Expecting diagnosis soon

[displayNone]

Hello everyone.

My name is Chase. I am new around here. I am thinking my diagnosis will be coming soon. About 5 years ago I had a funny feeling on the tips of my right fingers. I cant explain it too well. It was not tingly, just an odd feeling. I went to my gp and he sent me for my first ever MRI of the brain. I got a call that night that they found something there that looked like a low grade tumor. Over the next two weeks the feeling moved all the way up my arm and my fine motor skills were not working. I couldnt hold a spoon, or a pencil. I couldnt type or write very easily with my right hand. After seeing a neurosurgeon, I was told it was one of three things, a tumor, an infection, or MS. After a few more MRIs over the next 6 weeks to a half year, the spot shrunk and went inactive. During the time of the spot shrinking I was released from seeing the neurosurgeon and sent to an MS neurologist and told it was not a tumor. I was never diagnosed back then because my symptom went completely away and the spot went inactive and no other lesions or signs showing.

Fast forward to a month ago. On December 25th, I was out shoveling my driveway. After I was done I went to bed. I felt my right foot near the top start to tingle. I thought it had just gone to sleep or something, but it moved all the way down my foot to where it was all tingling on the bottom. It them also moved into my left foot and was not going away. After a few days, it turned into the bottom of my feet feeling swollen as if I was standing on bumpy ground. My feet were not swollen however. That lasted about two weeks. Now I am left with this feeling that when I look down I get tingling, as if my phone is buzzing, down the lower part of my back, my behind, and parts of my legs, which dissipates if I look down for a few seconds. Though the buzzing has also been there when not looking down, it is not always there. It gets better at night to where I think the symptom has gone, but the next day I find out it is still there.

I had an MRI of the spine and brain the other day, and am waiting to see my doctor. I dont have one currently, i had to transfer to a new one since my insurance has changed. That has been another fun thing. I read the results and no lesions were found on the spine, nor signs of demyelination on the spine. However there are now two lesions that show in my brain. One is the old one from 5 years ago. One of the lesions suggests axonal loss. These are the findings:

"Prominent FLAIR signal abnormalities in the left periventricular corona radiata and left anterior temporal lobe compatible with a demyelinating process. No evidence of enhancement."

Anyone here gone through anything similar? I still have the symptom when looking down my lower half buzzes. But a demyelinating process and the symptoms I am having, I am guessing will lead to my diagnosis when I do go into see my new doctor

Hope all is well with everyone. Thanks for reading

-Chase

[KoKo]

Hi Chase

Anyone here gone through anything similar?

I was out shoveling my driveway. After I was done I went to bed. I felt my right foot near the top start to tingle. I thought it had just gone to sleep or something, but it moved all the way down my foot to where it was all tingling on the bottom. It them also moved into my left foot and was not going away. After a few days, it turned into the bottom of my feet feeling swollen as if I was standing on bumpy ground. My feet were not swollen however. That lasted about two weeks. Now I am left with this feeling that when I look down I get tingling, as if my phone is buzzing, down the lower part of my back, my behind, and parts of my legs, which dissipates if I look down for a few seconds. Though the buzzing has also been there when not looking down, it is not always there. It gets better at night to where I think the symptom has gone, but the next day I find out it is still there.

I have experienced (and still do experience), very similar symptoms. I have described the bottom of the feet thing as "nightcrawlers squirming under the skin". The buzzing, which I experience sporadically while looking down, does sound like Lhermitte's sign.

"Prominent FLAIR signal abnormalities in the left periventricular corona radiata and left anterior temporal lobe compatible with a demyelinating process. No evidence of enhancement.".

I guess that is pretty straightforward. Still, your neuro is the one who has the expertise to determine what it means, along with other clinical signs and symptoms, and possibly with other diagnostic tests.

But a demyelinating process and the symptoms I am having, I am guessing will lead to my diagnosis when I do go into see my new doctor.

That is quite possible, but you never really know for sure until the diagnosis.

Chase, know that you are welcome here at MS World to ask questions, share your experiences and get support from others dealing with similar issues.

When is your appointment? Please let us know what the doctor says.

Wishing you the strength to deal with whatever you need to.

Take Care

[SNOOPY]

Hello displayNone and welcome to MSWorld.

Now I am left with this feeling that when I look down I get tingling, as if my phone is buzzing, down the lower part of my back, my behind, and parts of my legs, which dissipates if I look down for a few seconds.

As KoKo has already stated this would be Lhermitte's sign. When related to MS Lhermitte's sign is caused by lesions on the cervical spine. If someone with MS has this but the MRI doesn't indicate any lesions it's simply because the c-spine lesions are currently not visible on MRI. Brain lesions do not cause Lhermitte's sign.

There is no symptom unique or exclusive to MS, even Lhermitte's, so other conditions that may need to be ruled out.

I have had Lhermitte's for 30 years. When I look down I get buzzing/vibrations from mid spine down both legs. Sometimes the sensation is only felt from the waist down. These sensations, when caused by Lhermitte's lasts only seconds but can be repeated each time the head is bent down.

Best wishes on your upcoming Neurology appointment.

[carriefromMI]

Did you have a cervical spine MRI or thoracic spine MRI? Lhermittes is cervical. You could have a lesion there and it just not show up that day on the MRI. My first MS attack in 2003 resulted in a large lesion C6-C7. I've had many mri's since then and sometimes it shows up and sometimes it doesn't but the dr and I both know it's always there. MRI this week it was there. MRIs are not the only diagnostic tool and criteria which is why symptoms are just as important. I would say your lhermites is pretty indicative of a cervical lesion.

Ms lesions need to be separated by time or space for it to be truly ms. From what I read it sounds like you've meet that criteria with the 2 demylinating locations. I would suggest a follow up cspine MRI in 6 months....preferably on a different machine too

[displayNone]

Did you have a cervical spine MRI or thoracic spine MRI?

I had both. Both were clean of any lesions. But like I have been reading, it is possible they did not show up yet.

Hoping that I can see a doctor soon about it. I have been in between doctors since my insurance changed at my company. I will update when I can about what the doctor says. Today I have started feeling the buzzing/tingling while looking down in my left fingers as well as the same places as before.

[SNOOPY]

I had both. Both were clean of any lesions. But like I have been reading, it is possible they did not show up yet.

You don't have lesions but did the cervical spine MRI or thoracic spine MRI show anything such as herniated/bulging discs, Degenerative Disc Disease, ect?

[displayNone]

You don't have lesions but did the cervical spine MRI or thoracic spine MRI show anything such as herniated/bulging discs, Degenerative Disc Disease, ect?

Yes. For the cervical spine MRI it said -- There is patchy T2 signal adnormality demonstrated throughout the spinal cord, most likely attributable to motion degradation. No discrete lesion identified. No evidence for enhancement in the spinal cord. Mild multilevel disc degeneration without spinal stenosis or foraminal narrowing.

[SNOOPY]

Yes. For the cervical spine MRI it said -- There is patchy T2 signal adnormality demonstrated throughout the spinal cord, most likely attributable to motion degradation. No discrete lesion identified. No evidence for enhancement in the spinal cord. Mild multilevel disc degeneration without spinal stenosis or foraminal narrowing.

It's always possible you have two different issues creating symptoms. The brain MRI may be one issue and the cervical Degenerative Disc Disease another.

Shoveling snow may have aggravated the Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) and caused the symptoms you are currently having. I am not positive but I would guess that cervical DDD could very well cause Lhermittes sign.

Of course the brain MRI can't be ignored either. I Hope you get answers soon.