MS, Lyme's or worse?

[RN_student]

I'm a 22 years old female. This past week I've had twitching that remained in one spot in my left arm. Over the next few days it spread to my left leg and then left torso (my symptoms are all unilateral). Then my left side of face began to feel tingling and numbness. Numbness was on my lips (only on left side). All this is intermittent, not constant. I no longer get numbness on my lips, but the tingling on the left face is getting more frequent but less pronounced and still intermittent. The twitching has also seemed to decrease since monday but has stayed the same since friday. I now also get twitching on my right torso and leg, although not as frequent as the left side. Also, 2 times this week, I was so cold that I literally felt my spine shiver (no fever). Once this week I woke up because my spine felt like an electrical current was going through it, and I could not fall back asleep for 1 hour. This was accompanied by breathing problems (I feel like I forget to breathe sometimes and that I can't take a deep breath,I also have shallow and rapid breathing at times). Also, 3 weeks ago, I had an episode where I Iost my peripheral vision in the right eye for about 15 minutes and then resolved. I have not had this happen since then, although I feel like I can't focus my eyes when looking at something far away (I don't have double vision though). Since monday, the breathing problems have gotten better, the twitching has gotten somewhat better but has not improved since 3 days ago, my legs started feeling weak, and the tingling in my left face is still around just not so pronounced. In addition, the past 2 days, I've been having nausea after eating in the morning but no vomiting. it goes away after about 15 minutes. Also, I've been having a sore throat on and off the entire week and a productive cough every 7 days that last a few hours with no coughing in between the 7 days. I have also had unusual fatigue the second half of this week (napping for the past 3 days. before that I haven't napped in 6 months). I have also had a headache on and off throughout the day at the beginning of the week and now I have it at night, but goes away if I turn a certain way, stand up, or take tylenol. I have no idea if all of these are related, but it is worrying me. My parents, which are physicians did a neurological exam on me and said I was WNL. I went to an internist who also did a neuro exam and he said the same thing, but because of my symptoms and my age, he wants to order an MRI to rule out MS and bloodwork to rule out Lyme's, thyroid problems, and autoimmune disorders. He said he doubts it is a tumor because my symptoms don't fit. My parents don't think any of this is necessary, but I will still go through with it. I would really like other opinions! Does this sound like a tumor? I have most of the symptoms of MS, but I thought the sensations are not usually unilateral. Please help!

[patsy10]

I believe a post-viral syndrome can last for months.  Did you google it?  I have but not recently.  The twitching is very scary.  I've had it all over my body for years, amongst other things.  I've gotten  used to it.  The illness you described above sounds like possibly that bad flu that's been going around.  People I know who have had it and coughed for a couple of months or more.

I don't think it sounds like a tumor as it seems generalized.  It also sounds like your internist is covering all bases.

I know how scary these symptoms are because I have lived them for several years.  I don't get too scared anymore.  I just deal with it.  Incidentally, mine started after a bullseye rash.

I hope you find out what this is and that you recover fully.

[RN_student]

Yes, 5 weeks ago I had the flu. I had a fever for 4 days and it was 104 degrees at its highest. It was weird, because it started out as bronchitis. Nonstop productive coughing out of no where one night. I thought about going to the ER because I couldn't breathe that night. the next day, my symptoms continued and the shortness of breath got worse. I had to leave class early and on my way home I threw up in my car because the coughing was so bad and the shortness of breath got worse, so I went to the ER instead. They did a chest x-ray and ruled out pneumonia, gave me an inhaler and prednisone, and sent me home with a diagnosis of acute bronchitis. The next day I had a runny nose and body aches and productive cough but no sore throat and no headache, all of it lasting 7 days. I had never been so sick in my life, I thought of going to the ER again because my fever was so unusually high. The weird thing is before this flu started, I was sick 7 days before that with a cold and mild fever. The twitching in the one spot in my arm started after days 3 of this aweful flu. It lasted a few days and went away until monday of this week. Ever since monday, my symptoms just keep coming. The twitching in that one spot in my arm is actually back today. The twitching is getting frequent again. I'm so terrified. I've been very healthy all my life and have no chronic illnesses. I've never been to the ER in the past, and just this year, I've been there twice (once for the shortness of breath and once for the weird off balance feeling). I'm at a loss and really scared! The internist mentioned it may be post-viral syndrome but does it last this long? its been 5 weeks since the flu and the symptoms seem to be getting worse today.

[patsy10]

Those symptoms are very scary.  I have them myself but have gotten used to them.  I have had all the tests and gotten no real diagnosis.  I would have the MRI done to see if there is or isn't a problem that can be identified.  Lyme does cause these symptoms.  Lyme CANNOT be ruled out by a blood test.  Many people have severe lyme and have negative tests.  The ELISA is worthless.  The western blot better.  If you care to learn more about lyme you can go to lymenet dot org.  Also, a post-viral syndrome can cause these symptoms as well.  Did you recently have a bad flu?