I feel a little strange joining this board and posting because I haven't been diagnosed as having MS... I've been reading through some threads and this board seems to be very active so I'd like to throw out what is going on and see what y'all think.
Long story short... I went to an opthomologist on Monday afternoon and was told I have Optic Neuritis. I am now thinking this is not the first time. I just didn't go to the doctor until my vision was affected (I have a blind spot and blurring as well as the difference in how I see color in the one eye). I had an MRI done yesterday and the results are at her office but she is currently in surgery so, worst case, I won't get the results until tomorrow. Which, after reading some of y'all's stories, I will not complain about having to wait.
I, of course, have been googling everything I can about Optic Neuritis and Multiple Sclerosis. At this point, I will be shocked if I don't get an MS Dx. I have ignored so many symptoms because they come and go and I feel like a total hypochondriac with all the weird stuff that goes on in my body. I actually went to a doctor around 13 years ago because of numbness and tingling in my extremities and was told by the doctor that it was caused by my being busty and my bra strap pressing on nerves in my shoulder.
Here are the things I experience:
*Bouts of vertigo that can last days or weeks.
*Numbness in extremities, falling asleep of left hand, numbness in face, pain and burning in feet, and muscle cramps.
*Was hospitalized in Oct 2009 for bowel problems. CT scan showed a section of intestines that wasn't moving like it should. Fortunately, we were able to resolve the issue without surgery and I have to be very careful monitoring things because I can get into trouble quickly if I don't.
*I have had such a hard time concentrating that I went to my general doctor two months ago thinking I have ADD (because I have a kid with it and she must have gotten it somewhere) and have been trying Ritalin. My husband thinks this is absolutely ridiculous and that I do not have ADD but... I don't understand why I can no longer multi-task like I used to and am having such a hard time concentrating.
*I cannot stand being hot and can get irrational if I'm overheated. It is embarrassing.
The thing that is frustrating for me at the moment is that I feel like a bunch of puzzle pieces from over the years are coming together. I do not want to have MS but it would be a relief in some ways to know what is wrong. My fear is that my MRI from yesterday is going to come back normal and that I'm going to have to push to explore this further which will make me look like a hypochondriac to some people and like I want to have something wrong with me.
I do have another neurological condition called Spasmodic Dysphonia that affects my speech. I have to get botox injections in my vocal cords every 8 weeks so that I can speak clearly. Otherwise, the spasms choke out my words and I lose nearly all volume.
My entire life I have had weird stuff happen to me whenever I am under a lot of stress. It has been a source of shame for me and has made me feel very defective. I've often wondered if I have some sort of autoimmune problem because of this. It is like I get stressed and my body attacks itself.
If that MRI was normal how should I proceed? Should I go to my regular doc and ask to have a spinal MRI and lumbar poke or should I get a neurologist? The MRI doc is actually a nuero-radiologist which is why I was sent there for the test. I did see a neurologist several years ago for the dizziness but he was an *** and I never went for the MRI because I thought it would be a waste of money. Spasmodic Dysphonia is often dx through a neurologist, otolaryngologist and a speech pathologist. I was dx by my otolaryngologist and speech pathologist. I didn't see the need to see a neurologist at that time because the video tape of my vocal cords was conclusive.
I told my husband, my parents and two of my friends that I think I do have MS. My mom and my friends acted like I want MS or something... or like I'm being dramatic... or attributing things from the list to myself that I shouldn't. They don't realize how much I've kept to myself. My husband is much more aware and thinks it is a possibility.
Ugh. Then there is all the medical expense.
It would be nice to finally have answers. I'm just so afraid that the MRI didn't show anything. I don't want to be in a position where I'm having to push for expensive tests that may also come back negative.
And I hope my vision comes back! That blind spot and blurring gives me a headache and my eye hurts when I move it and it feels like there is something in there.
And I lost my job, which I loved, last Friday. Non-profit... funding issues. I can't sleep through the night because of muscle cramps in my feet and legs (and they ache), my left arm and hand feels like it has fallen asleep (this goes on all day too and doesn't matter what position I'm in). It also feels hot.
And my mother-in-law lives with us, just had knee replacement surgery and is coming home today. She is a very difficult patient.
