Posted 6/6/2011 11:51 PM (GMT 0)
My family doctor told me Friday that she thinks I have MS. I am having a second "attack" of whatever this thing is since last year. It started a month after my first and only child was born last year. I was almost paralyzed from the knees and elbows down, with pins and needles feeling, no sensation almost, bad ringing in my ears, low potassium, and extremely "drunk" dizzy.
After almost 5 months of that and a hospitalization on Decadron for 3 days and pills for a few weeks afterwards, it all went away. Then it came back and now I am having severe pain too--down my spine starting in my eyes. I am having muscle spasms in my left leg real bad and both legs feel like something real tight is pulling on them upwards towards my body and really tensed up. I couldn't turn my head today it hurts too bad, can't lower my chin, keep getting this shock feeling going through me, and my husband has had to carry me everywhere. I am so weak and so much pain.
I am on 20 mg Prednisone a day, 300 mg neurontin 3 x a day, Elmiron 100 mg 3 x a day, and tramadol 100 mg 2 x a day. Each thing is helping, but it is not enough anymore. They gave me a shot of decadron in the ER today and it seems to be helping a bit--it may take longer to take full effect, but I am in serious pain right now and just don't know what to do anymore. I am not sure if my doctor is on the right track or not so wanted to ask others that do have MS if this sounds even remotely like the symptoms some may have experienced in the past. I forgot to mention: I also have sores on my scalp, mouth, bad bruising everywhere, severe pain in all my bones--deep bone pain especially in the long bone of my left leg and also in my back--it hits in my cervical spine area and then in my lower back the hardest, but feels like it is coming from the pain in my eyes themselves and then back to my neck. I keep feeling wierd sensations like cold and hot on my arms and legs and back, then like pressure like someone is pushing on a spot on my back, and other wierd things. I am very dizzy again now but no ringing in my ears like before.
My RF factor is very elevated despite the amount of steroids I have been on for around 9 weeks now--and steroids are the only "magic" pill for me that really seem to help all my symptoms. My Basophil count was also elevated (7 instead of 0 - 6)...and my white count is on the highest limit of normal, red blood cell count on the lowest limit of normal. I have extremely swollen lymph nodes body-wide (neck, armpits, groin, abdomen, etc) seen on CT and MRI and ultrasounds, and also show arthritis in several joints (wrists, ankles, etc.) with scoliosis in back (for no reason that we know of).
I do not have RA since the CRP and Sed Rate were not elevated. So anyways.. that is all I can think of at the moment but wonder if this really could be MS or is something else? I showed no lesions in my last MRI of the brain but that was last year and they just did one of my cervical spine today but we don't have the results yet and what if they show no lesions? Does that mean no MS for sure or something else? Thank you for your help! Nicki