The more time goes on, the more i become more convinced that what I suffer from is MS. Symptom after symptom adds itself to the list, with no apparent explanation other than MS.

Things i suffer from:

-Widespread chronic pain, joints worse however body bad too.
-stiffness
-depression
-crushing fatigue
-dizziness
-increased heart rate (with attacks of SVT)
-increased blood pressure with minor attacks of low blood pressure
stinging facial pain with migraines
migraines! both one sided, and two. Two sided are tension related i beleive. Enough pain to make me pass out (has happened)
Migraines lasting three to five days.
headache almost daily
confusion, anxiety, depression, foggy, moderate memory issues. Short term worse than long term, with events in the last 1-3 days seeming to be the worst.
IBS symptoms
Vision alterations - weird shifting FAINT extremely faint colors, blur, or other differences. All are extremely mild but noticeable if you watch for it. For example i will see a weird pulse infront of the center of one eye. Or it willl appear as if everything suddenly takes on a barely there flash of blue or red.

these are just some of the issues. I also have balance issues, an issue that i dont know what it is called - when walking, i always veer to the right. End up bumping into people. I stumble alot and am clumsy. I fall alot, and drop things alot. Depth perception seems slightly off. I dont know how mny times ive tried to grab something and missed completely.

[Perna]

I don't know. Maybe you can read up on it from the Association, how it's diagnosed, etc. I don't think it happens all at once with a zillion symptoms like you seem to have:

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/abo...-ms/index.aspx

[sabby]

(((((((((((( Rainbowzz ))))))))))))))

I've had many many of your symptoms and still do. I have been through all the testing for MS and it's come back negative...thank goodness.

Of course, you should be tested by a doctor for these things but let me try to reassure you that what you are suffering from can be many many other things.

By any chance are you a diabetic? If so, diabetes can cause neuropathy that will present in many of your sx'es. The fact that you suffer from migraines and if by chance you are diabetic, these 2 things can create small lesions within your brain that can cause the neuropathy.

I deal with numbness and tingling in extremities and occasionally in my face, terrible facial pain, twitches and tremors in my extremities, migraines, changes in eyesight, depression, anxiety, joint pain, widespread chronic pain etc etc. All this is due to neuropathy and FMS.

About 18 months ago I had another brain MRI due to sx'es really picking up in intensity. I went from 5 lesions 9 years ago to 25+. None of them showed where the typical lesions for MS show up. 9 years ago I did have a lesion in the corpus collasum which is a place where MS lesions can show up, that's why I went through more testing for MS.

Definitely speak with your doctor about your symptoms. I do think that if you can work to get the migraines under some control and if you are diabetic, get that under control as well, you may find some relief in your symptoms.

Hang in there hon!

Not diabetic. Been tested, even when preg i was good. Slightly hypoglycemic i think, but nothing even close to diabetes.

but you made a good point. FMS! And I also got DXed with M.E. (CFS).

The problem is the doctors here treat you like they are mocking you, you can clearly tell they think fibro is "made up". It makes me angry because right now im actually REFUSED pain doctor. But T is getting me in.

[sabby]

Well, I'm glad you aren't diabetic! YAY!!

Doctors here used to think the same way about FMS. Again, back when I was going through all my testing, I also saw another neurologist for sleep issues that I was having. Actually, now that I think about it, this was after my MS testing. Anyhow, I had a sleep study done and was found to have severe sleep apnea and was put on a cpap. I spoke with that neurologist about FMS as well and he told me that the sleep apnea caused FMS (that was what he believed) and I told him in no uncertain terms....BULL****. I didn't have sleep apnea BEFORE I had the possible MS or FMS issues.

So, 18 months ago, I was sent back to sleep neuro's office but got another neuro to check out my possible MS issues as they had really taken off again. That's when she found the 25+ lesions being caused by the migraines and the diabetes and wrote in her report that I was suffering from .... get this......FMS!!!!!!!! The same office that blew it off 8 years ago is now saying I have it. Flippin idiots sometimes ya know?

