MS help... a little worried

[momie303]

Hi everyone! So where do I start. I am a 19 year old college student. I have not been diagnosed with MS, but I do worry that I may have it. It all started a month ago with a numb feeling in my right thumb, that still feels numb some of the time. The numbness would move up my arm and then go away. During that time I would also have really strong pelvic pains, constant blurred visions, and get super tired.

Lately I have had very bad slurred speech, but have had that every since I was kid, I have also been very clumsy my entire life. My muscles would cramp up and sometimes start shaking especially my right hand. I would also feel hot and cold at the time. All of this would happen at the time, but have since disappeared.

I looked up the symptoms I've had, and all I would see is Multiple Sclerosis. Is it possible that I have it? I will be going to the doctor's soon. I'm just scared. I know there is something wrong with my body, I just don't know what. And, yes I am aware that it is really silly of me to go to the internet to self-diagnose myself. But, please help. What symptoms would you guys have that made you go to the doctor?

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

[AnonyMS]

The internet has its uses, and educating yourself is one of them.
I went through a few of the same symptoms and ignored them for a couple years before Optic Neuritis showed up with double vision. After a couple weeks of it, I had to do something. Few eye doctor visits led to MRI, then diagnosis.
Better you jump on it now than later, just so you know what it is.
I have been told for younger people it can be a very active disease. And that starting a disease modifying drug (DMD) asap is recommended (if you have MS of course). So if you haven't been to the doctor yet, you really should go.

I hope you get some good news. Please update and take care.

[Nanobaby]

For my first MS attack, the symptoms (in chronological order) were:

1)fatigue & head rushes when I bent over and lifted my head back up, such as after tying a shoelace - a lot of non MS people have that and I figured it wasn't a problem

2) had ringing in my ears and couldn't hear properly; finger tips felt numb; couldn't take deep breaths.

3) couldn't focus my eyes - I would try to look at things in front of me and everything would just shake

4) double vision

5) dragging my left leg/foot; couldn't walk properly

This went on for about 3 months. I was 23 at the time and my first thoughts with the initial symptoms were that I was partying too much, smoking too much and not getting enough sleep. I figured I could sleep it off but clearly that didn't happen.

Ended up in the ER twice (first time I only had a CT scan) and the second time I got an MRI which showed a MS lesion.

When I punched in all my symptoms on one of those WebMD sites, it mentioned MS as one possible diagnosis. It also mentioned a type of brain tumor.

[jojo18]

could you have MS? yes. could it be something totally different? yes

my first attack was 8 years ago when i was 12/13. i just had double vision. that doesn't sound like MS, but it was/is.

i would make an appt with your doctor asap. if they give you a script for an MRI, ask for contrast. yes, it is an injection, but i didnt have any medical training when i was 13 and i could tell the difference btw the 2 MRIs.

contrast makes things stand out more, so a diagnosis may be easier what ever it is.
best wishes