Hi, I have not been diagnosed yet by a neurologist, as I am waiting to get into his office. (Not many Neuros around these parts) My appointment is not until late July and meanwhile my symptoms have started to get worse. I guess this post is just so I can get it out and see if someone has a similar experience to me. I am sorry this is long winded, but I need to get it out. Maybe talking about it with others will in turn make me feel a little better too.
I was a healthy young man, that used to hike and bike all summer till about a year ago. The only other thing I think is important to mention medical history wise is that about 4 years ago, I developed tachycardia (rapid heart beat) out of no where. My doctors (DO, Cardiologist, Nephrologist) never found a cause, my heart is fine, hormones are all good. They did have to put me on a beta-blocker to keep it around 90 BPM.
My current issues started a few weeks after I was in a moderate car accident last summer. A few bumps and bruises from that but I recovered well within a week.
About two weeks later I was walking with a friend through the city, nothing strenuous. All of the sudden, I felt like I pulled my groin and calve and hip flexor, even though I did not. I shook it off as something minor (I am not getting any younger
, like a normal aches and pains of aging. However a few days later and it was still there, and I was getting pain down into my lower leg and foot.
I decided it was time to see a doctor, so I went to my DO. He said, probably a disc issue from accident, and referred me to a Ortho doc. That doctor found nothing wrong with my back other than severe muscle spasms. I had Lumbar MRI's, Bone Scan, etc. All showed up fine. I had an EMG of my right leg and that was abnormal, showed radiculapathy. So he sent me to PT.
My PT found my right leg was weak on exam (I thought well that's new). And sent me back to my DO in a hurry. My DO was out of the office, and I saw his backup who said it was nothing to be alarmed about, probably inflammation and, here is a new NSAID.
I continued on and after several weeks of PT, I went back to the back doc. Again he thought my back was fine and it was my hip causing the pain, so he sent me to a Hip doctor.
The hip doctor sent me for another specialized MRI that found some cartilage damage in my hip. He thought (and so did I) that all my leg pain was coming from my hip. We thought a simple arthroscopic procedure on the hip would sort me out fine. In January I had the procedure and spent two months in more PT recovering. I have to say my hip feels less "crunchy" but unfortunately, I am still getting leg pains. And then to make matters worse, my right arm developed weakness out of no where.
I went for another round of PT, and I don't think the therapist really knew what to do with me at this point. I was going a couple times a week. Some days I would show up and my lower back would be killing me, and my hip flexors stiff as a board. This was in turn causing SI joint pain. Some days my back would be in spasm. Then some days my pain would be more in my legs.
Sometimes she would see me on a good day and I could do a lot more. In the end she told me she was just going to focus on my Hip because she "doesn't chase pain". My hip was cleared and she sent me on my way, even though my legs and back were still very stiff.
So after that round of PT, my hip doc cleared me for the hip, and sent me back to my DO. My DO said he thought I should get a second opinion on the back. He sent me to another back doctor. He also said my shoulder was unrelated to what I had going on and probably was just sore from crutches (even though its not sore and I had been off them for weeks) and gave me PT exercises for that too.
This new back doctor thought it was some simple SI joint inflammation, and he recommended an injection to relieve it. I was up for anything to fix me so I went ahead and had that done too. It was a little uncomfortable, but nothing too too bad. And here is where things started to get really really strange...
About a week after my injection, I got a numb spot on my upper back, right around the right shoulder blade. I also developed urinary leaking and some bowel leaking. (Pretty alarming for a guy in his mid 30's). In a panic I called my back doctor again thinking this was related to some reaction from the injection. He called me into his office right away. I got there and he said there was no way this was a result of the injection, and sent me for another MRI, this time a C and T Spine MRI with and without contrast. (No brain MRI though).
While waiting for the results of the MRI, I started to get really bad lower leg cramps in both calf's. Also along with that was some really annoying twitching and spasms. These are brief but they are really powerful. Sometimes it feels like my entire core twitches, sometimes my glutes, sometimes my hands (especially the thumb).
These new MRI's came back OK, a few minor things that come as we all age but nothing that would explain my symptoms. My back doctor thinks its definitely neurological, and has now referred me to a Neurologist. He mentioned it could be Lyme or maybe another neurological...cant think of the word..., but all unrelated to my accident.
I am now in my three month wait for my appointment. And have started to get some other weird symptoms. I have had a couple toes on my other foot go numb for a few days. And am getting severe cramping of my thighs, calves and hip flexors. Its really quite painful at times, and yesterday I could barely get out of bed. Also I have noticed I have developed a heat sensitivity. I get over heated very easily and when I do the spasms and twitching does get worse.
While I wait I had my DO run some blood work for Lyme, and it was negative, both ELISA and WB. Also I never had the bulls-eye or remember being bitten. He mentioned it could be MS and that seeing the neuro was the next best step.
So there you have it... my strange and unusual story. I am just curious if anyone has had a similar experience or symptoms? Also if you have any tips on how to deal with the pain and stiffness I would appreciate it. Also how do you cope with the waiting? I don't think I am dying or anything, but I would sure like to get to the bottom of what this is.
And lastly thank you all for the support you give!
