Does this sound like MS / is it important to keep looking for answers right now?

[Jesse_2468]

Hi,

I'm a 24 year old female. For the past 3 years or so I've had a mixture of off again on again weird neurological symptoms. Moderate tingling in my fingers, numbness in spots on my feet (feels like something is stuck to the sole of my foot but nothing is), sometimes patches of skin feel bruised but aren't. Frequent muscle twitches, and occasionally a vibrating feel in a muscle. Often my calves feel pretty tight or sometimes a little asleep.

Now a new symptom, when I brush my ankle, I feel a crawling sensation on the inside of my foot, and when I brush my outer calf, I feel a crawling sensation on my inner thigh! So weird!! Does this happen to anyone?

Two things that are constant are that my reflexes (knee jerk and others) are all "jumpy" - my startle reflex is also over the top! And my hands shake a bit - not intention tremor or resting tremor - more like when I extend them they shake for a few seconds and then stop.

I've been to the neurologist, got two 1.5 T MRIs of my brain and C-spine with contrast. No lesions that they can see but the last MRI was a year ago and the symptoms continue.

I'm wondering what you all think - the Neuro seemed convinced last year that it's just stress and I need to chill out. Has anyone heard of stress actually causing these sorts of things? I've made a point of reducing my stress this year, but these sensations, especially the new thing - (brushing part of my leg triggers a crawling sensation somewhere else on my leg) seem like neurological symptoms right? Should I go back and bug the neurologist for an MRI this year or just wait till something more obvious comes up? Is it important in terms of treatment to keep looking for answers now or is it ok to wait till things become clearer?
Thanks,
Jesse

[mjan]

Well welcome to MS world~glad you found us!

Sorry for what you are going through and not getting definitive answers is frustruating. But I wonder what your neuro is thinking. Is this someone who treats MS patients exclusively? Has he run labs to rule out other mimics and problems like ViT D deficiency, other autoimmune diseases?

I have never had that sensation you are having on your legs, but many tingling, vibrations, tremors.. all come and go. Is he willing to do an MRI?

I would find a MS neuro who treats MS exclusively. They can at least rule OUT some things. Write down your symptoms, frequency, duration and date them.

Its a process to diagnose MS and other neuro diseases too.
But in the meantime we have a thread called LIMBOLAND check in where others like you are awaiting a diagnosis and you'll get extra support. In the meantime make sure you stay in touch here and let us know how its going ok hon?

Hang in there, Hugs, Jan

[FL_Jhawk]

I had some similiar symptoms so, no, I doubt this is due to stress. Whatever you have is causing the stress!

Go back and tell him things are worse and ask for another MRI. If it is MS, getting started on meds earlier might be more effective in slowing the progression down.

In the meantime, start on an MS diet to help put the odds more in your favor. If you do have MS, have some comfort that the treatment for MS will be undergoing a lot of changes in the next 5 to 15 years and your outlook is actually pretty good.

[cranberrysauce]

I'm a big believer that you know your own body better than anyone else. I know that when my MS started, I went through a period of wondering if my symptoms were "real" since, like you've touched on, many many MS symptoms can be dismissed since they're not outward, tangible things.

If you feel something's wrong then you should do something about it. Even if its "just stress", you're clearly stressed enough to be having problematic symptoms and some doctor should be able to do better than dismissing your symptoms.

Have you had a second opinion? I think you should. Its your health and you owe it to yourself.

MS and so many other diseases are best treated early, so personally I would continue to push for an answer. If you don't, you may regret that later.

You know you, so follow your instincts. Find another doctor who is more willing to listen if your current one isn't cutting it!!!

Good luck!

[Thinkimjob]

You'll do yourself no good worrying about it. Go get it looked at again.

My first symptom in retrospect (numb, tingly feet) was put down to a bad back.

Didn't have an MRI, didn't think I needed one, although I thought maybe it was MS, occasionally. I really wasn't too concerned at that point. Not in limbo, just nothing to worry about, I thought.

