Multiple Sclerosis :: Loss Of Peripheral Vision/Digestive Issues ?
About a year ago or so I started to notice a change in my Peripheral vision. I found myself having to completely look to my right while driving because of a blind spot and I also noticed when I shaved my underarms I could no longer see them (very blurry) if that makes any sense. I didn't have and insurance so I had to wait. Fast forward to last month. I saw an Ophthalmologist thinking it was vision problems of some sort. Well, I miserably failed the test that checks for peripheral vision. He then looked at the optic nerve and didn't see anything that would suggest normal vision loss. He said I have lost almost all Peripheral vision in my right eye and a good amount on my left. He referred me to a neurologist that I will see this Monday. I was glad because I had also been having some issues with what seems like pinched nerves in the neck and shoulders, I thought it could be related to some nerve issues. So my other issue which I didn't correlate as being possibly related until today is that I have been having some major digestive problems that have flared up on and off since February. I am having a lot of indigestion, gas and constipation.. The constipation is pretty bad, sometimes I can't go and I resort to taking laxatives for relief. And I have this really annoying muscle twitching in my lower abdomen! It feels like a vibration, I have been having that for a couple of weeks now. I have been so miserable that I made an appt for next week to see a gastro doctor. But then tonight I Googled the vibrating issue and was noticing that there were many people on MS boards with similar problems. And then it hit me that there seems to be a lot of coincidences between my issues and MS. Now I am worried. Did any of you experience similarities before a diagnosis? And how are people diagnosed?
View 3 RepliesMultiple Sclerosis :: Cold That Makes Slurred Speech And Bad Vision
Heat intolerance is one of the symptoms of MS but does anyone find it's the cold that makes slurred speech,bad vision & slow movement worse?
View 19 RepliesMultiple Sclerosis :: Experiencing A Lot Of Hair Loss
I am experiencing a lot of hair loss. I always have the beautician thin my hair out since it is very thick and she said are you losing hair because of your medication? My hair was very long and I could not go to get a haircut and just assumed it was because of this. Now I got a haircut and notice I am losing hair all over the house. I am using copaxone and have been on it for over 20 years. I have recently been to my neurologist and they have said only a few individuals experience hair loss and did not recommend anything. What can I do?
View 1 RepliesNeurology :: Pituitary Removed And Visual Field Loss
I might have had 2 or 3 mild headaches in my life.
6 months ago i had most of my pituitary gland removed due to Cushing's Disease.
3 months ago i had a visual field test that showed possible swelling around the optic nerve.
6 weeks ago i started waking with headaches at about 4.30am ! i would sleep more then wake later with less of a headache but when i stood up i would get a whooshing sound in my ears and a throbbing in the top of my head. i told me GP. She said its normal when you first stand up ( Normal My #$$, if it was normal wouldnt it have been happening all my life, anyway i digress lol ). So i had these headaches, i got blurred vision and my blood pressure went up to 234/127. So off i go to hospital for 4 days.They played around with my blood pressure meds and sent me home. I still had headaches, blurred vision and my BP was 180/105( now on 4 different BP meds ).
2 weeks ago i went and had a repeat of my visual field test. The Opthmalogist wasnt too happy, basically told me one quadrant of my vision in my left eye was gone. Said he would speak to my Endocrinologist !
2 days later i noticed what i can only describe as a smudge in my vision...very annoying, but not painful and yes i can still see. but im not driving, im too scared to. I drove one day and as it got darker i couldnt tell where the other cars on the road were, kind of a distortion thing i guess
My Endocrinologist rang the next day and said i need to go for an urgent MRI...so i did.
That was 1 week ago. i have had no results, no phone calls. But i did get a letter advising me i have a Neurology outpatient appointment on 13th october ! i rang to confirm as i was waiting for an endocrine appointment. Hospital said, yes, the neurosurgeon refered you to neurolgy following your MRI. Hmmm thanks for that.
So now im trying to guess whats going on. Did my MRI show up something, if so what?, if not then why am i being referred to neurology?
