HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Not diagnosis, but afraid I have MS

Support Forums
>
Multiple Sclerosis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 5/9/2009 2:43 AM (GMT 0)
I am in limbo, I have been feeling "different" for the last month. I am 24 years old, in my first year of medical school and engaged to be married next year. As you see, there is a lot on, my plate. My symptoms initially started with numbness in my right arm then on to my entire right side. This was what prompted my doctors visit. They did an MRI and found a 5mm periventricular lesion on the left side of my brain, consistent with the numbness. Since then I have had a TEE to check for patent foramen ovale. There was no PFO and all blood tests have been normal. While and since I have been doing these tests and going back and forward to the doctor, I have experienced tingling and numbness on my right and left side, muscle twitches all over, weakness in both legs and arms, lightheadedness, insomnia and inability to remain sleep as a result of numbness. I don’t have a neurologist appointment until May 19, and the possibility of MS is killing me. And unfortunately, the next two weeks are major exam weeks for me and my fiancée is just as young as I am and has never had to deal with serious issues so it can be frustrating trying to get support from him. Also, I have been having bouts of depression and anxiety with uncontrollable crying. Any suggestions as to what could be going on with me or ways to help with symptoms?
Posted 5/9/2009 12:40 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Med student!!! It can be very difficult doing the limbo thing and you really aren't going to get any answers until you see the neuro, but even then a dx could come very slowly. Best advice I can give is to try...ha ha to relax. :-) You could be looking at a short or long road ahead. Just do your best to try to stay as stress free as possible to get through those exams!!! We are all here for support!!!! smilewinkgrin

Peace,
Elizabeth
Posted 5/9/2009 4:51 PM (GMT 0)
Could it be Lyme disease?  I thought that someone told me twitches were not a symptom of MS?  I had Lyme and may have it again.  My symptoms are different this time around and I am afraid that it is MS instead.  I see a neuro on Wednesday.  Good luck, try not to worry, easier said that done.  Worry is all I do anymore and it seems to aggravate some of my symptoms.

Posted 5/9/2009 6:02 PM (GMT 0)

Hi everyone,

Twitches do indeed happen to people with MS.  MS is a disease of the central nervous system.  When the CNS is damaged by scarring of the myelin, then symptoms occur.  These can be anything imaginable depending upon what part of the CNS has been damaged.  These can range from numbness, tingling, twitching, tremors, sleep disorders, vertigo and balance issues, migraines, seizures, spasticity, cognitive problems, vision disorders, bladder and bowel dysfunction, blindness and paralysis.  

Unfortunately, Medstudent, all of your symptoms can be associated with MS.  Fortunately, they can also be associated with a number of other more treatable illnesses (migraines, anxiety and panic disorders, lyme disease). 

Momtothree is correct that you need to have lyme ruled out.  This can be extremely difficult.  There is very poor agreement as to how either of these diseases is diagnosed and worse yet is that they have polar opposite treatments.  One boosts the immune system the other means to modify/suppress it. 

Good luck.  We are here with any questions you may have. Below is a really good explanation of the diagnostic process of MS.  Worry and stress can and will exacerbate any disease.  Try to find ways to manage that stress!!!  It is one of the harder and more important things we do.

http://www.mult-sclerosis.org/diagnosingms.html

Posted 5/10/2009 3:21 PM (GMT 0)

momtothree,

I just read of your heat sensitivity on the lyme board.  Heat sensitivity is a classic MS symptom.  Of course it can be caused by other things such as lyme disease, but in the old days before MRIs, an MS diagnosis used to include a hot bath test.  That was the test; they would do full neuro exam then put you in hot water for twenty minutes then repeat the test.  Heat is a miserable thing for most people with MS.  For some reason it is nearly universal for MS.  Please make sure you mention this to your neurologist on Wednesday.

I hope you see this.  I don't like posting on the Lyme board, there is a lot of controversy surrounding lyme and MS.  Many lymers feel that MS does not exist and it is undiagnosed or misdiagnosed lyme.  I know for a fact that I DON"T have lyme. I had a western blot and I did pay for an igenex test and I am not sick like lyme.  Lyme people talk about flaring nearly every month, they have signs and symptoms of infection.  I don't have that.  My symptoms are very much static and stay with me day to day.  They stem from brain damage from this disease. 

I have not seen a LLMD and am not inclined to do so.  Just so you know.

Posted 5/10/2009 11:02 PM (GMT 0)
Gretchen, thanks for the info.  I will definitely mention it to her on Wednesday.  I would never presume that since you have been diagnosed with MS to tell you to see a LLMD.  I am sorry that you had a bad experience with the Lyme board.  

 

✚ New Topic ✚ Reply