Looking for answers!!

[Jhurtley1019]

For 3 years now I have have had tremors, migraines, numbness, tingling, hot and cool sensations, excruciating pain! Lighting bolt type shooting pains, pins and needles, vision problems and the list goes on, and on...
I have seen 7 different doctors, had so many tests I can't even count. I am at the end of my rope. They just keep throwing meds at it, and saying lets try this, lets try this. But I still have no diagnosis. But ms seems to be the one thing that the symptoms fit. And as scary as that is, if that is what it is, I just want to know, so that I can get it under control before it gets any worse!
And then I have read that it can take up to ten years to get a diagnosis! Wow!
Whatever I have is so frustrating, and I just want to get it under control so I can live some kind of a normal life.

[SNOOPY]

Hello Jhurtley and welcome to MSWorld.

I know you want answers and I hope they come for you soon

I just want to know, so that I can get it under control before it gets any worse! I just want to get it under control so I can live some kind of a normal life.

Unfortunately, IF you have MS, control is just an illusion. The disease is in control and we are along for the ride

Normal for someone with MS depends on the disease and the journey it takes you on

[JerryD]

Hi jhurtley,
I see that you are having some tests done. Did you get your vitamin D and B-12 tested ? Did your doctor say anything about your hormones ? This stuff is all on the blood test order form. But every doctor doesn't check off those boxes. It's frustrating.
Another place to look for trouble is in your foods/diet . You could have 'sensitivities' to dairy and wheat and other foods. Again, a standard 'run of the mill' PCP will not even ask about these things. Good luck

[Myoak]

Hi Jhurtley,

It is always a relief to finally get an accurate diagnosis with illness, whatever it turns out to be. You are correct in wanting to manage the situation as best as possible. There are about 10 approved meds specifically for treating MS and more are coming. Plus, there are numerous other meds to manage MS related conditions.

Also, many people are successfully managing MS through diet and alternative methods. The chance for you to control and manage any disease has never been better. The internet is a great tool for self-education, the availability of good information is only a matter of searching and sorting.

I’m sure you are anxious to have a sound diagnosis so you will know where to concentrate your efforts. Best wishes and best of luck to you.

Hopefully, things will turn out that you are dealing with something less than MS. But if you have to there is a great deal that can be done. There are many, many MSers managing disease successfully using a variety of methods often talked about in a MS World forum. You can learn a lot at this site.

Best to ya! Keep Learning

[MSer102]

Welcome! You've been to 7 doctors and had a lot of tests but what makes you think you have MS? Have you been tested for it? The National MS Society website has a lot of information about how MS is diagnosed. So before you start thinking you have MS and have a lot of people talking to you on MS forums like you already have been diagnosed with it its a good idea to find out if your even in the ballpark. http://www.nationalmssociety.org/abo...-ms/index.aspx

The symptoms of MS are the same as the symptoms of many other conditions. So you can't think you have MS based on symptoms alone. You would be leaving out about 100 other things! So you have to look into all of them before you spend time in an MS forum and start being convinced you that you have a disease that you might not even have.

When you go to the NMSS website to find out how MS is diagnosed its important to learn about the diagnostic criteria for MS and then compare your own history and test results to the diagnostic criteria. If you haven't had MRI's and other tests that can support a diagnosis of MS then you could talk to your doctors about getting them. If you don't meet the criteria then it will take longer to get a diagnosis. But its really important to not put yourself in a situation where you start thinking you have a disease before there's any proof that you have it.

[0inone]

I know where you are at

Hi, i was similiar to you for a few years. I had a fall that caused a few disk herniations, years ago. I have had many numbness, tingling, feeling that I cant walk another step, along with bowel, urinary and other sypmtoms for a few years. Doctors assumed it was from my back and just kept sending me for PT and giving me muscle relaxers. Last summer I got drop foot, kept tripping. Then my foot and lower leg got numb. After one more PT recommendation, i told the doc that MS keeps coming up when i search these symptoms, and i was worried. She sent me for a contrast MRI to "rule out" MS. She phone me the same day as MRI and said to see a neuro. I did, MRI showed many leasions. I had more tests and was diagnosed in January 2013. Only 3 months after My suspicions.Happy to know what it is, but not happy to know its not going away. Since then, symptoms are better but not gone. Everything seems to come and go. Started copaxone, but changing to tecfidera soon. Good Luck.