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    Am I on the path to MS

    Thought maybe you guys could throw a little advice. I’m rather desperate. I’ve seen a few doctors, but I’m trying to gather as much advice as possible to supplement what my doctors are telling me. It’ll go a long way. I thank you in advance.




    It all started in January. I got flu-like symptoms. Mucus. Diarrhea. Cough. You name it. At the tail end of it, I developed slight vertigo. It would come and go through the weeks. Some days hardly noticeable (although I was getting fatigued very easily...odd)


    Then in February, I developed ear pressure and facial tension. Crackling included.


    I take Amoxicillin and antihistamines. It doesn’t work.


    That’s when the vertigo comes back stronger! My eye is spinning. I feel like I’m drunk. The floor is rising.


    And to make matters worse, my head feels swollen. Like a heavy pressure. Not my usual painful migraine behind one eye. But more like a squeezing feeling when I’m standing up. Like a balloon filled with air. Or an orange being slightly squeezed. It caused me to be lightheaded


    So I go to urgent care. Doctor says migraines and sends me home.


    Go to GP appointment. Doctor says possible inner/middle ear infection.


    I get nasal sprays, Meclizine (didn’t like it), ear solution, and Ibropufen.


    None of it helps.


    At this point my vertigo diminishes! Hooray...except not.


    My head pressure remains. It’s like when I lift up my eyebrows, I can feel the tension on my skin rising, almost like a sunburn feeling. My eyes also have slightly fainted red veins coming from my eyeballs.


    And to make matters worse, I’m developing odd nerve issues. My feet start burning randomly. Left hand feels like trigger finger. Right hand is colder than left sometimes.

    Freezing cold hands in the morning. Numb arms when I’m sleeping. One leg heavier than the other. Random burning inside of chest and back every morning.


    It seems like some peripheral neuropathy is taking place. But why? I just had the flu in January


    These are things I’m not used to...


    I try to stay calm.


    And to add the cherry on top, I start getting the weirdest heart palpitations. Sometimes I feel like my heart is loud, it’s moving to other parts of my body etc. even when I’m not anxious! It’s messing with me. I get random aches all across my chest and ribs. They feel real for sure


    But wait...the last symptom is what’s now bothering me the most. I get full easily....The last 4 days I’ve tried to eat my normal amount, but my stomach fills up quickly. On top of it, it’s forever to digest. It doesn’t hurt. Just beyond annoying and throbbing. It only feels good when I expand my abdomen.


    At this point, I’m thinking this all has to tie in together. No way I can get individual symptoms unrelated to one another.


    But what is it?


    Can it be sinusitis which caused a whole array of issues? Can anxiety really rear its head like this? Can it be my vagus nerve? (My neck does feel quite “numb” or “swollen”...I’m not sure which). Can it be a combo of all?

    im not sure how autoimmune or MS falls into it but it is happening.


    And I feel like my blood flow is off and I’m malfunctioning.




    How do I go about this?


    My doctor has me scheduled for a CT Scan of my head in two weeks but I don’t even know where to start with this?


    Please. Any advice would go a long way. Thank you.


    5’7
    29 year old
    Male
    175


    (I was going to the gym 4 times a week, and now I’m sick)..

    #2
    Hi nick3000 and welcome to MSWorld.

    I am sorry you are sick and your Drs. have not found the right answers or medicine to help.

    Most of what you are experiencing does not sound like MS. However, the only real way to know is to have testing and a Neurological Exam/Evaluation with a Neurologist.

    Multiple Sclerosis is a disease of the Central Nervous System(CNS). This includes the brain, optic nerves, and spinal cord. There is no symptom exclusive to MS. Many conditions can have similar symptoms.

    Anxiety can cause body wide physical symptoms including, but not limited to, neurological type symptoms.
    Diagnosed 1984
    “Lightworkers aren’t here to avoid the darkness…they are here to transform the darkness through the illuminating power of love.” Muses from a mystic

    Comment


      #3
      Hi Nick3000 and welcome.

