another possible MS

[frizgig4]

Hi there,

I am new to this group.... and I want to ask a question that seems to be an incurring one. I think I may have MS, but have not yet been diagnosed. If I do have MS, it is in the very early stages. I have several odd symptoms. One is that I get double vision. This double vision is not present all of the time, and seems to be worse at night or when I'm tired. It is also worse when I am looking at things that glow... EXIT signs, neon signs, tail lights on cars, street lamps. In addition to the double vision, I will see streaking of light. The light from a street lamp will look like it's streaking all across my vision, and the glow of my computer screen will look like it's extending above and below the screen. Both the double vision and the streaking is present when I have both eyes open, as well as when I only have one eye open. This double vision has been going on since January.

I also will feel tingling in mostly my arms, and it manifests in several ways. When any kind of sound surprises me, I will feel like all of the nerves on my skin are firing at once. If a friend who is behind touches my arm to get my attention, I will feel a tingling spread out from where they touched me like concentric circles. I had a throbbing tingling on the pad of my right index finger that lasted for three days. I still feel it occasionally, though not as strong as I did before, and I sometimes feel it in my middle finger now too. If I pick up a piece of clothing that ends up being a different texture than what I was expecting, I will feel the tingling. Loud music will make the double vision and the startle reflex worse.

Today I felt my inner thigh go numb temporarily.

Also, I've been reallly tired lately. Last night I slept for 12 hours, and I have still been feeling tired all day today.

I also have intention tremor. Lately I will also feel the tremor when I'm just sitting around... it feels like my insides are all shaking, especially in my arms/upper body. I've had people tease me for drinking too much coffee  because of how bad the tremor can be, but I never drink coffee... and rarely consume caffeine in general.

I had an MRI of just my brain done, and it came out "normal."

I do get really bad headaches, and I've been getting bad headaches for YEARS. I'm not sure if they are related to these other, new symptoms....

Anyway, can any of you relate to any of these symptoms I'm describing? Or do any of these symptoms sound like they are definitely NOT MS symptoms?

I am aware that these symptoms could be many things, but I am just curious to know more about MS.

Thank you!

[supermum_ms]

The last time i mentioned this, it didn't go down as i'd intended, it ended well in the end though [ :o) ] please dont slap me think educational and not my opinion of your circumstance! Its not actually that uncommon for medical students to experience what they are studying, they've even got a name for it 'medical student syndrome' but sometimes learning about a medical condition has actually ended up in a dx. http://www.cmaj.ca/content/178/7/820.full

My opinion: is that from my perspective and experience, what you are describing doesnt actually sound like double vision to me (diplopia), but that could simply be that you've not said anything other than "I get double vision" you haven't provided any details. What you have described, are different visual sx's to diplopia, and sounds more consistent with the light sensitivity (photophobia) and is common in people with out eye disease but do suffer from migraines.

http://www.rnib.org.uk/eyehealth/eyeconditions/eyeconditionsdn/Pages/photophobia.aspx

Think about it, isn't it possible that if loud sounds can affect your vision, that migraine may be the more likely explanation?

Cheers..........JJ

[frizgig4]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for getting back to me!!!

Ironically, as it turns out, I am a student doctor of optometry. I'm a second year. I've talked to some of my upper classmen and the doctors at my school about my intermittant diplopia and they seem kind of confounded, which is part of why I think this may be more neurological in origin. Since it occurs at distance  and monocularly, it can't be a convergence insufficiency. I also got checked to see if this was caused by a refractive error, and that's a negative too. My optic disk is normal, which rules out optic neuritis. Basically, everything about my eyes themselves is normal. I'm sorry I didn't mention I've been checked out by optometrists....

Do people with MS get both monocular and binocular diplopia that is not related to optic neuritis?

I will definitely make a point of getting copies of all of my medical records for myself. And Sara, I will be sure to browse around those resources a little more as well!!

[SarahL2491]

I'd be making an appt with your eye doctor as those are not normal signs

As for ms, what bothers me is you refer to bilateral problems. Ms normally starts with one side or the other.

Please feel free to browse our help sections listed on the right side which contain much good information.

Welcome and I hope you solve your puzzle but you still have more mimic diseases to rule out!

As Minnie says. Always request a disc copy and written copy for your records!

[LilMinnie]

Oh, and I meant to mention something about your "normal" MRI. The first neurologist said mine was normal too. However, I got a copy of both the disc and written report. Most facilities will provide this for free if you just ask.

Anyway, the Radiologist identified one lesion and the second neurologist I saw identified another. The wise folks here advised me to start a health file and keep copies of all of my tests. That way you have everything together and if you go to a different doctor and the records aren't sent you will have them.

I hope this helps,
Minnie :)

[LilMinnie]

Hi, I'm pretty new to all this too. I have a lot of the same visual symptoms you have, with the exception of the streaks. Mine began suddenly. My neurologist said I should see an Ophthalmologist, and I found that I have convergence insufficiency X (T) and refractive diplopia.

Convergence Insufficiency is common in children because their eyes are still developing. Adult onset with no prior history can be a sign of something neurological. The refractive diplopia has something to do with how your eyes receive light and apparently doesn't have anything to do with neurology. I am a bit confused by this because I never had double vision before. In my research, though, I have read of people who were originally thought to have refractive diplopia and it was really Optic Neuritis.

I am nowhere even close to an expert. Still learning myself. The Ophthalmologist I saw did request diagnostic results and evaluation of something (that part was at the bottom of the report and was cut off of my copy). So, short story long, it would be a good idea to get checked out by an Opthalmologist as it could help put pieces of the diagnostic puzzle together.

Best of luck,
Minnie :)

[sammi1413]

Hi there,
I am also new to this community, and in the same dilemma. So  I feel your frustration.
It is so confusing to have these symptoms, yet no final dx. So many times my Neuro has told me that he cannot take MS "off the table".
He did all other rule out tests and treats it with monthly Sol-u-medrol and other meds for the spasticity, fatigue and what ever else I might need.
One test he did do was called a rule in, a blood test by Glycomids, I believe that is the name, you can google it. Anyway, it came back 95% positive that I would have it. However, that, the leisions, optic neuro, etc...still do not have the dx...
Hang in there