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Posted 12/11/2006 7:30 PM (GMT 0)
sad  Well, I have upped my antidepressant to 40 mg, been about a week now.  My doc feels that my weird buzzing, bug crawling feelings are from anxiety.  If its anxiety, why doesn't any AD work?  I have a neuro appt on Jan 11, so I guess we'll have to see what she says.  I have had these symptoms for 6 years, brain MRI, normal, C-spine, bulging disk, and lumbar is normal.  I asked a question on Med-Help and the neuro there responded saying that he thinks its either migraine related, MS, or psychiatric problem.  Well, if I didn't have these weird sensations, then I wouldn't be a basket case.  He feels that the migraines are induced by the cervical disk problem.  He also says that he feels I need to be put on a migraine preventive med, like Topomax, or Elavil, etc.  I have no weakness, numbness, heat doesn't affect me, no vision problems (although my eyes will feel weird before a migraine hits), bladder and bowels fine.  I have a family history of MS and migraines.  Gram had MS, and my mother and grandfather have suffered with migraines since they were young.  My migraines started 8 years ago after a fender bender.  Then 2 years later the above started, first it was the tickly feeling on my left cheek, and then later came the rest.  Oh boy, I would just love to be normal again!!! Sorry for venting, but I'm scared and upset!!!!  Thanks so much for listening!!!!  Jen confused
Posted 12/11/2006 9:10 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Jen

Good u'r venting...it helps so much more than u'll realize at this point. Hang in there and let the docs do thier thing. I've found it's best to follow thier lead and try what they suggest. If it doesn't work, then u can persue other leads until all possible things are exhausted. Some or all the things u'r feeling could be from migraines. My neuro first suggested migraines without the headache but with stroke like symptoms. That was at the onset of my problems and before i began having many of the other symptoms i've had. That said, my docs also went on to work towards an ms theory. Nothing shows up for me on any test either. I suppose it's just that we need to exhaust the possiblities and if it's ms then it'll show up on tests one day. If not, we continue to try to treat the symptoms until we know what it really is. With u'r family history of migraines u could indeed be dealing with it too. The symptoms u describe don't sound entirely like ms. Yes, u do get those with ms, but also with migraines and anxiety. I have a friend who said she'd tried all AD meds and none worked for her. She finally tried cymbalta and it was the only one that did help. She had many of the ms symptoms and this med calmed them and helped her a lot. That's the same med i'm on now. No, for me it hasn't made them stop, but it has made them much more minimal. Hang in there and hopefully the docs will find the magic mix and get some help for u soon. In the meantime feel free to vent anytime u like!

rhonda
Posted 12/11/2006 9:16 PM (GMT 0)
Rhondab, Thanks for the reply.  You would understand my thoughts exactly.  Sometimes I feel like crying.  Sometimes MS and migraine resemble each other so much its difficult to diagnose.  Thanks again Rhonda.  Take care!!  Jen

Posted 12/11/2006 9:19 PM (GMT 0)
I think I've seen your post on MedHelp. If it is the one I saw, the neurologist answering your question said he did not think it is MS. As you mentioned, you have "no weakness, numbness, heat doesn't affect me, no vision problems (although my eyes will feel weird before a migraine hits), bladder and bowels fine" indicates that you don't have any symptoms that really suggest MS. This is further confirmed by your normal results on tests and the fact that your doctors do not believe you have MS.

Did you take the neurologist's advice and go on a migraine prevention therapy? If not, then why?

Have you ever considered getting counseling for your anxiety?

I'm not saying your symptoms aren't real. However, it is very important to be sure of the cause so that it is appropriately treated. It is very unlikely that your symptoms are due to MS. Diagnosing you and treating for MS if you do not have this condition will not help your symptoms and may perhaps make things worse.
Posted 12/11/2006 9:34 PM (GMT 0)
Mezazinine, The neuro did say that MS was unlikely, but said in another breath, either migraines, MS, or psychiatric problems.  I do understand that I have been dealing with this for 6 years now, and probably MRIs would have shown something by now, plus I don't really have any other common MS symptoms.  Thanks for your thoughts, greatly appreciated!!

