This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

hi all,
It all started nearly 2 weeks ago when my left leg and arm started feeling numb and heavy as if i was being weighed down. yet my movement and strength was normal.. It felt as though they were really restless and i couldnt get comfortable at all, this persisted, 2 days later i had a ache behind my left eye which made my vision blur at the edge of my eye, this went after a day. no headache at all. went to see gp and was diagnosed with migraine. next day i started to feel very unwell. felt like someone was sitting on my chest and felt like i had to make more of an effort to breath than usual. went to e.r, had several tests done. chest xray clear, ecg clear, blood tests clear, ct scan clear. was sent home and told to see gp if symptoms persisted. 4 days later my face went numb around my mouth and right eye. went to gp and was referred to hospital again or possible stroke. had a few tests done, finger to nose etc, reflexes on right foot were delayed but everything else ok. was told possible m.s. now awaiting mri next week. since appointment been feeling worse. i have a strange feeling under my ribs like im being squashed, a lump in my throat feeling like i havent swallowed something properly but its not sore, pins and needels in left arm regularly, face twitching and numb on and off. headaches. exhausted, light headed and irritable. felt constantly sick. and achy all over. have had back ache, and a sharpe pain in my chest.

im worried about what this is as doctors are very vague and just need to have some sense of what im dealing with. my app next week for the mri feels a lifetime away... any ideas??

welcome emma, sorry to hear you're having a rough time.

what i can tell you is that since i started researching ms nutrition, what i've learned is applicable to many other conditions.

ms patients tend to be lower in magnesium, and many of your problems suggest magnesium involvement to me, including restless legs, shortness of breath, the odd feeling in your throat, twitching, headaches, fatigue and irritability.

do you eat lots of magnesium-rich foods? swiss chard and spinach are two excellent sources.
a little reading: http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=75

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my approach: no meds so far - just balanced whole foods (partial 'paleo', much less outright elimination), science, supplements, & bloodwork
my regimen - www.thisisms.com/ftopict-2489.html
www.whfoods.com, www.nutritiondata.com

Hello emmag83. I'm sorry to hear about the symptoms you are experiencing. Unfortunately, they are not unique to MS. MS symptoms also vary from person to person. In order for a doctor to diagnosis you with MS, they usually review your medical history, do a lumbar puncture, and an MRI with contrast and without. If you are diagnosed with MS, I advise you to find a neurologist who's an MS Specialist and start on a disease-modify treatment. I found the book, "MS for Dummies" by Rosalind Kalb, Nancy Holland and Barbara Giesser very informative and helpful in giving me an idea of what I could expect from MS.

Good luck with your MRI next week.