I was diagnosed with MS, but...

[manic]

I have been having some issues that worry me. I am an 18 year old male and I feel like death. I just don't feel okay. I guess you could say dull, tired, and down.

When I was younger, I was diagnosed with ADHD. The medicine I was on was giving my psychosis, so I had to get off of it. A year later, I still "see" things. I don't see people, but I see shadows in the corner of my eyes and I see (this has always been difficult for me to explain to others, and still haven't heard of anyone else experiencing the same thing) the outlines of objects. For instance: if I were to look at a car, and then look away, I will see a white outline of the car in my vision and it takes sometime to go away. Of course, it doesn't happen all the time and it's not just cars (really it's anything in my field of vision). I heard people with MS have vision issues, but I am not sure if it is like what I just described.

Anyways, that wasn't the big alarm. The thing that makes me worried is my fatigue. I am so tired all the time and I feel like I am going to die. I exercise and what not, but to no avail I still feel like. I feel as if it has gotten worse over the last 4 months and these past couple of weeks has been weird. I don't feel like I am even in my head (so to speak). I don't know.. it's just weird. I feel distanced(?) from my body. The other thing is that I noticed recently that my grip is extremely weak. I drop things all the time. Another thing that really worries me is that my hand twitches a little bit. It twitched before, but now it seems like it twitched more.

I went and had an MRI over a year ago and it was fine, and I will probably go get another one soon. I don't know if my doctor will order it, but if my MRI comes back fine again, should I get a spinal tape? I heard it hurts like hell, but I have also heard that it has diagnosed many that way.

Thank you for reading this.. I mean, really.. Thank you!!

** Moderator's note - Post broken into paragraphs for easier reading. Many people with MS have visual difficulties that prevent them from reading large blocks of print. **

[twain]

I'm a little confused by your post.
Have you been diagnosed with MS? If you have, you probably don't need a spinal tap. If you haven't, then you probably do -- and it doesn't "hurt like hell" if done right and your follow post-procedure instructions.
Good luck and let us know what happens.

[manic]

I'm a little confused by your post.
Have you been diagnosed with MS? If you have, you probably don't need a spinal tap. If you haven't, then you probably do -- and it doesn't "hurt like hell" if done right and your follow post-procedure instructions.
Good luck and let us know what happens.

My fault!! The title was supposed to 'wasn't' not 'was.' I will bring up getting a tap next time to my neurologist. I guess I was just under the impression that it does hurt, but since it doesn't that is awesome.

[Hawkeye]

manic,

I have been living with diagnosed MS for 15 years, and among my symptoms are two which are exactly as you describe. If I look at a window, for instance, or our pastor preaching in the pulpit, or a door frame and then look away, I see an exact "ghost" replica image of it. For me, it is almost like a see-through negative of the object has appeared in my vision. I also have double vision that was included free as part of my MS "package," and often I can see two or even three of these ghost images. I've never been on meds that would would have made me "see things."

I also have bone-crushing fatigue that feels as if someone for a valve on me and let all the air out! Rest doesn't help, but I've learned to ration out the "chips" I have to spend for the day (like the Spoon Theory talks about on this forum) and make it through at least a fraction of what I need to do. My Neurologists did recommend 8,000 IU of Vitamin D3 after I had a blood test, and I do think it has been of some benefit in staving off the fatigue.

I don't know if you have MS. I hope you do not. Walk through the tests and see what the pros have to say. Just wanted to let you know there is someone else out there who fights the same issues you've been having. Best wished to you.

[SNOOPY]

Hi manic,

It would be a good idea to have your vision checked by an Ophthalmologist and discuss what you have written here. The eyes are the specialty of an Ophthalmologist.

I would also see your Primary Care Physician and discuss your fatigue. There are numerous reasons someone may experience fatigue.

[dastardly]

Hi manic it sucks to have any eye sight problems worse at a young age and fatigue really knocks you out sometimes, try and keep cool and don't exert yourself save your energy for important things. Spinal taps are uncomfortable but so is going to the dentist when I was younger "15" I had to have them every day for 3 months and I lived, but I did tell my neurologist that I will never have another not because of the pain but because I had so many spinal fluid started leaking out my back good luck on your quest Craig

[manic]

manic,

I have been living with diagnosed MS for 15 years, and among my symptoms are two which are exactly as you describe. If I look at a window, for instance, or our pastor preaching in the pulpit, or a door frame and then look away, I see an exact "ghost" replica image of it. For me, it is almost like a see-through negative of the object has appeared in my vision. I also have double vision that was included free as part of my MS "package," and often I can see two or even three of these ghost images. I've never been on meds that would would have made me "see things."

I also have bone-crushing fatigue that feels as if someone for a valve on me and let all the air out! Rest doesn't help, but I've learned to ration out the "chips" I have to spend for the day (like the Spoon Theory talks about on this forum) and make it through at least a fraction of what I need to do. My Neurologists did recommend 8,000 IU of Vitamin D3 after I had a blood test, and I do think it has been of some benefit in staving off the fatigue.

I don't know if you have MS. I hope you do not. Walk through the tests and see what the pros have to say. Just wanted to let you know there is someone else out there who fights the same issues you've been having. Best wished to you.

Thank you for the reply! Do you on9a if there is a technical word for the 'ghost' replica images? Or is it just vision problems? Also, which came first.. Tour double blindness or The ghost images? Or the same time? I ask because I don't have double blindness, but do have the ghost images.

Also, is this common amongst people with MS? The way you described it just took the words out of my mouth. I felt alone and maybe slightly insane, because I thought I may have been making it up at first. So the fact that someone else knows what I am talking about and experiencing is pretty comforting.

Thank you, again. And best wishes to you, too!

[aytpicalsymptom]

I think the term for your afterimages is "palinopsia" and is present in several conditions. It can also be a side effect of certain medications. May be worth a google.

[Hawkeye]

manic,

In my case, I lived with double vision about 5 years before I noticed the ghost images. I have noticed that I almost always "see" the ghost images against a light background such as a painted wall, and they typically last 30 seconds to two minutes before fading away.

I don't know if this is common among people with MS. The one thing I have learned in my journey with it is that MS seems to be the most "individualistic" of any disease. Anything may... or may not... be affected. It simply depends on the location of which particular brain cells have been attacked by the immune system.

I have terrible hyperaccusis- sensitivity to loud sounds. Many others don't. An "MS Buddy" I have made is a fit, thin, beautiful young lady who has heart problems. When she mentioned to her Neuro that she knew that wouldn't be from MS, he replied, "What do you think send the electrical nerve impulses to the heart? It is part of the MS." I don't have that. It manifests in many ways to a lot of different people.

Part of the value of this site is often seeing that, yes, someone else has experienced a symptom too. It is also sharing experiences and knowing that there are other folks who care and really understand.

[Kimba22]

Hi manic,

Sorry to hear about your symptoms.

I went and had an MRI over a year ago and it was fine, and I will probably go get another one soon. I don't know if my doctor will order it, but if my MRI comes back fine again, should I get a spinal tape? I heard it hurts like hell, but I have also heard that it has diagnosed many that way.

Spinal taps aren't used to diagnose MS, they are only used to help confirm a suspected case of MS. There's also a small percentage of patients with MS who have negative spinal taps.

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Sym...al-Fluid-(CSF)

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Sym...g-MS#section-1

I hope you don't have MS. Best of luck to you.