Don't know if or where I belong with this.

[Chellebelle]

Hello everyone, I am new here. (Obviously)

I have not bean "diagnosed" yet. My story is this about a month ago I woke up with horrible pain in my shoulder thinking that I just slept on it wrong I went about my morning. BY early afternoon the pain had spread into my back and down my arm to my fingers which were now tingling.

I have had back problems before in 2007 I ended a 3 year journey and had a fusion at the L5-S1 with a laminectomy. So I knew from that what nerve pain could feel like.

This worried me so I went to the doctors. They immediately wanted it to be my heart because it was my left arm. So they sent me to the ER which told me of course it is not your heart so it is not life threatening, Go see your primary. So I made an appointment for GP and went to him a few days later (mean while pins and needles getting worse)

My GP said that he thought it was a pinched nerve in the neck. He ordered cervical xrays and also referred me to a neurologist to have an EMG done. The Xrays were normal. While waiting on the appointment for EMG, Everything got worse. The pain spread to my chest where I felt like I was being squeezed to death I also began having a tingling numbness spread up my neck into my face. Off to the ER I went again my husband convinced I was having a heart attack. (Again Your not go home) So I went to the Neuro for the EMG the next week still in horrible pain. EMG was normal however due to my symptoms progressing so quickly the neuro was concerned why hadn't I had an MRI yet. He was concerned about Partial Transverse Myelitis. I had an appointment with him a couple days later for a full work up. He decided to send me for 3 day treatment of Solumedrol because I couldn't get in for the MRI's he wanted done until the 16th (which is tomorrow now)

I just had my last of the 3 days infusion yesterday. I have had a lot of side effects (burning eyes, headache, exhaustion) but something that is really bothering me is my brain just doesn't feel right. I don't know if this is from the steroids or if it is something else. I have realized in the last week due to help from other people that I am forgetting things, completely forgetting whole conversations. Forgetting work that I have done. It is difficult for me to understand some things. IT takes me a little longer to process what is going on. I can't seem to find the right words (this isn't new but seems to be worsening)

I don't know what to think about all of this. The Dr's seem to think that everything hinges on the MRI's and I guess I am scared to think what if the MRI's show nothing? What can be causing all of this. I am not even sure if what I have typed here makes sense. I am sorry just looking for someone to talk to that may understand or have been through something similar.

Thanks for listening.

[jreagan70]

I just had my last of the 3 days infusion yesterday. I have had a lot of side effects (burning eyes, headache, exhaustion) but something that is really bothering me is my brain just doesn't feel right. I don't know if this is from the steroids or if it is something else.

It could very well be the steroids. The same effects of steroids that cause bloating, headaches, exhaustion and mood swings can also cause cognitive fog. There's even a saying for it: Steroids make you stupid.

Just be careful and try not to worry about it. The side effects of the steroids, including the cognitive effects, should pass in a week or two.

The Dr's seem to think that everything hinges on the MRI's and I guess I am scared to think what if the MRI's show nothing? What can be causing all of this.

Everything doesn't hinge on your MRIs, but the diagnosis of MS depends heavily on MRIs.

Despite what comes up on Google, there are many possible causes for neurological symptoms. Sometimes it takes a while for the body to show enough clues to make a diagnosis from. One thing health conditions do is to demonstrate that people can't spend time worrying about things they have no control over. You may not get answers quickly, but -- given enough time -- you will get answers. In the meantime, my best advice is to try to live your life as normally and joyfully as possible.