I hate being in the dark. Yes i know i only have 2 weeks til i find out, but 2 weeks is hell when your second guessing.
Summary : i still have headaches ( they are for the most part mild, throbbing when i stand followed by whooshing in ears), vision has maybe slightly improved in last 2 days but still not normal. Blood pressure is still sitting around 180/105
Multiple Sclerosis :: Heel Pain
My right heel, at the bottom of my foot, kills today. I am going to make an uneducated guess and say its because I have been 'babying' my left leg and putting all the pressure on my right foot when I walk. My heel pain was sudden and I've never had problems with my right foot.
Anyone have any ideas as how to avoid hurting yourself when you have a weak leg?
Multiple Sclerosis :: Stiffness And Pain In Neck / Back Of My Head
Just joined and recently diagnosed with RRMS.
I am going out of my mind with worry over some unpleasant symptoms I have been having the last six days.
It started with stiffness in the right side of my neck and at the back of my head, similar to a tension headache but more severe. I have intermittent pain in my right ear, occasional muffled hearing, my neck feels sore to touch, especially at the gland. When I lie down or lean forward/bend over, I have a whooshing sensation in my ears like I can hear the blood pumping.
I have felt dizzy and unsteady at times with waves of nausea.
As I have had no follow up since being diagnosed by the Consultant and have not had an appointment to see an MS nurse yet, I consulted some online MS sites to try and make sense of the symptoms. I thought I may have a muscle spasm and mentioned it to my GP when I saw her on Friday. I was 'told off' for Googling symptoms and told to "stop trying to hang everything on MS".
She ruled out an ear infection or virus and said it was more muscular, however, poo-poo'd a spasm and said it was more likely it was muscular tension following the diagnosis, worrying and getting myself worked up.
It is a different pain to the tension I am used to and tension has never caused me to feel off balance and nauseous. I was given a five day course of diazepam to relax the muscles, however, have only taken one at bedtime on 3 occasions as I need to be able to drive and function at work. They haven't helped particularly.
I was given a 5 day course of Methylprednisolone, 500 mg by the consultant, for neuropathic pain, I finished these last weekend (26th June). A friend who has RRMS suggested it could be side effects of the steroids as her neck and face always swell after she has taken a course and she feels unwell for weeks afterwards.
I am finding it really difficult to function, I just want to lie down all the time and can't get anything done. It's causing me massive anxiety not knowing what is causing this.
Multiple Sclerosis :: Vitamin D Or MS Or What?
It all started with the feeling of hot water being poured on my right foot. Started out slowly, then became very frequent and has slowly gotten better - now I only feel a sensation of "heat" pressing on my right foot occasionally. The worst of it lasted nearly 8 months. During that time I also had a worsening of many other symptoms such as: fatigue, horrible tremors, dizziness, nausea (from the dizziness), brain fog, chronic headaches/migraines, weakness in my entire right side, thighs that twitch and "pop" when I get warm, severe muscle cramping, vision changes also when I am warm, and urinary frequency problems. I say worsening because I have had some of these symptoms for years and just blew them off. In fact, I had a period of time about 20 years ago when I believe I was having something like the "ms hug" (really sever and unexplained pain in my ribs), as well as a hot feeling on half of my face, and my neurologist at that time said "you probably have some autoimmune disease that will show up later in life". I've had chronic daily headache and migraines for more than 20 years, and an essential tremor for about 10 years that has worsened lately. I also have an unrelated autoimmune disease, which I have been told makes it more likely that I have another (but which one?!). MS was suspected so...
I've been seeing a neurologist (and a PCP and a rheumatologist) for these symptoms for a while now and feel like I've had every test under the sun. I've had a normal cbc, sed rate, hemoglobin, basic metabolic panel, tsh, b12, all kinds of vitamin and mineral levels, folate, lyme test, MRI of brain and lumbar spine, MRI of brain, and an EMG. I have not had a c-spine MRI and wondering if there is a reason it was not included in these tests. So far the only thing that has come back was a positive ANA (which I believe is from my other autoimmune thing) and a low vitamin D (23), which fell from a level of 58 in under a year. I've been supplementing for more than 4 months. My neuro did not think that ALL of my symptoms could be from the D. Some, perhaps, but not all. Why does he think this, I don't know!
