Symptoms but no diagnosis

[Hashbrown89]

Hello,
I have been dealing with my right leg giving out on me, fatigue, heat intolerance, tingling sensation/pain to both legs and now arms for the past 9 months ( I did have 6 weeks of no symptoms but then came back). Now more recently my jaws radiating pain (not with movement/chewing) and my eyes feel tired and hurt with peripheral vision. I have done a huge work-up including MRI (brain, cervical spine, R hip) EMG and tons of labs all coming back negative. Has anyone else had symptoms but everything is negative and if so how long til diagnosis. I feel ashamed to talk to my co-workers for fear of them thinking its all in my head. My family understands but I feel so alone in this and fear that maybe it is all in my head...Im sure people with conversion disorders feel like their symptoms have a medical reason too

[SNOOPY]

Hello Hashbrown89 and welcome to MSWorld.

Have your Drs. said what might be causing your symptoms? What about your Neurological exam, was it normal or abnormal? Have you been seen by an Ophthalmologist for your eye pain? Have you had Physical Therapy for your leg?

Im sure people with conversion disorders feel like their symptoms have a medical reason too

That is an interesting statement to make. Have you had conversion disorder mentioned to you? Those with Functional Neurological Disorder(FND), also known as Conversion Disorder have very real and difficult symptoms.

Information about Functional Neurological Disorder (Conversion Disorder):
http://www.fndhope.org/

[Hashbrown89]

Re: SNOOPY

The reason why I brought up conversion disorder is because the first time I experienced my leg giving out on me I went to the ED and the doc literally didn't even examine me just took my social hx and stated since I was in a high stress life ( grad school, moving, 60+hr work week) that it was all due to stress/anxiety. Literally had to tell him you didn't even look at my leg or do a neurological exam. Which I do get a lot of things can be related to stress. So I went to work at that point exercising, trying to de-stress my life as much as possible which meant cutting work hours down to 24hrs a week. No changes noted in symptoms they actually got worse through the following months. And during the most stressful times of my life ( taking national boards, starting a new job) my symptoms were doing fine then. All other docs I have seen have either said they don't think its in head/conversion disorder, or don't mention it .But I work in the medical field and know what is said about women in similar situations, and usually after a negative work-up they feel its because they're "crazy".

As far a neurological exam, I did have weakness to my right quad but when my symptoms are improved it goes away. No change in sensation or reflexes.

No,I have not seen an opthamologist yet, my eye and jaw symptoms just started so waiting a bit to see if it goes away. I hate jumping to doctors at the first sign.

[SNOOPY]

Hi Hashbrown89,

Without any signs of something wrong it is pretty difficult to receive a diagnosis. There are many other conditions that can cause the same type of symptoms as those seen in MS, there isn't any symptoms that is unique to this disease.

A list of some of the other conditions:
http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Sym...ns-to-Rule-Out

Multiple Sclerosis has a diagnostic criteria, The revised McDonald Criteria --- http://www.va.gov/MS/articles/2010_M...ia_Revised.pdf

The criteria relies heavily on the MRI evidence but there are other tests, if positive, can help support a diagnosis of MS.

There is no way to know if you have MS and it's not showing up on testing or if there is another reason for your symptoms. You are in a holding pattern until testing indicates which direction your Physicians need to look.

[Teekybird]

MRI results

Hi,

Just figured I'd ask: Was the MRI that you had per MS protocol? Was it with and without contrast?

[Hashbrown89]

Re: Teekybird

yes, both my brain and cervical spine MRIs were with/without contrast