      I am sorry you are experiencing symptoms with no answers. Agree with Snoopy that most do not present in an MS fashion, but a neurological exam by a neurologist is the only way to determine if MS may be a possibility.

      It could be that you had a combination of things happening around the same time. Anxiety can cause many symptoms. If you are anxious, try to get that under control and see what remains. Chances are that it may be a while before you could get in to see a neurologist.

      Did you doctor say what he is looking for with the cat scan? Do you have any health issues that could contribute to some symptoms?
      Kathy
      DX 01/06, currently on Tysabri

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by pennstater View Post
        Hi Nick3000 and welcome.

        I am sorry you are experiencing symptoms with no answers. Agree with Snoopy that most do not present in an MS fashion, but a neurological exam by a neurologist is the only way to determine if MS may be a possibility.

        It could be that you had a combination of things happening around the same time. Anxiety can cause many symptoms. If you are anxious, try to get that under control and see what remains. Chances are that it may be a while before you could get in to see a neurologist.

        Did you doctor say what he is looking for with the cat scan? Do you have any health issues that could contribute to some symptoms?

        I have extreme head pressure that comes on randomly.

        Also, I’ve developed quite the digestion issue as of late. I get full quickly and it takes forever for my food to digest. And the center of my chest starts aching after I eat

        im not sure if I messed up a nerve that controls all these parts, but I spoke to another doctor today who said it’s could be a bad bacterial sinus infection. And that I need stronger amoxicillin and prednisone. Does that make sense?

        it’s been three months already. I have no mucus. No fever.

        my instant thought was autoimmune or vestibular, but I’m not sure at his point.

        So this doesn’t sound like MS?

        im due for a ct scan in a couple weeks.

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by SNOOPY View Post
          Hi nick3000 and welcome to MSWorld.

          I am sorry you are sick and your Drs. have not found the right answers or medicine to help.

          Most of what you are experiencing does not sound like MS. However, the only real way to know is to have testing and a Neurological Exam/Evaluation with a Neurologist.

          Multiple Sclerosis is a disease of the Central Nervous System(CNS). This includes the brain, optic nerves, and spinal cord. There is no symptom exclusive to MS. Many conditions can have similar symptoms.

          Anxiety can cause body wide physical symptoms including, but not limited to, neurological type symptoms.
          Hi!

          With my type of health care, and Covid-19, the earliest I can probably see a neurologist is a few months from now.

          In the meantime, I do have my share of anxiety but these symptoms feel so real. It’s like a cycle. Idk if my symptoms are causing my anxiety or my anxiety is causing my symptoms. You know what I mean?

          My Doctor is prescribing me a stronger amoxicillin, along with Prednisone and a few tablets of diazepham to see if this is stress related.

          Does that sound like a decent strategy as I wait for the CT scan?

          Comment


            #6
            I hope you receive answers and a diagnosis soon. I rarely comment on whether symptoms might be MS. MS is neurological and our brain affects anything.

            My opinion is often that anything could be MS, but not everything is. I don't have a clue. It's difficult to diagnose and many other diseases can mimic it.
            ~ Faith
            MSWorld Volunteer -- Moderator since JUN2012
            (now a Mimibug)

            Symptoms began in JAN02
            - Dx with RRMS in OCT03, following 21 months of limbo, ruling out lots of other dx, and some "probable stroke" and "probable CNS" dx for awhile.
            - In 2008, I was back in limbo briefly, then re-dx w/ MS: JUL08
            .

            - Betaseron NOV03-AUG08; Copaxone20 SEPT08-APR15; Copaxone40 APR15-present
            - Began receiving SSDI / LTD NOV08. Not employed. I volunteer in my church and community.

            Comment


              #7
              Hi nick3000.

              In the meantime, I do have my share of anxiety but these symptoms feel so real. It’s like a cycle. Idk if my symptoms are causing my anxiety or my anxiety is causing my symptoms. You know what I mean?
              I do understand For the reason you stated, using medication to treat anxiety is the right way to go. When anxiety is properly treated symptoms caused by anxiety is decreased and sometimes completely resolve.