A year later, roughly, ON, numb to the chest, numb fingers. MRI basically immediately, diagnosed, hello dmds.

Once you know, you're on the ride, and there's no getting off.

[04blackcobra]

I was having similar strange symptoms for years with many MRI"s from 3 different neurologist buit they were in the same group. Some showed changes and some did not. I went to a 4th neurologist for an opinion and he reviewed all the records and MRI's and asked why I had not had a spinal tap. He did one and it showed without a doubt that I had MS. I was already have worsening symptoms and felt that if the first couple neurologists had done the spinal tap I could have been on DMD and I would not be as disabled as I am today. In reading your note I do not see where you had a spinal tap. Good Luck!!

[wally8]

I had a very similar experience 5 years ago, had pins and needles in my legs, side of right foot numb and at times it felt like I was walking on marbles Had all the blood tests brain MRI came back with white spots but inclonclusive, so it was all put down to stress and I was literally labeled crazy

That experience made me doctor shy and I did not want to go through the same again, so vowed I would not go back to the docs unless I had severe symptoms. I regret that choice now. I should have kept pushing and gone back for all the so called small symptoms if only to have a record of all my symptoms with the doctor, I think i'd be closer to dx if I had, now 5 years later I have to start the merry go round again.

All the same sx have returned but worse, and my face has gone numb

My advise to you is keep pushing for answers! It would seem that the Doctors and neuros dont want to dx without all their boxs being ticked, rightly so...you dont want a miss dx. So rather than explain in full the criteria needed to dx or admit that they dont know whats wrong with you, they tell you its stress..problem solved... untill you present with sx they can work with.

As others have said you know your body and something is not quite right. Try and resolve yourself to the fact that it still could take a while for a dx. That in itself will lessen the stress, well it has for me anyway.

And remember you always have this site to turn too, talking to people who have been in the same boat has been a great help for me.

Hope everything goes well for you.
Cheers
Kathy

[Tinkerbell65]

Many people have responded and given you good advice so while I might not have anything original to say, I think it helps to hear things from lots of people, so you don't feel alone.

I was diagnosed in May of 11 but in retrospect probably had symptoms- facial numbness and trouble forming words- for a couple of years before that. Because it came and went pretty quickly and didn't last long I attributed it to aging. Once i had more dramatic issues I got my answer from a neurologist. I have always been grateful that I was able to reach a diagnosis so quickly.

I also encourage you to advocate for yourself. My first neuro was pretty dismissive of me and pretty much told me that continued decline was pretty much a given. I switched to a neuro who specializes in MS and am so happy to have done so. To a degree I'm still adjusting to the diagnosis and am starting to realize the limits of me energy etc. but having a doc who really understands about MS including nutrition and supplements have made all the difference.

Good luck! Hugs-
Theresa

[blue129]

I feel your pain! Last summer I had multiple "weird" symptoms pop up for no reason and then went away in a couple of months. Chalked it up to a pinched nerve in my back or something at the time. Lo and behold come December, and they're back.

I have had every bit of bloodwork known to man run and it's all normal. MS has been mentioned by my internal medicine doc as the leading "possibility" but he says I don't have any really obvious things that jump out at him. He ordered an MRI of my brain with contrast that came back normal, so he has sent me to a neurologist for nerve studies next week.

I didn't get a really good vibe off of her at our visit--dismissed some symptoms (neuropathic itching, visual disturbances, frequent/urgent urination) as being unrelated. Um..then why have I only had them during these two episodes along with all the other symptoms (fatigue, cognition problems, vibrations in muscles that are sore afterwards, spasms in legs)? Pure coincidence? Not buying it.

She thinks maybe sleep apnea..although I don't snore and have never been told I stop breathing in my sleep. So I'm going to be patient and see what these nerve studies come back with, and just prepare to wait it out.

Best of luck to you! I personally don't dread the diagnosis, I just would like to have one so I know where to go from here.

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