Waiting for lumbar puncture results.

[pally10101]

Hey everyone.

I posted awhile back regarding my MRI which showed a single lesion.

Since then I've been in and out of some pretty rough days.
My blood tests all came back normal (I really was suspecting Lyme for awhile). And I've been really struggling with stress and anxiety almost daily since I learned that I was probable ms. I'm still waiting for the results of my spinal tap.

I guess I'm posting just to compare notes and lay down some of my symptoms.  I personally feel that for just one lesion, my age (29), and the very fast progression of my symptoms, that this is not MS, but a more serious infection or immune response triggered by some allergen I keep unwittingly exposing myself too.

Anyways, here's what has been going on - whenever I get one symptom, I get them all in some shape or form. I've had about two really great strong energetic symptom free days out of the last 45 or do.  They were heaven. The rest I feel like I'm just waiting to get better and I'm not really even alive.

This time last year apart from hurting fingers I was COMPLETELY FINE. 1 year later all this:

- Extremely terrible anxiety. Almost daily panic attacks. Mitigated by some health product called "stress releaf" (it really helps) - I'm useless to the world when I feel this way.
- Debilitating confusion and brain fog. - only solvable by sleep. Even if it takes 12 hours of sleep
- (my first symptom 3 years ago) - terrible finger pain while typing or using my hands. - tingling numbness - almost useless hands sometimes.  My fingers feel like I jammed every single one as I type this on my iPad.
- fatigue. Heavy arms, weak legs. Goes away during heavy excersise. Lifting/running/swimming. I can do them all for miles, but I really pay for it the next day.
- uncoordinated unsteady walk.  Feels just wrong to be standing or walking. This symptom alarms me the most.
- partial facial numbness (very intermittent)
- slurring speech - feeling drunk when sober. - hasn't happened in awhile but I remember it vividly.
- alcohol intolerance. - instead of a buzz I feel absolute horrible. I quit drinking and don't date anymore.
- balance issues - sometimes severe. Dizzy for weeks at a time.
- depression - likely related to a bad heartbreak a few months back. Doesn't help my anxiety though.

The neuro says ONLY the finger tingling is explainable by my lesion and that he thinks anxiety is causing the rest. I've never had anxiety this bad my whole life until this year. I think more is at play here.

Pretty much the only activity I can tolerate anymore is playing video games and watching tv.

I've started juicing raw fruits and vegetables twice daily in the meantime.  Wait and see approach is not an option for me at this point. I feel like I'm about to have a stroke or just up and die, no choice but to try to get healthy and bear this on my own.  Honestly I just want my old life back. This isn't me anymore.

[pally10101]

Just typing to say lumbar puncture normal.

Fingers hurt too much to type more details.

[pally10101]

I'm on zero meds.

I should hear about the S/T results in the next two weeks or so (got it done about 2 weeks ago)

As far as I can tell I haven't had relapsing anything or any "attacks". It's just been a long steady decline. Unless an "attack" is supposed to last 6 months or longer.

I'm worried about PPMS though I figure for that case I should have had more activity on my MRI.

I'm thankful to live near the beach. I go for alot of night walks/runs along the beach to calm myself down and overall feel better. May go do that now..  

[cam817]

I to am waiting test results, your symptoms sound like mine, the facial pain and slurred speech. I have leg foot numbness almost all the time now.Do they have you on anything? The neurologist put me on 300 mg am, 200mg lunch and 300mg of gabapentin a day. It helps some but does not make the pain in the feet and legs go away , helps with the facial pain...without it I feel like I was punched in the jaw and very foggy.

[zoefromsussex]

Hi, sorry to hear how anxious you're feeling at the moment. It can be a very stressful & worrying time and the wait & see approach is so hard. My neuro was going down that route too but my next relapse came just a few months later so the wait wasn't very long!
You mention your age but actually lots of people are diagnosed in their 20's. I'm only 34 now so not much older.
I think that anxiety can cause a lot of symptoms and maybe it's extra bad because you've got all this on your plate. How long do you have to wait for your spinal tap result? I remember waiting for my results in Feb of this year and I was sooooo anxious. Like you, I was also concerned about the progression of symptoms but I guess it takes a while for the nervous system to settle down after an attack. Personally I was knocked out by symptoms in the week after my lumbar puncture and I thought that was how my life was going to be forever! I'm pretty sure things will ease up soon for you if you just try and look after yourself, rest enough and maybe you'll feel much better once you have your results. I thought I'd never get a remission from symptoms but actually I'm doing well lately with my only lasting symptom being vision problems & the occasional day of tingling.
I'm sure you'll get plenty of better responses than mine...this forum is the best and the people on here are such a huge support.
Good luck!