SPASTICITY BUT NO DIAGNOSIS

[KYMMEMAR]

  ONE YR AGO I BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WALKING STAIRS, AT TIMES LEANING AGAINST THE WALL TO COMPLETE THE CLIMB. I COULD STILL DO 2 MILES ON TREADMILL.   ALL LABS BY ENDOCRINOLOGIST/RHEUMY OK.  ENT STATED THAT MY HOARSENESS IS DUE TO VOCAL CORDS NOT FULLY CLOSING AND THAT THERE IS LARYNGO REFLUX.     ONE NEURO TESTED ME FOR MYASTHENIA GRAVIS - NEGATIVE, AND B-12 OK. 7 MOS LATER AND NOW I HAVE PROBLEMS WALKING. LEGS FEEL TIGHT ALL THE TIME, UNABLE  TO WALK TREADMILL.   MRI'S ALL OK, BUT I BELIEVE  MS PROTOCAL NOT FOLLOWED. FIRST NEURO DID NOT WANT TO DO CERVICAL OR HEAD MRI.  I INSISTED AND PCP ORDERED THEM.   SECOND NEURO SENT ME TO PHYSICAL THERAPY.  PT STATED THAT I HAVE SPASTICITY IN LEGS AND SOME RIGIDITY IN RIGHT LEG.  SPASTICITY AND WEAKNESS ALSO NOTED IN ARMS.   EVOKED POT. ALL OK PER 2ND NEURO.  I WAS TOLD TO STRETCH LIMBS, DO PT,  AND ALL SHOULD BE OK, MAYBE FOLLOW-UP IN 6 MOS.   IS THIS NORMAL ?  CAN THIS BE MS ?  DO I JUST WAIT ?  THANKS FOR ANY HELP

[mistylee]

I also have spasticity diagnosed by neuro PT and seen by Neurologist and still I await a diagnosis.  Abnormal Brain scan .....8-12 lesions but non specific.

From what I read....spasticity always means CNS damage and other than brain injury, cerebral palsey , stroke or spinal cord injury , the only other obvious cause would be MS.

Very frustrating all this waiting and not knowing.  I sympathise with you.  Its been 6 long years waiting for me so far.  Good luck!!

Mistylee

[KYMMEMAR]

THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT.  THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING ALSO, THAT SPASTICITY IS DUE TO CNS INVOLVEMENT.  IF THE MRI'S ARE CORRECT (REGARDING SPINE) THEN ALL HAS BEEN RULED OUT, EXCEPT MS.  MY PT DID STATE THAT HE FEELS MRI'S ARE INACCURATE AT LEAST 30 % OF THE TIME -REGARDING NERVE  COMPRESSION?   DO YOU TAKE ANY MEDICATION FOR SPASTICITY OR JUST THERAPY?  I ALSO AGREE, IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING SEEKING AN ANSWER AND I FEEL THAT THE DOCS ARE AT TIMES HYPOCRITES.  

[sllowe]

KyMM,

I there, welcome. Going to be very important for the doctor to dx the spasticity. Would your PTherapist be willing to send a report to your neuro on the findings?  How far out are you from your 6 month follow up.

Stick w/the PT, no matter what this is, it does help a little.

-shell