I just posted over in the MS forums and it was suggested that I post here as well. I will copy and paste my post there and maybe someone here can offer some insight? Thanks so much. God bless each of you.
Hi all. I am a newly diagnosed MSer. I have been suffering, what I think, are exacerbations of MS for a long, long time now. I had a clear MRI brain last April 2009. I had a clear MRI C-spine, lumbar spine this past month with the exception of cervical disc disease. I am 41 years old, married 15 years with 6 children ages 12 down to 1 (born last Feb).
It is my opinion that after the birth of my youngest last Feb my MS has gotten considerably worse. I spent 5 weeks in the hospital on bed rest before her birth and she was born 5 weeks early. I underwent a 4 hour surgery with her.
I am being sent to a neurologist in a major city who specializes in MS. It's weird because there's a part of me that just can't feel comfortable with the diagnosis since my MRI last year was clear. They've run TONS of blood work and done the MRIs as well. Everything has come back clear except the clinical symptoms.
My symptoms:
1. Migraine sufferer since I was 12 which have gotten progresisvely worse through the years.
2. Neurological symptoms worsening for about a year now - forget names, phone numbers, takes a long time to process if someone asks something of me, recall is horrible - can't think of the right words, slowed speech and sometimes slurry speech.
3. Peripheral neuropathy - tingling in hands, feet and face.
4. Horrible foot pain (sometimes I can't even walk on them they hurt so bad) and stiffness and wrist pain and stiffness.
5. Left big toe goes numb quite frequently.
6. Extreme fatigue.
7. Lack ambition completely.
8. Worsening depression.
9. I failed the balance test in my GP's office. Closed my eyes with arms extended and fell backwards twice.
10. Constanly dropping things. Grip stength is diminished greatly.
11. Muscle fatigue.
Part of me thinks this may also be borderline Parkinson's instead of MS (?), but I have never said anything to anyone about that. I have had a slight tremor in both hands for years and have JUST recently notice my right arm doesn't really swing the way my left does - also something I haven't mentioned because it seems so slight.
Anyway, I was wondering if you, who have been diagnosed have any thougts on this?
Thanks in advance,
Kelly