I am 63 yrs. old. I am just now going to be tested for ms.
I am a bad speller, so bare with me...
When I was in my early 20's... I had a few times that my vision would go black, only lasting a short time...thought it was from not eating good.
When I was in my late 20's... I had my vision jumping...call doctor...he made me feel like I was being silly. Never mention it again.
When I was in my early 30's...my head started to turn uncontrolably and I couldn't bring it back without it jerking. Was diagnosed with Spasmotic Torticollis. Suffered terrible for 8 years with that and then it suddenly went away.
I was a single mom with 3 kids during that time and still worked.
I was also getting feeling of electrical shocks feeling in my neck and a sensation that my leg would have hot water on it and my leg in that area would be full of goosebumps just in that spot.
When I was in my mid 40's...had severe lower back pain. Restless leg syndrom. My legs would kick all night long. Tremor in my head. Terrible pain in shoulders and knees. The pain was so bad I would wake up with terrible dreams like...i was in the woods and there was a wind storm and my arms were being blown off just like the branches of the trees. I could not move in the morning...had to take one arm to move the other. Walked with a limp, couldn't drive, couldn't wash my hair because I couldn't move my arms, ect. Was so tired I was sleeping 10 to 12 hours on the weekends. I was working and I was falling asleep at my desk and in meetings. Went to doctor...was told I had fibrmyalgia. This lasted a few months.
When I was 48 had numbness in right leg all the time...and tingling and crawling in my leg when I would sleep on it. My knee's would turn numb when I kneeled. My bottom turned numb when I sat. My arms got so numb at night I that sometimes I would feel my arm with another arm and not even know it was my own arm. The pain was terrible. Felt like a rope was tied around my legs, itching crawling feeling on my back. Restless leg got worse.
I couldn't take the heat....made me weak and feeling sick.
This lasted for about 2 months and gradually went away. This time I did go to a nuro. and he never told me he was testing for ms, but looking back I think he was. He had asked me twice if I had been to see him for this same thing before. I couldn't figure out why he would ask me that.
I still didn't push the issue to tell me what was going on, but I was really beginning to feel like I was crazy. Was told they didn't know what was wrong with me. This lasted for 3 months.
When I was 52 I had severe lower back pain again and this time with such weekness that I couldn't type, write or ever stir soup. I couldn't do excercises that I would normally think were easy. My speech was slurring, I was bitting my tongue with every meal. I had to take little baby steps when I walked. You could see muscles jump in my legs. I was out of state for months at the time...went to hospital and was told I might have ms. Was told to go back home and have test. By the time we got home my symstoms went away. Told my doctor and they ran tests and said it was thyroid hosemoto.
Well, now with having similar problems again and now cognitive symptoms like looking at something and not knowing what it is for a second....can't remember things...can't get my words out and saying the wrong thing and meaning something else. My tremors are in my head, right hand and voice and much worce. My hands are so numb it effects my daily chores....the pain at night is just terrible. I also been having dizzy spells and my doctor ordered a MRI and they found lesions on my brain.
Now, my doctor believes that it may be ms....I start test next week.
My main problem with getting a diagnoses was that I had moved or my doctors moved and I had a different doctor every time I had a relaspe and didn't know enough about ms to know these symptoms were all connected, so I never told my doctors about the previous times I had relapes.
It was told 6 months ago that I was told that I should have these test and I didn't decide to do it until I got on this website and read and learned as much as I could about ms. My decision was made, but I still am thinking that I probably don't have it and have to push myself to have these tests.
But, I know I really need to know.
I figure if it is ms....it can't be too bad because I have had these problems all these years and still get by. Sometimes I think it is silly to even get check out at this time in my life.
The only thing I regret is I always wish I could have been more physically active all these years and I know it had held me back from things I would like to do. Also, if I do have ms and had know earlier I might not be having the problems I am having now.
Now I am the caregiver for my husband that has bone marrow cancer (multiple myeloma) and that keeps me going.
Thanks for letting me have a place to spill my guts and not worry that someone thinks I am a hypochondriac.
