rare ms symptoms? or something else?

Hello

Is there anyone who has had a diagnosis of ms where the first presenting symptoms were temporary eye problems (in particular with their peripheral vision) and/or temporary, periodic paralysis in a leg...each paralysis episode lasting less than a minute but continuing to happen for a few weeks?

Shulamith

Hello,

This is it... in a nut shell

No, I didn't go to an opthamalogist. I went straight to emergency where the doctor did a ct scan which showed an "occlusion" on the right side, back of my head. She tried to test my eyes but the equipment wasn't working properly...she asked if I had vomited or had a headache or any other kind of paralysis which i had none...she assumed I had a stroke?

She told me to go see my gp. He did a round of tests to test my blood flow....doplar? radar etc. checked head, neck, chest...I had a mild stenosis of the neck. My gp wasn't worried by it.

Then, my gp sent me to my first neuro... who said i was essentially fine after testing my strength, a few reflexes and balance. ..but just around that time the eye problem had gone away and a few weeks later I experienced this temporary paralysis in my leg below the right knee. It would only happen after I was lying down, got up then walked a few paces then suddenly I couldn't move my leg below the knee. It was the wierdest thing...there was no pain... the leg could still bear my weight..it just wouldn't move (below the knee). It was like I had no knee reflex . When it would happen it lasted not even a minute...then everything was fine. This continued with decreasing frequency for another three weeks.

This led my gp to shake his head at the neuro he sent me to, then scheduled me to see a different one. My gp at this time said in passing this could be ms...I freaked a little

I went to see this other neuro who said it might be lupus? Then he scheduled me for another cat scan, blood tests ( I wish I knew what he tested me for or saw in my blood tests) then... another cat scan..and doing the sharp object on the foot, walk for me please, balance on one foot etc etc. After all of that, he said its definitely not a stroke or brain tumour it probably is ms... lets do an mri.

I did the mri... it showed nine lesions on my brain and I did the evoked pot . testing...he didn't really comment on this test except to say after both we should do a spinal tap because "I am 90% sure its ms. " I said are you not sure...because I haven't had any other problems as serious as the eye and leg thing? He sort of nodded his head.

Now I am waiting for the spinal tap.

I have had other things happen to me while I am waiting for the tap... that, could be ms... or not...

I just don't know what to make of any of it.

Thanks for reading.

I truly appreciate it.

Shula

Hi Christine,

May I ask how long your paralysis lasted? Did it involve your arm, leg and face on the left side?

Shulamith

A few thoughts, not necessarily in any order of importance:

As a patient, you are entitled to your medical records.  It might be real helpful for you to get them, to see exactly what the neuro IS saying. Or ask your general practioner to get them, then sit down with you and help interpret what they're saying.  You can request them (usually you have to do this in writing) and they can supply them, but some doctors will charge you for them.  If you ask that they be sent to your primary doctor, that'll usually happen without any charge to you, as a matter of "professional courtesy".

We of course don't have access to them. 9 Lesions appeared on your MRI?  location of them is important, and the results of the evoked potentials test would be another tool, but it sounds like indeed they're thinking you do have MS, and the spinal tap would be one more confirmation (or perhaps could lead them to a different path to explore.)

The fleeting paralysis is a puzzler.  Of course, it might be a matter of interpretation. How I interpret paralysis and how you are using the word, might be what is confusing me.  But sometimes fleeting symptoms like that are indicative of an underlying problem - -which apparently has been discovered with the MRI.

The eye thing: it might be useful too for you to see an opthamologist -- a person with a medical degree, and whose specialty is vision -- who can examine your eyes and see if perhaps the "occlusion" wasn't perhaps optic neuritis.  Many neuros can simply see this when they look in your eyes, but a trip to the opthamologist might be good in that -- if it IS something like an occlusion, or something even more serious, the opthamologist would be able to give you a thorough exam and rule in or rule out those things more accurately than a trip to the ER.

Your original question: I don't think the diagnosis of MS is being made on either the "temporary eye problem" or the "temporary paralysis".  I think the diagnosis is being made on the basis of the 9 lesions that appeared on the MRI, and perhaps other clinical signs (including the evoked potentials) that you had done at the neuros office.

Hello everyone who responded to my last post (and those maybe who just read it)

Uppitycat..your right of course... I should request copies of all my tests/results. I will call the office tomorrow...see what I can get. The opthamologist is a good idea. Someone also suggested I try and find someone who specializes in ms... another good idea. ( i don't know why I didn't think of this myself) You guys are good.

The paralysis is exactly what it is. My lower leg below the knee just wouldn't move. I could move sideways because I had muscle control in my thigh and I could swing it outwards to move sideways. I couldnt' walk forward. I had to wait a few seconds... my balance was not affected...then It was fine. I could swing my right leg, forward and continue walking normally. Your right it was a puzzler...I can't find anything like it except a post on this forum by chattycat except her paralysis was in her arm.

Your also right about the brain lesions on the mri. My concern is that when I explained to the second neuro about the leg paralysis and the eye problem he made a snap decision to move in the ms direction (because they are generally the two first presenting symptoms of ms and they happened very close together). The mri I think summed it up for him. I was now categorized...next patient.

Anyway, I thank all of you who posted and shared with me your experiences. It really does make a difference to know you are not alone even if we are left confused as to what any of this is. Thankyou imb and gerry 5.

I have some calls and appointments to make.

Thank you

Shula