Arm weakness faster than leg weakness

[TheMasterOfRadishes]

Hello Everyone,

I have had steady leg fatigue and exhaustion climbing up stairs (short flights of stairs) for about 6-7 months. During this time my arms were also a little fatigued but not too bad. Because of my leg fatigue and the fact that a lot of things like vitamin deficiency, Gravis, Brain Tumor, and thyroid problems have been ruled out by my doctor, I fear I may have PPMS.

About three weeks ago, both of my arms started to get a lot weaker very quickly. In 3 weeks I have gone from having my arms feel a little tired all the time to literally having to rest my arm(s) before I can finish brushing my teeth or shaving... and i keep getting weaker in the arms.

My legs have stayed about the same. Still fatigued, but I can still walk a couple of miles with only minor (but noticeable) fatigue as a problem.

My question is: with PPMS, is it possible for the arms to go out before the legs go out? When the arms do go out, do they do so in a symmetrical manner (both arms at the same time), or does the symmetrical progression of my arm weakness and the 3 week time frame in which it has occurred suggest that I do not have PPMS?

Thanks.

[Redwings]

Welcome. It's difficult to know how to address your question because there's so much information left out of your post. There are dozens of conditions that can cause neurological problems. You said that a lot of things have been ruled out, which is an important part in a workup for MS. There are some conditions that are known to closely mimic MS, and you didn't mention those, so it isn't possible to tell how far along in the workup process you are.

But there are also some important diagnostic criteria that are used to rule in MS and you didn't mention any of those, either. So it isn't clear why you fear you may have MS, let alone PPMS. Without that background, your questions can be answered in only the most generic way, which will leave far too much open to misinterpretation.

If you can tell us more about what has happened in your medical workup that makes you think you have MS (PPMS or otherwise), maybe someone can answer your questions in a more specific and helpful way. The website of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society has a description of how MS is diagnosed for you to compare your workup to: http://www.nationalmssociety.org/abo...-ms/index.aspx.

[Des]

Welcome! I agree with Redwings that more info is needed, not that I would try to dx (diagnose) anyone since I'm not a doctor, especially online.

If you do have MS, anything is possible. Everybody is different. Your arms getting too weak to even brush your teeth in 3 weeks sounds like you might have something else, though.