Oh... I am 45 years old.
Thanks for reading!
Long story short... I went to an opthomologist on Monday afternoon and was told I have Optic Neuritis. I am now thinking this is not the first time. I just didn't go to the doctor until my vision was affected (I have a blind spot and blurring as well as the difference in how I see color in the one eye). I had an MRI done yesterday and the results are at her office but she is currently in surgery so, worst case, I won't get the results until tomorrow. Which, after reading some of y'all's stories, I will not complain about having to wait.
I, of course, have been googling everything I can about Optic Neuritis and Multiple Sclerosis. At this point, I will be shocked if I don't get an MS Dx. I have ignored so many symptoms because they come and go and I feel like a total hypochondriac with all the weird stuff that goes on in my body. I actually went to a doctor around 13 years ago because of numbness and tingling in my extremities and was told by the doctor that it was caused by my being busty and my bra strap pressing on nerves in my shoulder.
Here are the things I experience:
*Bouts of vertigo that can last days or weeks.
*Numbness in extremities, falling asleep of left hand, numbness in face, pain and burning in feet, and muscle cramps.
*Was hospitalized in Oct 2009 for bowel problems. CT scan showed a section of intestines that wasn't moving like it should. Fortunately, we were able to resolve the issue without surgery and I have to be very careful monitoring things because I can get into trouble quickly if I don't.
*I have had such a hard time concentrating that I went to my general doctor two months ago thinking I have ADD (because I have a kid with it and she must have gotten it somewhere) and have been trying Ritalin. My husband thinks this is absolutely ridiculous and that I do not have ADD but... I don't understand why I can no longer multi-task like I used to and am having such a hard time concentrating.
*I cannot stand being hot and can get irrational if I'm overheated. It is embarrassing.
The thing that is frustrating for me at the moment is that I feel like a bunch of puzzle pieces from over the years are coming together. I do not want to have MS but it would be a relief in some ways to know what is wrong. My fear is that my MRI from yesterday is going to come back normal and that I'm going to have to push to explore this further which will make me look like a hypochondriac to some people and like I want to have something wrong with me.
I do have another neurological condition called Spasmodic Dysphonia that affects my speech. I have to get botox injections in my vocal cords every 8 weeks so that I can speak clearly. Otherwise, the spasms choke out my words and I lose nearly all volume.
My entire life I have had weird stuff happen to me whenever I am under a lot of stress. It has been a source of shame for me and has made me feel very defective. I've often wondered if I have some sort of autoimmune problem because of this. It is like I get stressed and my body attacks itself.
If that MRI was normal how should I proceed? Should I go to my regular doc and ask to have a spinal MRI and lumbar poke or should I get a neurologist? The MRI doc is actually a nuero-radiologist which is why I was sent there for the test. I did see a neurologist several years ago for the dizziness but he was an *** and I never went for the MRI because I thought it would be a waste of money. Spasmodic Dysphonia is often dx through a neurologist, otolaryngologist and a speech pathologist. I was dx by my otolaryngologist and speech pathologist. I didn't see the need to see a neurologist at that time because the video tape of my vocal cords was conclusive.
I told my husband, my parents and two of my friends that I think I do have MS. My mom and my friends acted like I want MS or something... or like I'm being dramatic... or attributing things from the list to myself that I shouldn't. They don't realize how much I've kept to myself. My husband is much more aware and thinks it is a possibility.
Ugh. Then there is all the medical expense.
It would be nice to finally have answers. I'm just so afraid that the MRI didn't show anything. I don't want to be in a position where I'm having to push for expensive tests that may also come back negative.
And I hope my vision comes back! That blind spot and blurring gives me a headache and my eye hurts when I move it and it feels like there is something in there.
And I lost my job, which I loved, last Friday. Non-profit... funding issues. I can't sleep through the night because of muscle cramps in my feet and legs (and they ache), my left arm and hand feels like it has fallen asleep (this goes on all day too and doesn't matter what position I'm in). It also feels hot.
And my mother-in-law lives with us, just had knee replacement surgery and is coming home today. She is a very difficult patient.
Oh... I am 45 years old.
Thanks for reading!
Welcome to our world and I hope you mother in law behaves!
Nope!!! 
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