I was a healthy young man, that used to hike and bike all summer till about a year ago. The only other thing I think is important to mention medical history wise is that about 4 years ago, I developed tachycardia (rapid heart beat) out of no where. My doctors (DO, Cardiologist, Nephrologist) never found a cause, my heart is fine, hormones are all good. They did have to put me on a beta-blocker to keep it around 90 BPM.
My current issues started a few weeks after I was in a moderate car accident last summer. A few bumps and bruises from that but I recovered well within a week.
About two weeks later I was walking with a friend through the city, nothing strenuous. All of the sudden, I felt like I pulled my groin and calve and hip flexor, even though I did not. I shook it off as something minor (I am not getting any younger
, like a normal aches and pains of aging. However a few days later and it was still there, and I was getting pain down into my lower leg and foot. I decided it was time to see a doctor, so I went to my DO. He said, probably a disc issue from accident, and referred me to a Ortho doc. That doctor found nothing wrong with my back other than severe muscle spasms. I had Lumbar MRI's, Bone Scan, etc. All showed up fine. I had an EMG of my right leg and that was abnormal, showed radiculapathy. So he sent me to PT.
My PT found my right leg was weak on exam (I thought well that's new). And sent me back to my DO in a hurry. My DO was out of the office, and I saw his backup who said it was nothing to be alarmed about, probably inflammation and, here is a new NSAID.
I continued on and after several weeks of PT, I went back to the back doc. Again he thought my back was fine and it was my hip causing the pain, so he sent me to a Hip doctor.
The hip doctor sent me for another specialized MRI that found some cartilage damage in my hip. He thought (and so did I) that all my leg pain was coming from my hip. We thought a simple arthroscopic procedure on the hip would sort me out fine. In January I had the procedure and spent two months in more PT recovering. I have to say my hip feels less "crunchy" but unfortunately, I am still getting leg pains. And then to make matters worse, my right arm developed weakness out of no where.
I went for another round of PT, and I don't think the therapist really knew what to do with me at this point. I was going a couple times a week. Some days I would show up and my lower back would be killing me, and my hip flexors stiff as a board. This was in turn causing SI joint pain. Some days my back would be in spasm. Then some days my pain would be more in my legs.
Sometimes she would see me on a good day and I could do a lot more. In the end she told me she was just going to focus on my Hip because she "doesn't chase pain". My hip was cleared and she sent me on my way, even though my legs and back were still very stiff.
So after that round of PT, my hip doc cleared me for the hip, and sent me back to my DO. My DO said he thought I should get a second opinion on the back. He sent me to another back doctor. He also said my shoulder was unrelated to what I had going on and probably was just sore from crutches (even though its not sore and I had been off them for weeks) and gave me PT exercises for that too.
This new back doctor thought it was some simple SI joint inflammation, and he recommended an injection to relieve it. I was up for anything to fix me so I went ahead and had that done too. It was a little uncomfortable, but nothing too too bad. And here is where things started to get really really strange...
About a week after my injection, I got a numb spot on my upper back, right around the right shoulder blade. I also developed urinary leaking and some bowel leaking. (Pretty alarming for a guy in his mid 30's). In a panic I called my back doctor again thinking this was related to some reaction from the injection. He called me into his office right away. I got there and he said there was no way this was a result of the injection, and sent me for another MRI, this time a C and T Spine MRI with and without contrast. (No brain MRI though).
While waiting for the results of the MRI, I started to get really bad lower leg cramps in both calf's. Also along with that was some really annoying twitching and spasms. These are brief but they are really powerful. Sometimes it feels like my entire core twitches, sometimes my glutes, sometimes my hands (especially the thumb).
These new MRI's came back OK, a few minor things that come as we all age but nothing that would explain my symptoms. My back doctor thinks its definitely neurological, and has now referred me to a Neurologist. He mentioned it could be Lyme or maybe another neurological...cant think of the word..., but all unrelated to my accident.
I am now in my three month wait for my appointment. And have started to get some other weird symptoms. I have had a couple toes on my other foot go numb for a few days. And am getting severe cramping of my thighs, calves and hip flexors. Its really quite painful at times, and yesterday I could barely get out of bed. Also I have noticed I have developed a heat sensitivity. I get over heated very easily and when I do the spasms and twitching does get worse.
While I wait I had my DO run some blood work for Lyme, and it was negative, both ELISA and WB. Also I never had the bulls-eye or remember being bitten. He mentioned it could be MS and that seeing the neuro was the next best step.
So there you have it... my strange and unusual story. I am just curious if anyone has had a similar experience or symptoms? Also if you have any tips on how to deal with the pain and stiffness I would appreciate it. Also how do you cope with the waiting? I don't think I am dying or anything, but I would sure like to get to the bottom of what this is.
And lastly thank you all for the support you give!
when weird sx first surfaced. My brain MRI showed numerous non specific lesions, although strange for my age, they still could not give me any answers.
14/01/2012 here we go again
Dx RRMS 21/06/2012
. I really don't think its stress. I have a great job that I love, an awesome girlfriend that is really supportive of what I am going through and a loving family that are also very supportive. 
Comment