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MS? Neuralgia?

I am a 35 year old woman that has been experiencing bizarre symptoms over the last four years.  It began with my falling down for no apparent reason.  Of course, this usually happened in public places so I would laugh it off as nothing.  I honestly thought I was just clumsy and didn't give it too much thought.  Over the next few years I started to experience numbness in my right calf, dizziness, and a horrible pain in my left ear.  I went to a neurologist about the numbness in my leg and she thought it might be a back problem.  I went back a year later to see if I could get an answer on my ear pain (after seeing my general doctor and an ear, nose and throat specialist).  She diagnosed me with Trigeminal Neuralgia.  From what I've read about that, the pain with TN seems to be more in the face and mine is more in and around my ear.  When I have it, I can't even touch my head on the left side.  It used to last for only an hour or so, now it lasts for days at a time.  A MRI was done about a year ago (without dye) and was normal.  I have a whole myriad of other symptoms - frequency and urgency in urinating, heaviness in my legs, overactive knee reflex, weird itchy skin, etc., etc. to name a few.  I guess my question is where do I go from here?  Would another MRI be in order?  Should I wait longer before doing that?  I'm not sure where to look for help and what direction to take.  Any suggestions anyone has would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you!
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Avatar universal
Dear Paul:

Please see the answer to this same posting on someone else's posting.

CCF Neuro MD
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Avatar universal
For the last 6 months I have been having some tingling in my feet.  Not pins & needles, but more of a buzzing and twinging on the bottom sides.  I have also noticed this feeling intermittently in the fleshy part on my hands (between the wrist & finger).  I can usually make the feeling go away just by moving them.  The feeling is not pins & needles.  There is no numbess and no noticble muscle weakness.

Over the last 3 weeks (tis the season) I have noticed that when I drink alcohol my hands & feet turn beat red and begin to throb.  They feel very hot and the throbbing is incredible.  The next day the tingling feels worse.  I have an allergy to yeast (degree 3) which has never before bothered me.  I am wondering if the two could be related.

Before I noticed that alcohol had been affecting me-my GP referred me to a neurologist whom I am due to vist in 3 weeks.  He was concerned that this might be MS.  The feeling in both feet is identical and the throbbing is in all 4 of my limbs uniformly.  Any ideas?  Could there be a connection?  Would MS affect this uniformly?

Thanks for any help you can provide.
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Avatar universal
Dear Paddy:

Without knowing your symptoms, I would be hard pressed to tell you why tegratol was prescribed.  I would ask your physician why he prescribed tegratol, he/she knows your symptoms and problems.

Sincerely,

CCF Neuro MD
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Avatar universal
i have ms, my doctor has presribed tegretol for me, can somebody tell me why.

thank you
paddy
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Avatar universal
Dear Greg:

Thanks for the comments.  Jill is experiences things that might be a cervical lesion but there are symptoms that should be brain stem, such as pain in the ear.  A spondylosis can give a patient lower leg weakness.  One lesion on MRI is not the diagnostic criteria for MS, as you know.  A single lesion might be due to various other entities such as a post-viral lesion.  Let us hope this is the last lesion seen.

Sincerely,

CCF Neuro MD
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Avatar universal
My mother-in-law is experiencing very similar symptoms to yours, Carol. She had a fall, and then developed occipital neuralgia (extreme pain around the left ear and left side of the head). She also is experiencing numbness and tingling in the left arm and legs (first left, then both). Head MRIs came up clean; spinal taps clean; blood clean (no lupus); spinal MRI shows a legion at C1/C2.

We're afraid this might be MS (a current guess), but perhaps it is fall trauma, as well.
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Avatar universal
Is wierd itchy skin a symptom of MS?
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Avatar universal
Dear Jill:

Sorry to hear about your symptoms.  It is difficult to tell you what you have over the internet.  The MRI being normal is a good indication.  One should see MS lesions even without contrast.  Especially since your symptoms have gone on for such a long time.  I think the best thing to do is revisit the neurologist.  She has seen you before and sort-of knows your baseline.  Bring the list of your symptoms and see what she says after a good neurological exam.  Tell her of your concern about the possibility of MS.  

Sincerely,

CCF Neuro MD
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