              My Doctor is prescribing me a stronger amoxicillin, along with Prednisone
              This combination can be a good choice depending on what your Dr. is treating.

              Does that sound like a decent strategy as I wait for the CT scan?
              Your Dr. seems to think so, that's all that matters
              Diagnosed 1984
              “Lightworkers aren’t here to avoid the darkness…they are here to transform the darkness through the illuminating power of love.” Muses from a mystic

              Comment


                #8
                I have twice had sinus infections I didn't know about. My MRIs of the brain for MS had incidental notes of them. Neither time did I have congestion or usual symptoms. Once I had headaches, the other time, I just remember being a little more tired than normal.

                So if you can tolerate the antibiotic and steroids, it may be worth a shot.

                With anxiety, it can be tough to tell which came first, the symptoms or anxiety. Either way, both can exacerbate the anxiety and symptoms. Do all you can to try to treat the anxiety. It can only help you, regardless of whether the symptoms go away.

                MS is a diagnosis of elimination, after all else has been excluded. It can be tricky, as it can vary widely between people in how it manifests and progresses. And mamabug is right, none of us can diagnose.

                I do hope you get some relief soon.
                Kathy
                DX 01/06, currently on Tysabri

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by pennstater View Post
                  I have twice had sinus infections I didn't know about. My MRIs of the brain for MS had incidental notes of them. Neither time did I have congestion or usual symptoms. Once I had headaches, the other time, I just remember being a little more tired than normal.

                  So if you can tolerate the antibiotic and steroids, it may be worth a shot.

                  With anxiety, it can be tough to tell which came first, the symptoms or anxiety. Either way, both can exacerbate the anxiety and symptoms. Do all you can to try to treat the anxiety. It can only help you, regardless of whether the symptoms go away.

                  MS is a diagnosis of elimination, after all else has been excluded. It can be tricky, as it can vary widely between people in how it manifests and progresses. And mamabug is right, none of us can diagnose.

                  I do hope you get some relief soon.
                  Thanks for the thoughtful reply.

                  I am going to give the Amoxicillin with Augmentin a try. Also, I’m prescribed a weeks worth of Prednisone and a few tablets of lorazepam for anxiety.

                  I’ve never taken Prednisone nor Lorazepam (I’m quite scared of pills)...but I’m desperate. Plus I trust this doctor.

                  That being said, I’ve been having fairly odd symptoms in terms of digestion issues the last 5 days. I get full quickly. And my digestion takes forever. I’ve lost like 5lbs already.

                  Not sure taking medication would help this situation since I’m barely eating.

                  Yet at the same time I’m not sure if the head pressure, nerve issues and indigestion problems are connected somehow...so I would like to give the medication a try.

                  its almost like a catch 22, you know?

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by Mamabug View Post
                    I hope you receive answers and a diagnosis soon. I rarely comment on whether symptoms might be MS. MS is neurological and our brain affects anything.

                    My opinion is often that anything could be MS, but not everything is. I don't have a clue. It's difficult to diagnose and many other diseases can mimic it.
                    hi thanks for the reply!

                    Im all very new to this. So you’re saying an MRI wouldn’t be able to tell if I had lesions or some type of symptom that coincides with MS?

                    Like I mentioned, I’m only getting a CT scan as of now, and I’m not sure what that will be able to tell in terms of autoimmune or any other disease.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Nick,

                      Prednisone may make you wired a bit and difficulty sleeping, depending on doage and sensitivity to it. If so, the lorazepam should help you sleep. The steroids may also rev your appetite, which could be a bonus for you.

                      Even though not hungry, you should try and force yourself to get a balanced diet. Not eating can make it harder to fight off viruses and infection.

                      Take care. Hope you feel better on the meds.
                      Kathy
                      DX 01/06, currently on Tysabri

                      Comment

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