Symptoms Back After Pregnancy Looking for Diagnosis

[stcroix_girl]

Hi everyone! I'm new to this and I'm in search of a community where I can share my thoughts. I have not been diagnosed with MS, but I'm now after three-four years with having every test imaginable done and seeing many doctors, getting results from a hormone panel back next week. My new Intergrated Medicine doctor is the first person to really listen and be in tune with my symptoms. He is testing me for a bunch of items, but he pointed out Cortisol, Vitamin D and Progesterone. I've seen two Neuros and one told me to exercise more (this was 3 years ago) and then second one told me it was emotional. My regular doctor strongly disagrees with this.

Long story short... I basically had an onset of symptoms- bam outta no where that got worse and last about 4 months.  This was about 3 years ago. After having a strict eating and exercise habit, it subsided a lot. When I was pregnant I felt my best and after baby. I did great pregnant and with the C-section. Until 3-4 months later that is, now I'm worse than I was before.

Has anyone here been in this situation? Women who were heathy and took care of themselves for the most part and then had a bunch of symptoms, then pregnancy helped, then afterwards it all came back?

Symptoms: Muscle weakness arms (it hurts to whisk eggs, drive too long if arms are up, type for a long time, lift arm in anyway over and over, RLS, cold feet, muscle spasms, headaches, extreme fatigue, history of constipation, legs freeze while walking, burning feet, I get symptoms on both sides, totally random, not both sides at the same time, wake up with numb hands, hot showers and baths make me feel very sick.....blah blah blah... a ton of things really. I've had bloodwork, autoimmune blood work, MRI, EMG, sleep tests, tested for Fibro.

The only thing I can think it is all hormones (I hope), MS or ALS. I'm not sure what is left. I'm trying to live as healthy as I can. I go to the chiropractor and get weekly massages. That really helps me keep my energy up. I do yoga, try to exercise and eat pretty well. Thanksgiving though really hurt! I lead a pretty stress free and blessed life. I stay busy and distracted but try not to over do it. My hands were so bad a couple of months ago that I couldn't even button my sons pj's at night. :(

Any thoughts or encouragement would be nice. I'm really thinking the hormone results are going to be the greatest thing to help and get me on track and have a plan for a better quality of life.

Did anyone else end up going this route..... with the hormones and what not?

Thanks :)

[supermum_ms]

Hi and welcome,

Personally, I don't think what your experiencing, sounds similar enough to MS or ALS to be honest. What i know about ALS is very basic but off the top of my head, it's not a very common condition, the majority have a short life expectancy of 2-5 yrs after dx or start of sx's and unfortunately only a smaller percentage live longer. Its a progressive weakness, wasting and paralysis of the muscles of the limbs but it also effects speech, swallowing and breathing.

With MS, whilst its pretty common to relapse within the first few months post partum, I'd think you probably have too much happening, for MS to be the most likely explanation over any other cause. All your peripheral limbs are effected, hands, arms, legs, feet and you say its random or in one side then the other and all of those things are usually the red flags leading away from MS, so from my perspective i really think you are probably dealing with one of the mimics and not specifically MS. see this link below for possible ideas....

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/muscle-pain/MY00113/DSECTION=causes

I am an athlete lol well mentally i still think that way but my body isn't co-operating like i want or need it too. I had problems during my first pregnancy hospitalised with toxaemia and 11 years later, with my second i was bigger than a house lol and loved every minute of it, though 3-4 weeks post partum a couple of things happened, that medical tests and various dr's couldn't at the time explain, but was thought could just be a post partum event.  

Cheers............JJ        

[stcroix_girl]

Thanks Alex :)

Yes, I've had two and each lasted about five minutes. My GP gave me the grip hand test and I failed miserably. My MRI was negative but my GP said I may need to have another one since it's been three years. I've been told I have peripheral neuropathy and parasenthesis but they can't tell me why. My chiro says it is neuromuscular and my massage therapist said my legs and other areas are filled with water and are inflamed. And something that my new doctor found interesting is that this go around I recently had a muscle spasm in my rib cage that lasted about three weeks. When I lay flat it was very painful. It just went away a few days ago. It's like I'll have a weird sensation and then it just pops in then out. Some last seconds and some last days. :( My team of people who are helping me now are not neurologist fans. And from what I've experienced I understand why.

[HVAC]

Have they done neurological exams on you? Reflexes, pulling on arms and legs, following light with eyes, touching nose with eyes closed? Any doctor can do these. If you have Neurological problems these tests would show it. There are many thing that act like MS that are not neurological. Your symptoms do not scream MS to me but I am not a doctor.

Alex