New here, in process of being diagnosed w probable Multiple Sclerosis and Hashimoto's
Good morning everyone,
I am new here, and am looking for insight. I will try to keep this short, but I went undiagnosed for about 10 years so, it has been a looooong road!
I noticed after I had my son in 2000, that physically things had changed. I was always an extremely skinny person, but during pregnancy I gained over 60 pounds and found it very hard to loose after I had my son. Shortly after that, I started getting itchy scaly rashes on my eyelids, elbows, knees, and ankles. I noticed slight trouble with balance and memory as well.
Over the course of the next several years, I had 5 miscarriages, trouble with weight, and the memory and balance stuff seemed to slowly increase, but not to a point where it made me think there is something wrong really here (yet). I suspected I had an under active thyroid. I went to several Dr.s for all these things and they all said there was absolutely nothing wrong with me. (I lived in the Virgin Islands at the time) I requested that a broader blood test be done for thyroid function, not just the standard TSH they were all doing. Once I got the broader blood tests back, it indicated I was both Hyper and hypo active and was then sent to an Endocrinologist. The Endocrinologist basically dismissed ANYTHING I had to say, said it was all in my head, and I was fine. Well, I certainly didn't FEEL fine. I felt like garbage to put it mildly. On top of all that was depressed and stressed out because I knew there was something really wrong but no one would listen.
I have since moved back to the states, found a wonderful Dr. who has run all kinds of tests. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease and Psoriasis, and I go back next Tuesday for the rest of my test results. He did a Neurological exam and he is going to discuss the results with me also next Tuesday. I didn't do so good on that exam, and so I have questions - wondering what all these symptoms mean:
1. He said my pupils do not fully restrict when a light is shone in to them.
2. He had me walk heel to toe and I had a lot of trouble with that, I stumbled and fought to keep my balance. Seems like it should have been simple, but it wasn't.
3. He had me close my eyes and touch my nose. Had trouble with that too, kept missing my nose.
4. I have more feeling on one side of my body than the other.
5. I have pins and needles in my hands and feet - this is constant, all the time.
6. I have weakness (more on one side than the other)
7. I find holding a pen is difficult, and my writing which used to be very neat now looks like chicken scratch.
8. The Dr. had me close my eyes, hold my arms out and march in place. That was difficult too, and when I opened my eyes, I was no longer facing him, (straight ahead) but I was facing a different wall. He made the comment "the rotation was what I was looking for".
9. The Dr. had me stand in place for a few minutes which I could not do with out swaying like I was drunk.
10. He did a smell test. I had difficulty with the scent Vanilla - I almost said it was Almond. I got Mint correct though.
11. He did a gag reflex test, and basically I have no gag reflex. It didn't even phase me.
12. He also noted that drop my head to the right. I had no idea I do this, but my husband (after I told him the Dr. said this) said, oh yeah, you have been doing that for a while. It seems everything has to do with my right side.
13.My memory which use to be so good, is absolutely horrible now. I can remember basic things which I just did, I go in to rooms and cannot remember why I went in there, I call people and forget what I wanted to tell them, I have become a klutz, I am constantly dropping things, falling, loosing my balance, daily living has become very frustrating.
14. My thought processes seem to be slow, I often hesitate when talking because my brain can't seem to find the words that I want to say and this is sooooooo embarrasing. People I have known forever, I sometimes forget their names.
15. I often feel like my eyes burn. I also get a very hot flash of heat which comes and goes. The right eye feel very hot like a sudden intense heat,and then goes away. I will get this several times a day for months at a time, then it will go away for a while, only to resurface several months later.
I went in for a thyroid problem and left with so many other things going on (possibly Lupus, gluten allergies, etc.) and the multiple Sclerosis thing was a big surprise. What can I expect if I am positively diagnosed with MS and how is MS treated? Thank you
I am new here, and am looking for insight. I will try to keep this short, but I went undiagnosed for about 10 years so, it has been a looooong road!
I noticed after I had my son in 2000, that physically things had changed. I was always an extremely skinny person, but during pregnancy I gained over 60 pounds and found it very hard to loose after I had my son. Shortly after that, I started getting itchy scaly rashes on my eyelids, elbows, knees, and ankles. I noticed slight trouble with balance and memory as well.
Over the course of the next several years, I had 5 miscarriages, trouble with weight, and the memory and balance stuff seemed to slowly increase, but not to a point where it made me think there is something wrong really here (yet). I suspected I had an under active thyroid. I went to several Dr.s for all these things and they all said there was absolutely nothing wrong with me. (I lived in the Virgin Islands at the time) I requested that a broader blood test be done for thyroid function, not just the standard TSH they were all doing. Once I got the broader blood tests back, it indicated I was both Hyper and hypo active and was then sent to an Endocrinologist. The Endocrinologist basically dismissed ANYTHING I had to say, said it was all in my head, and I was fine. Well, I certainly didn't FEEL fine. I felt like garbage to put it mildly. On top of all that was depressed and stressed out because I knew there was something really wrong but no one would listen.
I have since moved back to the states, found a wonderful Dr. who has run all kinds of tests. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease and Psoriasis, and I go back next Tuesday for the rest of my test results. He did a Neurological exam and he is going to discuss the results with me also next Tuesday. I didn't do so good on that exam, and so I have questions - wondering what all these symptoms mean:
1. He said my pupils do not fully restrict when a light is shone in to them.
2. He had me walk heel to toe and I had a lot of trouble with that, I stumbled and fought to keep my balance. Seems like it should have been simple, but it wasn't.
3. He had me close my eyes and touch my nose. Had trouble with that too, kept missing my nose.
4. I have more feeling on one side of my body than the other.
5. I have pins and needles in my hands and feet - this is constant, all the time.
6. I have weakness (more on one side than the other)
7. I find holding a pen is difficult, and my writing which used to be very neat now looks like chicken scratch.
8. The Dr. had me close my eyes, hold my arms out and march in place. That was difficult too, and when I opened my eyes, I was no longer facing him, (straight ahead) but I was facing a different wall. He made the comment "the rotation was what I was looking for".
9. The Dr. had me stand in place for a few minutes which I could not do with out swaying like I was drunk.
10. He did a smell test. I had difficulty with the scent Vanilla - I almost said it was Almond. I got Mint correct though.
11. He did a gag reflex test, and basically I have no gag reflex. It didn't even phase me.
12. He also noted that drop my head to the right. I had no idea I do this, but my husband (after I told him the Dr. said this) said, oh yeah, you have been doing that for a while. It seems everything has to do with my right side.
13.My memory which use to be so good, is absolutely horrible now. I can remember basic things which I just did, I go in to rooms and cannot remember why I went in there, I call people and forget what I wanted to tell them, I have become a klutz, I am constantly dropping things, falling, loosing my balance, daily living has become very frustrating.
14. My thought processes seem to be slow, I often hesitate when talking because my brain can't seem to find the words that I want to say and this is sooooooo embarrasing. People I have known forever, I sometimes forget their names.
15. I often feel like my eyes burn. I also get a very hot flash of heat which comes and goes. The right eye feel very hot like a sudden intense heat,and then goes away. I will get this several times a day for months at a time, then it will go away for a while, only to resurface several months later.
I went in for a thyroid problem and left with so many other things going on (possibly Lupus, gluten allergies, etc.) and the multiple Sclerosis thing was a big surprise. What can I expect if I am positively diagnosed with MS and how is MS treated? Thank you
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