Posted 12/11/2006 10:16 PM (GMT 0)
As Mezazinine said, it really doesn't sound like MS. Seems like MS is being eliminated by 6 years worth of negative testing for it, and very few symptoms that are typical of MS. Now you need to work on the migraine and psyciatric possibilities, I think.
Posted 12/11/2006 10:22 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Jenny,

 

    I'm sorry you are going through so much, but all I can say is to let the doc try to figure it out for you.  Sometimes it's just a case of try and see what works when there's no clear cut answer.  I hope the increased dosage of the AD helps you, and with your history of migraines it might be well worth considering some treatment for that.  My daughter has been taking Topamax since age 13 (shes 15 now) and it has made a world of difference for her with her migraines.  Good luck and keep us posted!

 

Kimber

Posted 12/12/2006 1:02 AM (GMT 0)
Kimber, what dose of topamax does your daughter take?  Does it make her sleepy, or anything?

Uppitycats, I never had any previous testing before this year, as far as for MS.  Just had the brain MRI in April, and the c-spine in Sept.  Does that make a difference?  I never had insurance when this all started.  It started 6 years ago with what I believe was an anxiety attack, because I was worried about the migraines that I was having, and one night I started seeing black spots on everything, this happened on two different occasions a month apart.  I started worrying that I had a brain tumor or something, this led to the anxiety attacks and nausea that lasted 3 months, in those 3 months I had all kinds of bloodwork done, the only thing that showed up was a positive EBV.  I never had the symptoms of that though, just nausea and appetite lose.  Then came the upper gi series, barium swallow, hepatabiliary scan, these were all normal.  At that time my doc suggested it was anxiety.  When I googled nausea, it came up with MS as a cause of nausea.  Its been downhill since.  Before I started seeing the black spots, the facial tingling started and then came the black spots, followed by the anxiety attack from hell.  I just find it hard to believe that someone can have these symptom from just anxiety.  I will admit I do have anxiety, I am obsessed with this, but if the feelings would just go away I could stop stressing about this obsession.  Thanks again, Uppity!!!

Posted 12/12/2006 2:32 AM (GMT 0)

While some folks with MS can experience nausea,

nausea can be a symptom of DOZENS...maybe HUNDREDS..of different disorders. I can't begin to list them all here.  I tried googling MS and nausea and came up with it...but just googling nausea can bring up thousands of sites.  I still think you need to eliminate the migraines as a cause for your problems before you start self-diagnosing that you have MS.  Migraines can cause: black spots, colored spots, nausea and vomiting, weird sensititives to light, sensititivity to flourescent lighting...and on and on.  Have you googled migraines to see all the variants that can occur with migraines, many of which don't even include a headache?

Sounds to me like the doctor was telling you what he was trying to eliminate-- MS  -- and the negative MRI's coming back negative, when you have a history of migraines, should have indicated to him...and you...that migraines might be the cause of your problems, coupled and exacerbated by your anxiety over whether you have something more dire.

Why don't you do what the doctor recommended -- see a migraine specialist, see if you can get your migraines...and your anxiety..under control, and then see what symptoms might remain that can't be attributed to either disorder?

Posted 12/12/2006 2:46 AM (GMT 0)
Uppitycats, thanks for the response.  That is exactly what I'm going to do.  I'm tired of being in this dither!!  If I don't see ya around before the holidays, you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!!
Posted 12/15/2006 1:03 AM (GMT 0)
Well, since I was here last, I had a VEP, SSEP, and a EMG.  Everything comes back normal.  I am still sitting here with these weird sensations.  Doc says that I never really have had an attack.  These feellings he considers is not an attack because they don't go away, they are here constantly.  Since starting the Prozac at 40 mg, it seems that the feelings have lessened some, don't know if its mind over matter, but I sure have enjoyed it.  I don't think hes going to suggest a LP because he said that with the testing that I have been through and the neuro exam, he can't find anything wrong.  Just wanted to let everyone know, especially uppitycats, and rhondab.  Thanks, just another mystery I guess.

Posted 12/15/2006 4:24 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Jenny

Thanks for the update! Sounds like u'r in the same place as me...all the tests done...all neg or normal results and no answers. I'm glad to hear the Prozac is helping and hopefully in time it'll help evan more. It sounds like u'r doc is being really thorough and that's great! No matter what the end diagnosis is, u want the RIGHT diagnosis and the right med for that diagnosis. Hang in there and keep asking questions, keep up with u'r symptoms and keep being proactive with u'r health. U'r doing great!

rhonda
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