Several years ago, I began to have numbness and tingling in my left arm and leg. There were some other odd things happening, but that is the main one that got me concerned. I was referred to a neurologist who had CT scans, an MRI, an electric current test of some sort, blood work, an evoked potential (I think it was called) test, and then a lumbar puncture. Everything came back completely normal and my doctor said that while my symptoms sounded like MS, there wasn't anything else to do at that point except for me to come back if they worsened or anything new happened. He also said that it might have been weight related (I was very obese). The numbness and tingling did stop shortly after all of that.
A year later, I started falling and stumbling again. This lasted for two or three months. I didn't really think a lot of it and there was a lot going on in my life at the time, so it just wasn't something that I paid a lot of attention to. During the same time period, I began to have really bad lower back pain (I have no idea if that is relevant or not), and an issue with low heart rate. Between those two things, I had another batch of tests done (MRI, CT, EEG, EKG, bone scan, probably some others that I'm forgetting). Again, most everything looks fine. They put a pacemaker in to take care of the heart rate.
Which brings us to now. A month ago, the numbness/tingling came back on my left foot and calf. I'm falling a lot and pretty much always feel like my foot is asleep. It feels like a large block of wood at the end of my leg. Then I realized that I'm not able to move my foot upwards (bending toward my body) at all. My PCP told me that I have drop foot, put me on Prednisone, and referred me back to my neuro (who can't see me until the end of October). The Prednisone seems to have lessened the numbness some, but the drop foot is about the same.
The other day, I was getting out of bed and felt a strong electric shock run through my calf and into my foot. I've had a stabbing pain in my left side, under my ribcage, for about a week. They did a CT scan which showed absolutely nothing to account for any pain, and bloodwork which came back fine.
My PCP has said that this sounds like possible MS, but that because of my history of anxiety, it might be a conversion disorder. I know that this is not a mental health issue. I know how my anxiety presents and I know how to handle it, this isn't it. He also suggested that it might be due to having rapidly lost a lot of weight (funny, three years ago it was BECAUSE of the weight?). At the moment, I don't have health insurance (recent job change), but am more worried about getting an answer than I am about bills (which I'll just have to figure out how to deal with later). Since I now have a pacemaker, I can't have a MRI.
I am fortunate to have a very understanding boss (especially considering that I'm a new employee), a very supportive spouse, and doctors that I trust (even though the conversion disorder suggestion irks me). I am, however, really scared. I don't know if I'm more scared to get a diagnosis or to think that they won't be able to give me an answer at all. I'm worried that what is happening now seems much more pronounced than the other two times, and concerned about what that might mean long term. Most of my life, I've been in great health (even with the weight being what it was) and now I feel a bit like I'm falling apart. It is frustrating. It is embarassing to me that I'm missing so much work at a job that I just started and is one that has been a goal of mine for the last ten years. I'm frustrated with going to the Dr. for pain and other things only to be told that they can't find anything wrong. I'm tired of subtle (and not subtle) suggestions that I might be imagining or exaggerating these things (I could certainly find way more fun ways to spend money and time than having CT scans and sitting in the ER, I'm sure of that!).
I'm hoping that someone here might have suggestions or can tell me that this doesn't sound like MS at all. Anything, really, I just feel like I'm hanging in the middle of nowhere with all of these confusing things happening.
Thanks..
A year later, I started falling and stumbling again. This lasted for two or three months. I didn't really think a lot of it and there was a lot going on in my life at the time, so it just wasn't something that I paid a lot of attention to. During the same time period, I began to have really bad lower back pain (I have no idea if that is relevant or not), and an issue with low heart rate. Between those two things, I had another batch of tests done (MRI, CT, EEG, EKG, bone scan, probably some others that I'm forgetting). Again, most everything looks fine. They put a pacemaker in to take care of the heart rate.
Which brings us to now. A month ago, the numbness/tingling came back on my left foot and calf. I'm falling a lot and pretty much always feel like my foot is asleep. It feels like a large block of wood at the end of my leg. Then I realized that I'm not able to move my foot upwards (bending toward my body) at all. My PCP told me that I have drop foot, put me on Prednisone, and referred me back to my neuro (who can't see me until the end of October). The Prednisone seems to have lessened the numbness some, but the drop foot is about the same.
The other day, I was getting out of bed and felt a strong electric shock run through my calf and into my foot. I've had a stabbing pain in my left side, under my ribcage, for about a week. They did a CT scan which showed absolutely nothing to account for any pain, and bloodwork which came back fine.
My PCP has said that this sounds like possible MS, but that because of my history of anxiety, it might be a conversion disorder. I know that this is not a mental health issue. I know how my anxiety presents and I know how to handle it, this isn't it. He also suggested that it might be due to having rapidly lost a lot of weight (funny, three years ago it was BECAUSE of the weight?). At the moment, I don't have health insurance (recent job change), but am more worried about getting an answer than I am about bills (which I'll just have to figure out how to deal with later). Since I now have a pacemaker, I can't have a MRI.
I am fortunate to have a very understanding boss (especially considering that I'm a new employee), a very supportive spouse, and doctors that I trust (even though the conversion disorder suggestion irks me). I am, however, really scared. I don't know if I'm more scared to get a diagnosis or to think that they won't be able to give me an answer at all. I'm worried that what is happening now seems much more pronounced than the other two times, and concerned about what that might mean long term. Most of my life, I've been in great health (even with the weight being what it was) and now I feel a bit like I'm falling apart. It is frustrating. It is embarassing to me that I'm missing so much work at a job that I just started and is one that has been a goal of mine for the last ten years. I'm frustrated with going to the Dr. for pain and other things only to be told that they can't find anything wrong. I'm tired of subtle (and not subtle) suggestions that I might be imagining or exaggerating these things (I could certainly find way more fun ways to spend money and time than having CT scans and sitting in the ER, I'm sure of that!).
I'm hoping that someone here might have suggestions or can tell me that this doesn't sound like MS at all. Anything, really, I just feel like I'm hanging in the middle of nowhere with all of these confusing things happening.
Thanks..
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