IS THIS MS?

[Tcacase94]

Hello all! I have been sick for about 6 years now, and have seen all kinds of doctors to rule out things (Because they think it is CFS) however, I now have a neurologist who thinks its MS. My first MRI of the brain was a month after getting sick, and I heard that a lot of times MS can be missed that early. My symptoms consist of-
•short term memory loss
•severe brain fog (constantly forget what I'm talking about in the middle of a sentence)
•balance is off
•mouth, lip, nose, legs, arms, go numbs all at separate times--unless it's one side of the body that goes numb all together.
•sometimes it hurts to swallow
•I get a shock sensation inside me, especially if I have to urinate.
•I constantly feel like somebody is stabbing me either in the head or my neck (for a few minutes at a time)
•I sometimes feel like my torso is getting squeezed.
•I got LASIK eye surgery about a month ago, and became 2020, now my vision is going bad.
•I get throbbing, tingling, numbing sensations in my limbs( especially my legs)
•eye pain in the left eye
•under arm pain like someone's lifting me up
• bones will start to hurt, and feel like someone is beating me and breaking my bone off, or like I have a cavity feeling in my bone.
•an ear ache
•sometimes my ear feels wet.
•occasional chest pains(that's a new one)
•migraines
•nausea here and there
•extreme fatigue
•spasms in leg
• tingling in finger tips
•I'm always cold but have been getting severe heat flashes (like I'll be sitting in front of an air conditioner and get them)
•bad lower back and back of the neck pain
-Now that I got all of those symptoms out there, in the beginning it was so severe, I then was prescribed a drug called Nuvigil that didn't keep me from experiencing pain or any of these symtoms but it allowed me to still go out and live life with the pain. However the Nuvigil stopped working. There are days where some symptoms are not as bad as others but still take place and there are days where a few not a lot but few don't appear. Could this be MS or CFS? Please help!

[MarkLavelle]

While some of the sx you mention are common in MS, all of them have other possible causes. Also there's no particular reason to think that all your sx are connected.

Have you seen a physiatrist or ortho, and did they get MRIs of your spine?

[hunterd]

as was already said, many of your symptoms occur in both MS and in many other diseases. Nobody here can diagnose you, it is best to listen to your doctor. I hate to rain on your parade. Best of luck to you.

[JerryD]

Hi and welcome to the boards ! I hope that your doctor is referring to a neurologist. No one on this board can give you a proper diagnosis. I am surprised that you have found no effect from taking Nuvigil. Nuvigil is supposed to relieve fatigue not pain. You may need to spend time with your PCP and explain your misery. I know what you are going through . Most of us, here, know this miserable disease and its effects. MS sucks ! Good luck and I pray that you don't get a dx of MS.

[Teekybird]

I agree:

Work with your neurologist. Get an MRI of the brain and neck (c-spine) with contrast. Getting the MRI with contrast, MS protocol is important. They will want to rule out things that whatever you are having are 'not' as part of deciding if it is MS.

good luck.

[Tcacase94]

Thank you

Thank you all for the responses! Yes I've seen them all; psychologist, psychiatrist, rheumatologist, endocrinologist, cardiologist, herbologist, internist, infectious disease doctor. and currently am seeing a neurologist. I'm getting an MRI, and possible spinal tap. Nuvigil didn't even help that much for the fatigue, it quickly stopped working. I know it sounds like other things, would you guys be able to give me any possible things that this mimics if it isn't MS?

[Seasha]

Hi and welcome!

There are so many other conditions that mimic MS, but here is a link from Everyday Health that talks about 10 and probably the most common. http://www.everydayhealth.com/news/c...ple-sclerosis/

And like it says, MS is challenging to diagnose correctly because it is a diagnosis by exclusion.

Another article from MSF explains the mimics of MS in more detail - http://www.msfocus.org/article-detai...x?articleID=18

I'm sorry you are not well and having a rough time. I hope you can eventually find out what's wrong. Take care!

[Tcacase94]

I looked at the diseases that mimic and I've been tested for them all. Out of curiosity, have any of you or know anyone who has went 5 years with undaignksed MS, is it usually visible by now on an MRI?

[Tcacase94]

Missed on the MRI

Hey , got my MRI results back and it's negative. It's been 5 years.. Is it possible that it wouldn't show up even though it's this far in? My symptoms progressed, now I can't walk with out a limp, my toe on my right foot has like a nerve pain so it's very hard to walk on it and my spine has been hurting more, on top of everything else. Have Any of you ever struggled with this MRI being missed this far in ? Please help

[SNOOPY]

Hey , got my MRI results back and it's negative. It's been 5 years.. Is it possible that it wouldn't show up even though it's this far in?

It's always possible but the longer you go without MRI evidence the less MS becomes.

my spine has been hurting more. bad lower back and back of the neck pain

Have you had a MRI or x-ray of your spine? If not that would be something to talk to your Neurologist or other Dr. about. If you have mechanical spine problems (herniated/bulging disc, degenerative disc disease, stenosis, and more) this can cause neurological symptoms but none of this would be unrelated to Multiple Sclerosis.

You are experiencing symptoms which is what you feel. What is needed for a diagnosis are "signs" of something. Signs are what your Neurologist can see at the time of your exam as well as positive testing pointing in a possible direction. Without any signs, getting a diagnosis is very difficult and sometimes impossible.

[Tcacase94]

Thank you all so much! @Snoopy what do you mean exactly by "the more you go with out mri evidence; the less ms becomes ?"

[SNOOPY]

@Snoopy what do you mean exactly by "the more you go with out mri evidence; the less ms becomes ?"

Sorry Proof reading before submitting is a wonderful thing, something I didn't do.

The more years you go without lesions (MRI evidence) consistent with Multiple Sclerosis the less likely MS becomes for a person's symptoms.

[Tcacase94]

Sorry Proof reading before submitting is a wonderful thing, something I didn't do.

The more years you go without lesions (MRI evidence) consistent with Multiple Sclerosis the less likely MS becomes for a person's symptoms.

no worries! So by this do you mean that because they have not found any lesions for about 5 years, that I probably do not have MS?

[Seasha]

Could this be MS or CFS? Please help!

I'm wondering if you have discussed CFS (or sometimes called CDIF with your Dr? Like MS and other conditions, it is often difficult to diagnose. The NIH has this to say about CFS - with fatigue being the leading symptom https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/...cle/001244.htm

Have you tried to connect with a CFS online support group? Here is a resource to help you get started if you are interested http://fmcfsme.com/support_group_online.php

I sure hope you can get some answers and find some relief!!
It's miserable not knowing.

[SNOOPY]

do you mean that because they have not found any lesions for about 5 years, that I probably do not have MS?

Each person is different, some receive a diagnosis of MS very quickly, some take many years and others fall somewhere in between. No lesions could mean the disease has not been detected on MRI or it could mean the person does not have MS. Have you been scheduled for your Lumbar Puncture yet?