Hi, everyone.
I'm a 40 yo female with a history of what's been diagnosed as complicated migraines and fibromyalgia. I felt pretty confident in those diagnoses until recently, when my migraine pattern changed significantly and I started to experience new symptoms. I saw my primary care doctor, who did an in-office neurological screening (that was fine) and ordered some tests on the basis of the slight tremor she could see in one hand only and my symptoms. Metabolic panel, kidneys, liver, and vitamin/mineral levels were all normal. Yay! However, the MRI showed a single hyperintensity in the anterior parietal lobe. The radiologist noted that it was nonspecific and of a kind that sometimes has no known etiology, but is also seen in MS and migraines. I was referred to neurology for a consult and am waiting for that appointment. In the meanwhile, the neuro has ordered ultrasound/doppler testing of my carotid.
That's my situation. I'll attach below the "symptom" list I just wrote up to bring to neuro with me.
So. I guess my question is .. can anybody share a similar experience or give me any insight? Does this all seem consistent with things you've experienced or known other MS folks to experience?
I'm sorry if it seems like I'm butting in when what's happening with me might be completely unrelated to MS. I'm trying to stay positive and calm while also learning what I can.
Thanks in advance!
MamaCat
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These things all seem to come and go as a group. I've had three of these "episodes", beginning in December 2013.
Intermittent hand tremor - one side only, comes in 3-7 day phases that are separated in time by weeks; this has happened twice on my left side and once on my right. I am right-handed.
Fatigue
Spacey, difficulty with concentration (markedly beyond the usual "need more coffee" kind of thing)
weak feeling in arm on affected side
weak feeling in legs, i.e. fatigued feeling when walking through the house
muscle spasms/Charley horses in calves, hamstrings, and feet throughout the day/night
These things are more persistent and/or can be isolated
twitching eyelid - one side only, comes in phases similar to hand tremor, but not necessarily coinciding; began 1/2013
visual: flashers, light sensitivity, achiness (not sure how else to describe this; its like my eyeball aches), blurry vision, dry eyes (diagnosed around 2012)
o Persistent blind spots. This has happened twice, separated in time by about three years. The first one lasted about six weeks; examined by ophthalmologist, who didn't find anything abnormal. Second one lasted about three weeks after what I took to be a migraine aura without headache. Both gradually resolved.
migraine headaches: migraines began at age 16 with blind spot, continued through early 20s as headaches with occasional visual aura, no migraines for almost ten years, until fall of 2007, when I experienced painless migraine aura (blind spot, nausea, tingling, confusion, aphasia) and had an MRI w/wo contrast at ER; MRI was normal, dx was "complicated migraine". Between 2007 and 2013, I had a handful of migraines, typically painless or very little pain. Aura lasts between 20 minutes and 2 hours, follows consistent pattern: blind spot, fatigue, spacey, nausea, mild or moderate aphasia); in the last year or so, this pattern has changed again to become more frequent (approx 1-2/month).
general: fatigue, increased clumsiness (losing balance slightly while standing still or walking, swaying, like mildly drunk), stiffness
tingling and itching: intermittent tingling, itching, and numbness in one spot on my back for about five years; can be intense. PCP theorized in 2009 that it was a nerve being pinched by a knotted muscle in my back.
Previous diagnoses: migraine w/aura (1990), fibromyalgia (2000), complicated migraine (2007)
I'm a 40 yo female with a history of what's been diagnosed as complicated migraines and fibromyalgia. I felt pretty confident in those diagnoses until recently, when my migraine pattern changed significantly and I started to experience new symptoms. I saw my primary care doctor, who did an in-office neurological screening (that was fine) and ordered some tests on the basis of the slight tremor she could see in one hand only and my symptoms. Metabolic panel, kidneys, liver, and vitamin/mineral levels were all normal. Yay! However, the MRI showed a single hyperintensity in the anterior parietal lobe. The radiologist noted that it was nonspecific and of a kind that sometimes has no known etiology, but is also seen in MS and migraines. I was referred to neurology for a consult and am waiting for that appointment. In the meanwhile, the neuro has ordered ultrasound/doppler testing of my carotid.
That's my situation. I'll attach below the "symptom" list I just wrote up to bring to neuro with me.
So. I guess my question is .. can anybody share a similar experience or give me any insight? Does this all seem consistent with things you've experienced or known other MS folks to experience?
I'm sorry if it seems like I'm butting in when what's happening with me might be completely unrelated to MS. I'm trying to stay positive and calm while also learning what I can.
Thanks in advance!
MamaCat
-----------------------------------------
These things all seem to come and go as a group. I've had three of these "episodes", beginning in December 2013.
Intermittent hand tremor - one side only, comes in 3-7 day phases that are separated in time by weeks; this has happened twice on my left side and once on my right. I am right-handed.
Fatigue
Spacey, difficulty with concentration (markedly beyond the usual "need more coffee" kind of thing)
weak feeling in arm on affected side
weak feeling in legs, i.e. fatigued feeling when walking through the house
muscle spasms/Charley horses in calves, hamstrings, and feet throughout the day/night
These things are more persistent and/or can be isolated
twitching eyelid - one side only, comes in phases similar to hand tremor, but not necessarily coinciding; began 1/2013
visual: flashers, light sensitivity, achiness (not sure how else to describe this; its like my eyeball aches), blurry vision, dry eyes (diagnosed around 2012)
o Persistent blind spots. This has happened twice, separated in time by about three years. The first one lasted about six weeks; examined by ophthalmologist, who didn't find anything abnormal. Second one lasted about three weeks after what I took to be a migraine aura without headache. Both gradually resolved.
migraine headaches: migraines began at age 16 with blind spot, continued through early 20s as headaches with occasional visual aura, no migraines for almost ten years, until fall of 2007, when I experienced painless migraine aura (blind spot, nausea, tingling, confusion, aphasia) and had an MRI w/wo contrast at ER; MRI was normal, dx was "complicated migraine". Between 2007 and 2013, I had a handful of migraines, typically painless or very little pain. Aura lasts between 20 minutes and 2 hours, follows consistent pattern: blind spot, fatigue, spacey, nausea, mild or moderate aphasia); in the last year or so, this pattern has changed again to become more frequent (approx 1-2/month).
general: fatigue, increased clumsiness (losing balance slightly while standing still or walking, swaying, like mildly drunk), stiffness
tingling and itching: intermittent tingling, itching, and numbness in one spot on my back for about five years; can be intense. PCP theorized in 2009 that it was a nerve being pinched by a knotted muscle in my back.
Previous diagnoses: migraine w/aura (1990), fibromyalgia (2000), complicated migraine (2007)
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