I am a bad speller, so bare with me...
When I was in my early 20's... I had a few times that my vision would go black, only lasting a short time...thought it was from not eating good.
When I was in my late 20's... I had my vision jumping...call doctor...he made me feel like I was being silly. Never mention it again.
When I was in my early 30's...my head started to turn uncontrolably and I couldn't bring it back without it jerking. Was diagnosed with Spasmotic Torticollis. Suffered terrible for 8 years with that and then it suddenly went away.
I was a single mom with 3 kids during that time and still worked.
I was also getting feeling of electrical shocks feeling in my neck and a sensation that my leg would have hot water on it and my leg in that area would be full of goosebumps just in that spot.
When I was in my mid 40's...had severe lower back pain. Restless leg syndrom. My legs would kick all night long. Tremor in my head. Terrible pain in shoulders and knees. The pain was so bad I would wake up with terrible dreams like...i was in the woods and there was a wind storm and my arms were being blown off just like the branches of the trees. I could not move in the morning...had to take one arm to move the other. Walked with a limp, couldn't drive, couldn't wash my hair because I couldn't move my arms, ect. Was so tired I was sleeping 10 to 12 hours on the weekends. I was working and I was falling asleep at my desk and in meetings. Went to doctor...was told I had fibrmyalgia. This lasted a few months.
When I was 48 had numbness in right leg all the time...and tingling and crawling in my leg when I would sleep on it. My knee's would turn numb when I kneeled. My bottom turned numb when I sat. My arms got so numb at night I that sometimes I would feel my arm with another arm and not even know it was my own arm. The pain was terrible. Felt like a rope was tied around my legs, itching crawling feeling on my back. Restless leg got worse.
I couldn't take the heat....made me weak and feeling sick.
This lasted for about 2 months and gradually went away. This time I did go to a nuro. and he never told me he was testing for ms, but looking back I think he was. He had asked me twice if I had been to see him for this same thing before. I couldn't figure out why he would ask me that.
I still didn't push the issue to tell me what was going on, but I was really beginning to feel like I was crazy. Was told they didn't know what was wrong with me. This lasted for 3 months.
When I was 52 I had severe lower back pain again and this time with such weekness that I couldn't type, write or ever stir soup. I couldn't do excercises that I would normally think were easy. My speech was slurring, I was bitting my tongue with every meal. I had to take little baby steps when I walked. You could see muscles jump in my legs. I was out of state for months at the time...went to hospital and was told I might have ms. Was told to go back home and have test. By the time we got home my symstoms went away. Told my doctor and they ran tests and said it was thyroid hosemoto.
Well, now with having similar problems again and now cognitive symptoms like looking at something and not knowing what it is for a second....can't remember things...can't get my words out and saying the wrong thing and meaning something else. My tremors are in my head, right hand and voice and much worce. My hands are so numb it effects my daily chores....the pain at night is just terrible. I also been having dizzy spells and my doctor ordered a MRI and they found lesions on my brain.
Now, my doctor believes that it may be ms....I start test next week.
My main problem with getting a diagnoses was that I had moved or my doctors moved and I had a different doctor every time I had a relaspe and didn't know enough about ms to know these symptoms were all connected, so I never told my doctors about the previous times I had relapes.
It was told 6 months ago that I was told that I should have these test and I didn't decide to do it until I got on this website and read and learned as much as I could about ms. My decision was made, but I still am thinking that I probably don't have it and have to push myself to have these tests.
But, I know I really need to know.
I figure if it is ms....it can't be too bad because I have had these problems all these years and still get by. Sometimes I think it is silly to even get check out at this time in my life.
The only thing I regret is I always wish I could have been more physically active all these years and I know it had held me back from things I would like to do. Also, if I do have ms and had know earlier I might not be having the problems I am having now.
Now I am the caregiver for my husband that has bone marrow cancer (multiple myeloma) and that keeps me going.
Thanks for letting me have a place to spill my guts and not worry that someone thinks I am a hypochondriac.
There's no way to know what could have or would have been. It sounds like you were very active, working and raising 3 children!
Comment