Does this sound like MS to you?

[LU1981]

Hi all! I know this is NOT a place for getting a diagnosis. I am just looking for some reassurance and guidance. I have not been diagnosed with MS, and I know symptoms vary greatly. I have an appointment in July with a neurologist (I hate waiting!). I wanted to run my symptoms by you and get your opinions.

I had a painless ocular migraine in December 2016. I have never had any other sort of migraine before or since then.

In January 2017 one evening, I got extremely tired and fatigued and had to lay down. My left arm went numb and tingly, and I worried about a heart attack. I went to the ER the next day, where they did bloodwork and MRI's on my brain and spine. All came back clear. Some steroids helped for a few days, but then the numbness/tingling came back. It spread to my WHOLE BODY, and the numbness/tingling has been constant all over my body since then (it is more of an "inside" numbness - a fuzzy feeling, if that makes sense, though my left middle toe is ACTUALLY numb!). Over the last few months, I have been diagnosed with Hashimoto's and Celiac Disease.

With the pins and needles sensation, I have had the following symptoms creep up (I have kept a running list):

• Constant numbness/tingling throughout body - pins and needles
• Creepy crawly feeling, esp in back of head, neck, and upper back
• Shooting random pain, esp shoulders
• Muscle aches (esp upper and middle back and upper arms); really achy hands
  
• Nerve pain?
• Stiff neck, back, legs
• Fatigue / lethargic
• Itchy scalp
• Brain fog (trouble remembering, can't always form the words I want to say, stumble over words)
• Tongue is swollen and scalloped
• Muscle weakness
• Muscle cramps, esp abdomen - like a charlie horse
• Muscle twitching
• Easily irritated
• Flushing easily
• Mood swings
• Sensitive to sounds
• Low body temp
• Weight gain
• Dry skin and hair
• Hands "seize" sometimes
• 14 yrs ago - major vertigo that lasted a year
• Super sensitive to cold -- cold water feels icy; holding something frozen makes me feel like I am getting frostbite immediately
• "Cold" sensation in hands and arms, like medicine being pumped through IV
• I ache most while sleeping and first getting up (esp back and neck)
• When limbs fall asleep, the blood rushing back does not bother me like it used to.

My B12 and Vitamin D are normal, and I still take supplements to keep them normal. I have tried several types of magnesium too. I am gluten-free because of my Celiac, and trying to stick to Paleo as closely as I can. Would eventually like to do full AIP, as I'm convinced food has a lot to do with symptoms.

For those of you with multiple autoimmune conditions, do you think these symptoms could be related to the Hashimoto's or Celiac I already have? Two of my regular doctors think it's something else, and MS keeps coming up. Could it be MS? What else could it be otherwise? I would love to hear what you all think. Thanks in advance!

[dastardly]

Hi LU1981
MS effect the nervous system and because of this it normally effects one part or one side of your body not all at once if that makes any sense, and when you think you have a certain problem you associate every symptom to that problem (I know I do)
You need to see a neurologist that is an expert in MS and get them to run a few tests so you aren't guessing, and have a definite path to follow, and then get some treatment, if you do have MS now is the time to get it as there is a lot of new recherché and treatment going on good luck Craig

[LU1981]

Thank you for the reply, Craig! That's what I normally have seen - that MS does not usually affect the whole body at one time, so I'm hoping it is something else. You're totally right though - when I think of MS, every symptom I have goes with it. Google is not my friend!

Best wishes,
LU1981

[pennstater]

You mentioned vertigo 14 years ago and also a clean MRI last year. That would seem to infer that no MS Lesion remained as a result of the vertigo.

That, and the all over symptons seem to point against MS. You are doing the right thing in following up with a neuro though. You really need an medical opinion.

With your diagnosis, are you on any new meds that may have side effects! I know Celiac is usually just managed by diet though.

Lots of luck.

[Seasha]

Hi and welcome LU1981~

I had to look up both of your conditions and symptoms and, whereby some of your symptoms could be MS (pins and needles, fatigue and weakness for some, but not all of us), these could also be caused by your other autoimmune conditions.

My best advice to you is to try and stay away from "Dr. Google" looking for MS symptoms for now and let the neurologist do some testing to determine what is going on with you.

I wish you best of luck!

[LU1981]

Thank you, Kathy! That is a good point that the vertigo is probably unrelated since I had a clean MRI last year.

And no, I was already on thyroid meds before being diagnosed with Hashimoto's, and I am just gluten-free for Celiac Thanks for your response and encouragement!

Lezli

You mentioned vertigo 14 years ago and also a clean MRI last year. That would seem to infer that no MS Lesion remained as a result of the vertigo.

That, and the all over symptons seem to point against MS. You are doing the right thing in following up with a neuro though. You really need an medical opinion.

With your diagnosis, are you on any new meds that may have side effects! I know Celiac is usually just managed by diet though.

Lots of luck.

[LU1981]

Hi Seasha!

Thank you so much for your reply. And yes, I agree that many of my symptoms are related to Hashimoto's and Celiac. The all-over pins and needles, my hands seizing, and a few of the other symptoms are what have my general doctors stumped. I have already seen one neurologist (last May) who was determined that I had Bell's Palsy and/or carpal tunnel syndrome, neither of which fit my symptoms at all. So now I'm off to a new neurologist who will hopefully be more professional It has just been difficult to differentiate what symptoms belong with what condition. My Hashimoto's numbers (on paper) look better now, and I have been gluten-free for Celiac, so I expected that my symptoms would reduce along with the changes I have made. Many of them actually seem worse now!

Agreed - Google is not my friend! I just hate having to wait til July to see the neurologist :/ Hoping a cancellation happens in my favor.

Thanks again for the reply!
LU1981

Hi and welcome LU1981~

I had to look up both of your conditions and symptoms and, whereby some of your symptoms could be MS (pins and needles, fatigue and weakness for some, but not all of us), these could also be caused by your other autoimmune conditions.

My best advice to you is to try and stay away from "Dr. Google" looking for MS symptoms for now and let the neurologist do some testing to determine what is going on with you.

I wish you best of luck!

[Seasha]

Hoping a cancellation happens in my favor.

I hope so too! Please take care.