What were/are your symptoms ?

[Mayobarber]

Hi. To make this short I am a 24 year old female who has been hit with a mystery illness. For over 2 months, I've had an insanely wide range of symptoms but the most bothersome ones are neurological such as confusion, severe fatigue, numbness/ coldness in limbs, horrible headaches which a lot of times are sharp pains, foggy brain, memory problems, trouble communications, dizziness,  debilitating fatigue and more. When I say these symptoms hve changed my life I'm not exadgurating. I've lost my job over this and can no longer drive. Anyways I've had 2 er visit... Seen 9 doctors who have tested for everything under the sun and after seeing them over and over they tell me they can't find a reason for my symptoms and basically they can't help me. Anyways, I've now had 4 different people mention to me I should be tested for ms... Three of those people actually have ms. I don't really know how I feel about this but now that I've had so many people mention the same thing I can't help but think it could be possible. I have an appointment with a neuro but couldn't get in for like 2 weeks. Anyways my main question is what symptoms do you all experience and do you think ms Is possible for me ?

[LisaJF]

I'm not diagnosed with anything yet.  Three years going strong :)

However, I will be going to a MS Specialist out  east on the Island and hopefully she will have one for me, whatever it may be.

Lisa

[Mayobarber]

Thanks for responding :) I have a lot of those symptoms as well... Trouble balancing, horrible pain like for example today I wake up feeling like I got hit by a truck and every muscle in my body feels so sore and weak I also am nauseated almost everyday... Urine issues, blurred vision, and others.. Plus all the things I mentioned before. How long have you been diagnosed

[LisaJF]

Oh let's not forget that one year in 2010 for 10 months I had nausea.  It was lovely.

[LisaJF]

You know, I got on a roll and forgot to say so! LOL!

I figured you were tested for lots of things, but want to ensure you gather all your blood work and diagnostic tests (hospital and doctors office) to show the Neurologist.

My personal symptoms:

Ataxia
Fine motor incoordination
Paresthesias (numb/tingling/vibration)
Pain (due to allodynia, burning or muscle spasms)
Muscle spasms
Gait problems
blurred vision
Dizziness & Vertigo
Urine issues
Cognitive dysfunction

Just to name a few :)

[Mayobarber]

Thank you for responding :) I have been tested for all those things that you listed. I also was tested fit Rocky Mountain spotted fever and had positive bloodwork come back however I was treated with a month of antibiotics and told by three different doctors that it has to be cleared out by now and there has to be something else going on....

But as for the question and reason I posted, do you mind sharing with me your personal symptoms?

[LisaJF]

Hello and welcome to the forums where I hope you will find emotional support and from many experienced people who have MS or those who are in limbo waiting for a diagnosis.

I would like to state first that as much as we are all interested in what you have to say, and we are, is when you type out your question, that you break it up for those who have trouble reading.

As for your Neurologist visit, good for you.  You need to go.

So far you have listed:

Fatigue (severe)
Paresthesias (numbness/tingling/cold sensation)
Cognitive dysfunction (memory & foggy)
Dizziness
Pain
Headaches (lots of people have headaches without MS and most MSers have headaches, sort of hard to tell if MS actually causes the headaches).


However, the symptoms you've listed and the very fact that you are no longer working due to your extreme fatigue and most likely poor performance due to pain and other issues, is a reason to seek a Neurological consult.

Can it be MS? Maybe.  Are there other things that cause these symptoms?  Yes.  Such as: Vitamin B12 deficiency (something as simple as that), Hypothryoidism (which I'm sure you were tested for that), Lyme disease (which I'm sure you were tested for that), Lupus, the list goes on and on and there are many conditions that can cause those very symptoms.  MS has a lot of mimics.

So, what to expect when you go see your Neurologist?  Hopefully his assessment will take a long time.  Properly done, your visit is approximately about 2 hours.  He will take a history (surgical and medical), ask about your symptoms or what brought you there, do a neurological assessment on you (testing reflexes, etc.) and sit down and discuss the plan of care for you.

He will most likely order a MRI of the head, cervical spine and thoracic spine, with and without contrast.  Probably order some blood work your primary had not done.  (Good idea to get your laboratory results from your doctors office, ER visits (can go to medical records, sign a form and obtain your blood work or any other diagnostic test BEFORE your appointment.)



Again,  welcome to the community and I hope we can be of some support to you.

Lisa

PS - We have health care pages you can take the time to read here:    http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/list?cid=36

There is a plethora of great reading in there.

I find it important for people to educate themselves as they journey their way into finding out what is going on with their bodies, particularly if you suspect MS (or if your doctors do to).  

Only thing I suggest is when you go to the Neurologist not to mention what you or your friends "THINK" it is, let him be the doctor and see what he comes up with.  If he sounds like any of the wanks in the hospital, then we'll come up with another plan for you. :)

Hope I was helpful

Lisa