Anywho....point is, the FMS can be associated with neuropathy and can present as MS sx's when in fact they are not. At least that's been my experience. You and others could be very different but it's certainly something to look into either way

[pegasus]

((((((((( Rainbowzz ))))))))))

Doesn't sound like MS but could be something to do with the ME. I am concerned that you are having headaches that last 3 - 5 days. Do you wake up with a thumping headache? You really need to go see your Doc about this as it could be real serious. I don't want to scare you but you are a young adult having a lot of problems so please go and get it looked at. If the Doc fobs you off, go get another opinion.

Let me know how you get on.

[lorna]

Have you had a brain MRI , I think thats how they can rule MS out, or in, based on the lesions they see. Also family history plays an important role. I know my own experience is leading down this path, they also thought Lupus at one point, both very scary options.

[mrkmyword]

Just an FYI
there's a sister board to Psych Central
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/index.php

go to 'The stumble Inn'

Lots of MS info
MS folks to talk to

Hopes this helps
good luck

[(JD)]

MS is difficult to diagnose unless you have lesions in the brain and symptoms.

I have the symptoms of MS but only one lesion (due to my injury and my vertebrae chewing into the spinal cord.)

I still can obtain support and good tips for safer living from the MS support group. Why not visit one a few times, even if you don't have MS, you will gain knowledge about how to manage your symptoms and stay safe!

[Dale Clarke]

MRI cannot prove you have MS, it is just part of the diagnosis. Many MS sufferers have no lesions but a high protein level usually via Lumbar Puncture as in my case.

[(JD)]

From what I've found (which includes discussions with Dr Seliger in South FL http://sunrisepractices.com/smg/cv-seliger.htm ) often the actual diagnosis is sadly dependent upon what that particular doctor deems most important.

[sabby]

There are so many different things that go into a dx of MS. Many times you may have an exacerbation which brings you to the neuro and you may have the spinal, the MRI and other blood testing and even nerve conduction tests and another important test is the 4 Evoked Potentials which register your brain wave patterns to different stimuli and check your eyes as well.

Sometimes a neuro will say it may be, it may not be MS, let's wait and see how things go. This is usually to see if and when you may have another exacerbation, if it's the same or different, how is the intensity etc etc.

I've known many folks with MS who waited years for the dx because of how difficult it is to dx. I pray for your sake, it is not MS.

Take good care hon!

[salukigirl]

I am in the same boat with practically the same symptoms. Dizziness and lightheaded spells followed by tingling pain throughout my face and body. Random stiffness or pain shooting through any appendage. Random symptoms of IBS with no cause. Normal TSH and free T4 levels. Not hypoglycemic or diabetic and nothing found on my MRI besides a nodule on my thyroid which my neurologist says is most likely not causing any of this. I keep coming back to MS but no doctor agrees with me but then can't find any explanation themselves.

Other than "keep bugging them" I don't know of any advice. I have been dealing with this for about 7 years with a ton of diagnoses that weren't real, they were just trying to pawn me off by saying I had such and such even though the tests indicated otherwise. Now I'm getting a heart monitor for God knows what. I hope you can get an answer because I haven't had much luck. Sorry I can't be more uplifting or informative

[Rhiannonsmoon]

I've had all those symptoms and more over the years. I had tests some years ago and the result was not quite and I had to retest in 3 months. I let it go and now I am having other symptoms like spasms, jerks, my hands and arms and legs go spastic and bend into really painful positions, then relax and then do it again, some days worse than others.

I've lost sensation in silly areas on my skin, a block on my left arm where I actually put my fingernails through to show the doctor it didn't hurt. my fingers on my left hand the skin on my upper back near the neck can feel nothing, I've been burnt a coupe of times in the shower. I get what feels like cold rain that turns into hot spikes on my leg and arm.

Auras and smells that are just awful or weird that I shouldn't be getting because I am on anti convulsants though I haven't had a seizure for ages which I feel so blessed for. But the visual, auditory and olfactory hallucinations are driving me mad and it feels like my medication isn't really working.

The pain I am in is something like I've never felt before, pain under the skin, in the joints, in the very skin and bones that I get no relief from. The dull low grade headaches and the migranes that hit out of the blue. vision is awful, clumsy, walk off to one side and then fall over. all of those things.

Going to a new neuro soon to have brain imaging I juat want a diagnosis so that I can get a medication that is used for MS and if it works I will just be so happy, I can't really stand this any longer