carabo said...
I am in the process of a possible ms diagnosis and I found this forum so thought I would ask all of your opinions. I started this about 3 months ago after waking with a numb arm. Several days later it became two numb arms. The numbness went away after about a minute. Then I started to notice tingling in my toes and fingers along with muscle jerks in my shoulders and sometimes legs. I went to my PCP and she thought maybe ms. She sent me for a brain and cervical spine MRI. While I was waiting on those results my arm and leg started to ache. I have no balance or weakness issues but sometimes razor burn type feelings in my legs and numbness in my toes. Anyway, the MRI and also an EMG came back negative. I was sent to a neurologist. He did all the usual test, checked my eyes, had me walk on my toes and heels, hit me with hammers and etc,etc. He said I don't have ms, nothing neurological going on and to take some elavil and get some sleep. I am to call him if anything new develops. My question is, should I believe this guy or should I seek a second opinion? I know alot of things can mimic ms but he didn't seem concerned about any of them either. Right now I have pin point places that burn or itch at various times on various parts of my body. Yesterday my ears felt itchy! I plan to talk to my PCP about this but wanted some others opinion. Thanks!
I see Rhonda has offered her view. Here's mine, and it's a bit different:
Indeed, go back to your pcp. Tell her what the neuro said, and ask her what you should do next. Particularly, tell her that the neuro told you "...there's nothing neurological going on." Have you had blood work done, that might indicate something other than a neurological disorder that is causing your symptoms? Maybe instead of a neurologist, the pcp would recommend a rheumatologist, or some other specialty.
Indeed, not all buzzing and tingling. and fleeting numbness (you said it went way "after about a minute"), or an itchy ear -- are signs of MS. That's not to say that you might not, some time in the future, develop MS..
but it is to say that a neuro, looking at those kinds of fleeting symptoms, and seeing a clear MRI, would say essentially the same thing to you: "watch, wait, call me if anything new develops".
Rhonda gave you links to the National MS Society web page. There is a ton of information there -- and much of it will boil down to: there are specific criteria needed to diagnose MS (as of now, it doesn't appear you have that); symptoms of MS aren't usually considered "signs" until they've been with you for at least 24 hours, usually longer; there are lots of disorders that look like MS "from the outside" and have to be ruled out before settling on a diagnosis of MS...and you haven't been through that process at all.
Now, you could certainly go to another neuro and get a second opinion. If you can afford it, or if your insurance will pay for it, and it will give you some peace of mind, then by all means do it. But don't be surprised if the new neuro tells you essentially the same thing. Unless and until some more definite and specific results come up, about all you can do is watch and wait,
and get the blood tests and other testing to rule out other possibilities.