I recently finished a taper of prednisone and feel like the "fog" has lifted, like my brain is working again - hooray. My main symptoms now seem to be fatigue (it's insane), urinary problems, and some newer problems with my left foot (not the foot I was originally having problems with) - where it will cramp up for days and days (two and a half weeks one time), just like a never ending cramp. When it's not cramping I get feelings of heat, or sometimes just a vibrating feeling. The cramping can be very painful, the "hot" feelings are just strange. I've also now started having problems with jumping/twitching muscles in my left hand and arm (different than my normal tremor). I continue to have some right-side weakness.
So I'm wondering, do these symptoms sound as though they could all be because of the vitamin d? I've got a month until I see the doctor again, and he has been trying to push some meds on me, but I wouldn't want to start something if it's all because of the D. Since supplementing, I have had some improvements in my cognitive symptoms, but not much else.
Lastly, my neuro said he may send me to an MS specialist for a second opinion if I am still having problems next month... but if my MRIs are all clean, then there surely must be a more likely explanation, right? I just don't know why he is so sure that the low d couldn't be causing everything. He said that it was very unlikely because my levels had previously been ok and the severity of my symptoms would more match someone who had been very deficient for a much longer time. Does that sound logical? Would an MS specialist be able to tell me anything new?
Multiple Sclerosis :: The Possibility Of MS
Hello everyone,
Back in March of this year I ended up heading to the emergency room for this strange numbness feeling that began in my hands and feet and then travelled throughout the rest of my body; it lasted about five or six days and then went away completely. I was in the hospital for four days and while I was there I had a CT, lumbar puncture, and an MRI of my brain, all of which were normal. I ended up with a diagnosis of 'post-viral acroparasthesia' and was told that I would be fine.
However, this numbness came back again a couple weeks later. I went back to the emergency room and they said that it wasn't that out of the ordinary for this happen again but gave me a referral to a neurologist who then ordered three more tests: 1) peripheral nerves, 2) evoked potentials, and 3) an MRI of my spine. I've done the peripheral nerve test and that was normal and I have to wait a bit to go to the other tests. I've also had my blood tested for pretty much everything and it's all been normal.
But throughout all the months that I've been waiting to follow-up with the neuro, the numbness as well as some other strange symptoms keep coming out of nowhere (seemingly) and going away. I get really bad tension headaches, lightheadedness, numbness and tingling, fatigue, frequently urinating (sometimes I wake up four times throughout the night), feel a massive brain fog, and more generally I just feel a great deal of malaise. I usually feel like this for four-five days in a row every couple of weeks and then feel completely fine.
These symptoms are pretty ambiguous but MS is something that I'm pretty worried about. My dad has it and is in the latter stages so the doctor's are considering it a possibility. I've seen quite a few doctors now and they haven't been able really figure this out. The most insightful thing that I have been told is that I could have some type of virus, which sometimes may last for a long period of time, and this might explain why I'm getting sick so frequently. I have just been told that I'm going to have to wait to see the neurologist and have anything neurological ruled out.
Whatever is wrong with me is very frustrating. I'm 22 years old working on my university degree and being sick so frequently has taken a huge tole on my academic performance. Also, financially I'm not doing so great and have been cycling through jobs...I mostly end up quitting or getting fired due to the fact that it's been very hard to work like this; it's really causing me a lot of stress.
Prior to all of this I have been quite healthy. I'm very athletic and go out of my way to eat healthy. I don't drink any alcohol, don't do any drugs, and quit smoking cigarettes back in January.
Anything to suggest? Whatever is happening to me is really messing up my life. I can't afford to be so sick all the time and I feel so desperate to know what's wrong.
Multiple Sclerosis :: Symptoms After 50?
