Hi guys...I'm brand new here.

[PennyCO]

I saw the message about the chat for people waiting for their diagnosis, but my PlaySkool computer evidently doesn't like chat rooms.

I'm 51. In August I had two bouts of EXTREME vertigo...I've never experienced such things in my life. Bad, bad. I wrote the first one off to food poisoning; after throwing up everything including my toenails, I felt better the next morning. I thought since it resolved so quickly it had to have been something I ate. Two days later I got hit with it again.

I went to an ENT who found some hearing loss (but not really out of the norm for my age bracket) but really nothing wrong with my ears. He ordered an MRI which showed "multiple white matter hyperintensities". The neurologist looked at the MRI and confirmed that anyone my age would have some hyperintensitites, but she was concerned about the number I have. She ordered a lumbar puncture.

I had that done two days ago...it went really well, but now I'm waiting. My understanding is that the results can take a while...if you have any info on HOW long, I'd love to hear about your experience.

The vertigo seems to be bubbling under the surface...I've had multiple times of feeling like it's trying to kick in but I've told myself, "Screw this. I'm not doing this," and I just power through it. That makes me think that all of this is just in my head. Seriously, I wonder if ALL of this hasn't been psychosomatic and that I'm just manufacturing these symptoms in my own brain. You know?

I have screeching tinnitus in both ears (as far as I can tell). I haven't seen online that that's a really common symptom of MS...if you've had any experience with that I'd love to hear about it. I've had no other overt symptoms aside from crushing fatigue, but....everyone I know I is really damn tired these days.

There are a LOT of people from my hometown with MS and other autoimmune disorders. There was/is a uranium processing plant in the area...it's the opinion of most of the people I grew up with that it really poisoned the area. Given that the plant is now a Superfund Cleanup Site, I would have to agree.

So...I'm trying to be patient until I learn more, and am trying to not freak myself out, poking around online. I just wanted to say hi!
Penny

[JerryD]

Penny,
Hi and welcome to the boards. Sorry to welcome you here, but it is what it is. I saw that no one responded to your post, so I figured that I would jump in.
I have constant 'ringing' in my ears. It is part of this disease. Fatigue is part of it, too.
I see you have a 'Superfund' site near you. Me too. Ours was discovered in 1976 and closed down a major road building project, probably forever.

[Cat Mom]

Hi Penny, so sorry that you are struggling so much. I am unfamiliar with what a Superfund Cleanup Site is but it sounds serious. Regarding your test results and diagnosis, some of wait years and others (like me!) get diagnosed right away. I don't live in the US so obviously protocol is different here.

I hope you don't have to wait too long for the LP results and of course, really hoping that it's not MS. Hang in there, throwing up your toenails paints a pretty good picture of the severity of your vertigo! Please keep us posted!
Jen

[Special Kay]

You might also want to be evaluated for Meniere's disease. The symptom "triad" for that is vertigo, tinnitus, and hearing loss.

I feel like the results of my LP took forever, but mainly that was because my old neurologist just would not call me back.