ms?

[twowheelers]

Hi I'm a 20 year college student and I have recently been very confused about my current situation. I was never the most articulate person but lately my speech has been frustratingly bad. I can't seem to formulate the right words, and I have to think really hard before I speak because my speech has been a jumbled mess. I have to continually repeat myself and the times when the right words come out of my mouth my friends cannot understand me because it comes out too slurred or as mumbling. My vision has also been acting up on me. I have to squint to read things and the words either seem blurry or shaky. My family and I have had perfect vision and I am still very young so I do not know why it's been like that.  I've had random muscle spasms at night, and I have also had two random accounts of extreme pain in my calf/knee area. The pain was so excruciating that it I couldn't fall back asleep. My arms and legs have been falling asleep quicker and the pins and needles feeling stay for a longer period of time. I had a really stiff neck for a week last week but I'm thinking maybe I slept wrong. I wouldn't have thought much of these things but I remembered a time in late may/ early June where I went to play some golf with friends and I came back home with a numb thumb. I thought that it was because I was holding onto my thumbs too hard. but the numbness did not go away for another two/three weeks. I was confused as to why speech and thought processes have been so frustratingly slow lately so I looked it up and I saw ms as one of the possibilities as to why I was like this. I'm not much on going to the doctor or getting check ups but I thought it was better to be safe than sorry. Any thoughts? I don't want to waste my money on going to get a check up if I don't have to...

[kwarendorf]

Hi - As Alex and Tom have pointed out there are many things, both neurological and non-neurological that can cause your symptoms. You need to find out what is causing your symptoms.

It's unlikely that they will magically resolve themselves. At this point I would not consider a trip to the doctor a waste of money. I would go as soon as possible.

Kyle

[HVAC]

I would start with a good Primary Care Doctor you trust. That is how my MS was discovered. She was doing a yearly exam and noticed my eyes and reflexes were off. I had no clue i had an issue because I had had symptoms for so long. They can do a basic Neurological exam. Reflexes, tracking eyes, etc. It could be a simple as an electrolyte imbalance, vitamin deficiency, or something more serious. There are over 30 non neurological mimics to MS. If they mention tests ask if they are necessary and why? I always do.



Alex

[twowheelers]

I don't want to have to pay money to get scans done unless I'm pretty sure... (although I probably won't be sure until I get the scans...) Are there any sure signs of ms? Should I just wait and see if any of the symptoms reoccur or worsen?

[tomas2729]

Hello and welcome.

I am sorry to hear that you are having any problems at all. The things that you are describing are not fun and no doubt scary........

The symptoms that you are describing are common in people who have MS. The problem that you run into is they are also common in many other things. I would not panic or freak out at this point about MS until you know anything for sure. I would suggest to you that you go in and see a doctor who can refer you to a good nuerologist. The things that you are experiencing are not normal (as you know) and should be looked into for sure.

I hope that you find that answers that you are looking for and I hope that they involve something way less severe than MS.........

Best,

Tom

[twowheelers]

oh and I've been really fatigued lately and I noticed my legs shaking as I was walking down the stairs... I've been getting really dizzy as well...=_=