I have noticed some symptoms that I have developed in recent years that I believe to be symptoms of MS. I am 62, female and concerned that I may have the disease. It's affecting my arm, hand and head and I didn't put it together until I went to a yoga class and it just came to me to check out the symptoms. I have been having tremors, spasms, sometimes painful, in my arm for a few years and it's gotten progressively worse. Last year I noticed my head would shake if my arm was in a certain position. I went to an orthopedist and he said it was due to an old cervical fracture so I let it go. I am going to see my primary doctor and ask for their opinion. But I would like to know if I'm too old to develop MS.
View 3 RepliesMultiple Sclerosis :: Gluten Free?
I am mid process during the diagnosis (I've had the MRI with and without contrast and get results Monday. I'm currently refusing LP and have the evoked potentials scheduled). If I were to be diagnosed (still hoping not) I have read a lot about being gluten free and that helping with symptoms. As a matter of fact, I may try it regardless of diagnosis to see if it helps. But, has anyone with MS tried it? Did it help?
View 4 RepliesMultiple Sclerosis :: Why To Have Copper Level?
I was recently referred to a new neurologist. I saw him this past Friday and really liked him. I have had a lot of test run at this point. Including brain MRI which shows what my doctor called one "MS" lesion and one "ischemic" lesion. I am so confused when it comes to lesions. My new neurologist is scheduling a lumbar puncture and will do a MS panel. He also ordered a copper level. Anyone know the reason behind this? I was curious...I don't think I have ever had a copper level done.
View 4 RepliesMultiple Sclerosis :: Reverse Lhermitte's
Just about every time I bend my neck forward I have pain that extends upward to the base of my skull and tingling up my head to envelope mostly the upper left side of my head. I am guessing I am having a relapse. I was unable to see my neurologist as its impossible to get in to see him for months. So a local clinic doctor gave me prednisone. So far it's the only thing helping. I have already been diagnosed with Ms but the only thing I have found is people speaking of Lhermitte's that run down the spine. Do I need a new MRI?
View 14 RepliesMultiple Sclerosis :: Foot Without Reflex
The neuro scrapped the bottom of my foot and could not get it to jump like it used to. he kept trying but nothing happened. I thought this was important but nothing was said and when I asked my physician, he said this was normal. what's it mean if the foot doesn't react?
View 2 RepliesMultiple Sclerosis :: Cold Feet
Anyone else here experience extremely cold feet? Last night I was up till 3am because they felt so cold. When I feel them with my hands after repeatedly trying to warm them, they don't feel cold to the touch anymore but still feel cold... It got to the point last night where they were painful. They feel cold all day too though I'm able to ignore it somewhat when I'm walking around and doing other things. At night, it's not something I can ignore and it's keeping me awake. What do you do if you experience this? I should mention I've had numbness in my legs below the knee and feet for sometime now.
View 6 RepliesMultiple Sclerosis :: Confusion/seizures
I was diagnosed with RRMS in 2000 in the middle of flare which caused numbness in my face and just a weird feeling when I walked. I have been fortunate not to have experienced too many problems aside from a couple of minor flares and the usual fatigue that goes along with MS.
Last week I was on my computer and all of a sudden I felt like I was not quite sure what was real...thoughts racing from one thing to another. I kept thinking of things and would immediately wonder if it happened. I finally decided to go the the ER. Doc did a neuro exam and said it was OK. I also thought I had a UTI but urine came back clear. He told me to go home and rest. The next morning when I talked to my daughter she said I sounded weird and it was taking me a long me to explain things. The MS nurse also said my speech seemed a little off and slow. Neurologist was out of town but when he came back he told her to call me to set up an EEG because it could have been a seizure. Since then my hand tremor has been more pronounced and weird little symptoms like twitches and sort of an internal tremor in my legs when I walk. I have the EEG next week and then will see my neuro.
I was just wondering else has had something similar. It was distressing to me because I can't really remember things I am usually right on top of; I couldn't remember my meds (I have a list at least). I felt like I lost time and was not sure how much.
Multiple Sclerosis :: Frequent Urination?
Since doctors don't seem to want to help me figure out what's wrong, I'm trying to investigate my various symptoms to find potential diseases to rule out.
