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) values.  

These are the hormones your thyroid makes everyday and they control so many parts of your body.  Most people, mine included, never think about a thyroid until there are symptoms or a test reveals results at or nearly out of range (high or low) hyper vs. hypo.  In the world of thyroid labs it seems all is backwards in that a high # is too little hormone and a low test result # is too much hormone .. always good to keep that point in hand when looking at thyroid lab results as it is very confusing otherwise.

Different labs have different values.  The older standards range on the high end (or really the low end of the range in direct result #'s) of 5.0 .. newer standards I believe are cutoff at 3.0  .. also there is a standard TSH and 3rd Generation TSH which is widely used and that test is more accurate and newer.

So if you have a TSH of 3.31 and a range > 3.0 being not normal this is, perhaps, reason to account for some HYPOthyroid symptoms.  However, it varies in opinion from Dr. to Dr. and some say no way it is all in your head while others having the same degree and piece of paper will try Synthroid as a test to see if you do any better because some are symptomatic and considered "subclinical" with varied symptoms such as being cold, sluggish, brain fog memory word retrieval issues, joint pain, hair loss, dry skin, weight gain, constipation.  The list goes on and on and can be confused with older women and changes of life so for us, that gets even trickier.  I meant to mention that a good ENDOCRINOLOGIST is where you want to be right now ... one who listens .. they are your best bet esp, with other health issues  .. they take it all into consideration.

If your values were more Hyper .. say 0.667 (real results for me at one point) then you have other issues at hand such as increased anxiety, jitters, loss of concentratin and word retrieval issues for me.  But another person at 0.667 is content and no symptoms!!

There are autoimmune disorders such as Graves Disease but those fluctuate up/down.

Has your Dr. done a thorough thyroid neck check? Very important bcz even a 2.0cm nodule cannot be felt by most people on their own.  My nodules were found during a routine exam.

After I was put on Synthroid all my HYPO symptoms went away .. my body made TSH at 3.0 and on Synthroid replacement hormone my TSH is at 1.3 with very little symptoms (constipation fully gone and no scripted meds for it) but for thyroid cancer surpression the goal is to maintain it for me as close to TSH 1.0 as possible.

Any other ?'s feel free to ask Heather to give me a shout .. I hope it isn't too too confusing.

In a nutshell:  Symptoms can be apparent for certain at that range; most do not but many have symptoms and see an Endocrinologist for a full checkup and they will also test all your thyroid panels including T3's, T4's and antibodies for autoimmune disorders but I'm not an expert in that area but can refer another member over to you if any of those tests prove positive out of range.

With regards and thank you Heather for the invite,

Cheryl - CL Thyroid Disorders Community

[Heather3418]

Okay girlfriend...I posted your question to the Thyroid Community Leader.  Hopefully she can help answer your thyroid level questions.

Heather

[Heather3418]

I am going to go over to the Thryoid Forum, in case you already haven't and get their Community Leader to comment on your blodd levels.  I'll see if she can post her answer right here on this Forum, so it wil make it easier for you to find it.

I'll be right back...or she will.  Her name is Cheryl by the way.

Hang in there.  We're trying to help answer all of your questions.

Best Wishes,
Heather

[Shellshack]

Hi Tammy.  Thanks for your comment and quick response.  I just had my MRI and other test last Friday and this Monday.  I go today for my last test, the EDG/NCV ?? I think it's called.  I've had the Visual evoked potentials, brainstem evoked potentials, SSEP upper and lower, MRI of brain, lumbar and thoracic spine with and without contrast.  I had blood work a couple of weeks ago.  Just go the results last Thursday.  The nurse said everything was normal except one of my thyroid levels was slightly above normal, the TCH level?  It was a 3.31 and normal is 0.3 to 3.0.  I did have my thryoid checked last August at my yearly gyno apt. and I called them to find out what it was then.  The nurse said is was normal and 3.76.  I am wondering what NORMAL is?  Because i've read this is slightly above normal and could be hypothryoidism, which could explain some of my symptoms.  Like low body temperature..mine is always 97.7.  I don't know.

I have only had one nuero apt.  I'm not sure if he's and MS specialist.  Being that I am very new to all of this and learning daily.  I do know he's the best neuro. where I live.  I had one person make a smart comment to me saying this dr. always orders A LOT of tests.  However, the technician in the neuro. lab said he did order a lot of tests, but he was the best there is and he never orders something you don't need.  I have a good friend went to him and he didn't order all of these tests for her.  Anyway, I'm just rambling today.  I do know that with all of my symptoms they are exaggerated by stress.  I had a rough night coaching last night with a parent and afterwards my leg went hot and numb.  I was so upset and started crying.  I've been strong through this whole process but I guess I reached my breaking point last night.  And cried for hours.  Oh well.

Any advice or information would be great!!

[wingnut19]

Hi There, and welcome to our Forum....

The people here are all wonderfully supportive and understand what you're going through...
I am one of several LimboLanders here frustrated like you, without answers YET....
Please feel free to share with us any feelings you have, and we will try our best to help you through them.  Don't be shy with us--There's nothing we won't try to understand, and perhaps have been through ourselves.
Besides the bloodwork results, could you tell us if you've had any other results come back yet?  
You said you've seen a Neurologist, right?  Does he/she specialize in MS?  

I know that sometimes we're inclined to think it's all in our heads just because of the strange symptoms and no answers to why we're having them.  I have felt that way many times over the past year...It's not a nice feeling.

Keep your chin up, and stay with us a while....We'll do what we can....

Take Care,
Tammy  :)

[Heather3418]

Sorry that this question was missed.  I apologize.  I am going off line for awhile, so I am going to "bump" this post up to the top of the page, so hopefully some of our members can step in for me and give you some answers.

Thanks for being so patient.  I'm bushed and have been on the forum all day.  I just have to take some time to rest up a little.  I apologize for not having the energy right now to get to your very important question.

Best Wishes,
Heather