Hi Liddy,
I am also a mom and can understand your fear and concern. When we don't know why something is the way it is, it is scary! That is a normal reaction. Somethings that I want to encourage you on...
First, it does not sound according to what your dr have told you that you have ms. Hormones can do horrible things!
Enjoy your babies! They only stay little for a short time, then all of a sudden they are grown up.
Life is short. Don't stress!!! I have had anxiety before and have had some with my diagnoses, but I am trying to take everyday and make it the best possible.
You may never be diagnosed with an incurable disease, but if you are... it is not the end of the world!!! I promise. It is life altering, but we have to make the best of what we have been given.
Prayers and Hugs!
~B
My other response posted too soon. Kyle- what you said made sense and is immensely reassuring. I think it has been tough for me to sort through all of the info here with people being misdiagnosed, the fact that MRIs can be negative, etc. I also know that I am experiencing real symptoms that don't yet have a name and am very scared. Anyway, thanks again.
Thanks - your response was helpful and reassuring - at least that this is not MS. It has been
Thanks for your reply. Though I don't believe that anxiety is causing my symptoms, it is definitely making everything worse now. This anxiety is very new to me as I have traditionally handled most adversity (including health problems) well. I am quite physically uncomfortable with the burning and tingling.
Anyway, thanks for your gentle and thoughtful reply. It was comforting that you took the time to respond and helps me worry less about MS.
Hi Liddy -
I agree with JJ. When I read your post I thought "These docs are covering all the MS diagnostic bases. We don't often see head, c-spine, with and without contrast on a 3T machine in the first go round :-) Negative MRI, negative clinical exam, negative blood work and symptoms that are atypical of MS would point me away from MS as the cause of your troubles.
MS attacks specific nerves rather than the entire central nervous system. What ever function or area of the body is controlled by the compromised nerve is likely to be where symptoms appear. And it will be rather consistent. For example, My left foot hurts but there is nothing wrong with it. THe nerve(s) that control the pain center for my left foot tell the pain to fire even though there is nothing wrong. It's always my left foot. It does not move to my right.
I know this is easier said than done, but try and relax. Worse case scenario, lets say it is MS. MS is not necessarily a life altering disease. For many, like me, minor accommodations allow me to lead a perfectly "normal" life, and i've had MS for over 20 years :-)
Kyle
Hi Liddy,
I honestly don't know what is the right thing to say........ by your account you have no abnormal medical tests, blood work, MRI's, neurological assessment etc are all normal and the sensory issues you describe are not similar to what typically happen's when its caused by MS. Though you are still very anxious, that you have "a life-altering illness", even though the medical advice you are receiving is that it's hormonal- post partum and not a serious chronic medical condition.
Anxious enough that this is "making it difficult to care for my children and carry on with life" would be pretty high and a quite serious anxiety situation in my opinion, and regardless of anything else, your anxiety really needs to be given absolute priority!
To be totally honest, I would of thought Health Anxiety would of been a 'possible' explanation, when someone has moving sensory sx's, no medical evidence of disease and their anxiety of having a life altering illness is significantly effecting their life despite medical assurances, because it is all suggestive of Health Anxiety but if your psychiatrist says it's not psychosomatic, then i'm really not sure of any other possibility to mention to you, sorry.
I have no similar personally experience, or even know of anyone with MS that experienced what you have. All i can advice, is to try to not let your self overly worry about anything that has not actually happened, I know that's easier said than done but your doctor's may be correct and you will have been fearful of something that you will never experience. If you really believe this is not going to resolve given more time post partum, then please consider getting a second opinion.
Hugs.............JJ