For the past two and a half years, I've had a problem with frequent urination. No incontinence of any kind, but I tend to pee on average 12-20 times a day. Sometimes I'll be up one or two times at night, sometimes more and sometimes not at all. I DO drink quite a bit of fluid. I tend to average 50-100+ ounces of fluid a day. Usually once a day I'll have a cup of tea, but I don't drink a ton of coffee or any soda at all. I am always thirsty, feel dehydrated all the time, mouth is dry, lips are chapped, light headed and dizzy often, even on the days I'm drinking 100+ ounces of water. I work in an office and don't do anything strenuous that results in sweating. When I do pee, sometimes it's only ten or fifteen minutes before I have to go again. Most of the time, I'm producing a full volume of pee, almost never is it just a few drops or a little bit. My urinalysis and cultures come back normal.
Went to the gynecologist today, he said my bladder is working fine and that when I pee, I am emptying my bladder all the way. His suggestion was to drink less. I'm thinking a 31 year old woman who does not have diabetes or a UTI that's lasted for 2.5 years shouldn't not only have this constant need to pee, but also this constant need to drink and feeling of dehydration. I went to a neuroendocrinologist because I truly believe with my other symptoms, I have some kind of pituitary problem going on (Cushings and/or GHD) but he laughed and blew me off because Hey, it's rare, therefore you don't have it.
Should I ask my PCP about looking into MS? In addition to the frequent urination, I have a great deal of cognitive issues (memory loss / retention problems, concentration problems, shortened attention span, sometimes can't speak properly), depression and anxiety, eye issues (wicked light sensitive, blurry vision, hurts to look up or to the sides), stiff and painful joints and muscles, muscle weakness, occasional tingling in hands or feet, INCREDIBLY fatigued, dizziness and lightheadedness, vertigo, occasional balance issues, and trembling / vibrations in body.
Which Vitamins To Take For Progressive Multiple Sclerosis
First off my name's Katherine and my mother has Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis. and I'm here on her behalf. She's in a wheelchair and in a nursing home. She's of sound mind but here lately she seems to be getting a cold and fever every month or so. I know those with MS has very week immune systems and have a hard time fighting off simple colds . My question is what are some good vitamins to help her keep from getting sick as much?
View 10 RepliesMultiple Sclerosis :: Brain Spasm
I am sitting at work, like always, when all of a sudden.... inside my head (in the top, middle, and behind my forehead) I began to feel what seemed to be a muscle spasm. What? Rationalizing, I think... Our brains are muscles. Right? So it could be a muscle spasm. Whoa... I feel dizzy and lightheaded for a little bit. Now, I feel like my head is full (stuffed full) of cotton or something. It isn't in my ears. It wasn't my eyes. It was "in my head". WOW.
I experienced this sensation of by brain shaking that was followed by dizziness. The "brain shake" felt like a jolt and then vibration/spasm that lasted about 5 seconds. I feel like the room is spinning and tilting and I was about to fall over (even though I was sitting down). The dizziness lasted about 2 minutes or so. The weird feeling of fullness in my head is still there.
Multiple Sclerosis Or Vitamin D Deficiency
Hi 31 yo female here! In march my Vitamin d was at 10. The DR told me 5000iu daily d3 until further notice.
One month ago I went to ER and DR for nuerological prolems. Pins and Needles in my extremities that radiate up from feet. Since then it sometimes affects my head and rib areas. I have had a tightness in my ribs that was painful a few times. Trouble with speech, focusing, walking, feet heaviness (after a long day of work), extreme fatigue, migraines (4 in a timeline of 2 weeks), muscle spasms, sharp pains in my head and lower back.
My primary physician referred me to a nuerologist and he has been testing me for MS and TIA, I had 2 MRIS 2 CT scans nerve test all normal, tested for lupus ect. Next week I"ll have blood results from vitamin d (6 months ago 10) again, b12 (6 months ago normal) again, cooper, choloestrol panel (6 months ago 132)
I can't go on like this. I have responsibilities. I need answers! Please sugs!