This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Hi everyone I still don't have a diagnosis. I had a nerve conduction test done everything came back normal. The neurologist said if I'm still having symptoms in another month will do a second MRI with contrast.

I'm just curious if others of had the same results where there were nothing wrong with your nerve conduction test? I've had symptoms eight weeks so maybe it's too soon? Not looking to have problems but I just wonder why i have all these nerve symptoms and they don't know why it is.

I also want to mention that in the beginning my hands and arms hurt pretty bad by the end of the day where I didn't want to do any kind of typing or do anything with my arms it was even hard fall sleep.

While my arms still do go numb periodically they don't have barely any pain like before so maybe things are going into remission hope? I will have Intermittent pain that is very mild, not very bad but that's it.

One more thing I noticed. I used to be very cold all the time and so when I went to bed I usually have layers on to keep me warm and I usually wake up fine in the morning . sometimes I wake up too warm have to take something off or remove the blankets but usually I was fine.

Now I have trouble where I go to bed and it's cold I'm cold because I have the AC on. I use a lightweight blanket which is fine for a while but then wake up in the night and I'm too warm and my arms hurt and my joints are stiff and feel swollen and once I get up cool off starts to go away.

Does anyone else have any experience with these things ?

As for me, yes, yes, yes. My first three MRIs, and EMG, and evoked potential tests were all normal. To this day, my symptoms are often worse in the evenings – spasms, for instance. My extremities (hands and feet) are usually cold, no matter the temperature around me. I do warm-up overnight while sleeping.

I don't know about the temperature sensitivity, but for the rest I would take myself to my spine specialist (mine's a physiatrist). You'd be surprised how many different ways musculoskeletal injury/defects can look like nerve problems...

_________________

RRMS dx 3/3/11; Copaxone since 12/1/11

Hi Jewels,

Welcome to the forum, although I’m sorry you’re having the problems that led you here! I’ve been too busy to post much lately, but I do have a couple of replies to your questions in this thread. First, I want to make sure you know that the “nerve conduction tests” you had done are NOT done to help diagnose MS, but to rule OUT peripheral nerve issues that mimic MS symptoms. I assume they were EMGs (electromyography tests – needles and electric shocks), right?

So…yes, many, many MS patients would have negative results from EMGs unless, like me, they also have peripheral nerve damage as well as MS (lucky me!). My story is in the link below, if you’re interested: general-discussion-f1/topic16335.html

The Central Nervous System (CNS) is only made up of the brain & spinal cord (also includes the optic nerve) and that's where MS lesions end up. All the other nerves in the body make up the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS). The problem with identifying MS is that there isn’t a single test for it and it shares so many symptoms with other neurological issues- including PNS ones. It’s generally a diagnosis of exclusion and sometimes a long period of observation.

A lot of your symptoms (even ones in your other thread) sound more like PNS issues - or musculoskeletal, or spinal issues, like Mark said. Also like Mark, I was diagnosed with MS by a physiatrist, and he did it practically overnight – AFTER he had already identified peripheral nerve blockage as well (carpal tunnel). They’re looking at much more than your nerves, examining your symptoms through a broader perspective than a neuro would. I completely agree with Mark’s post.

Next, I doubt that doing another MRI so soon would show much more than the first one yet. The gadolinium contrast will only make active lesions enhance, not make older lesions more noticeable.
My first set of MRIs 9 years ago was without contrast at all, and it showed a brainful of very specific MS lesions (as well as spinal stenosis). My subsequent sets of MRIs have been done both with & without gadolinium contrast, and they still show the same ol’ non-enhancing lesions.

I’m adding a quote from you from one of your other threads, where you said:


Although it’s possible to be diagnosed with MS without lesions showing, check out the load of lesions in the MRI pics I posted in my thread. If I were you – a person with NO obvious brain or spinal lesions - I’d definitely be following some other clues and not asking for expensive, multiple MRIs so close together that are likely to give the same result.

My first suggestion to new posters is always to try to optimize your overall health with diet & exercise while you’re pursuing your answers. You might find (like I did) that it soothes many of your symptoms in the meantime.

And my second suggestion is always: Be very cautious about loading up on vitamins & supplements. Add them slowly and monitor your reactions carefully. I’ve had worse experiences with those than with anything MS has done to me in the almost 40 years I’ve been dealing with it. With my allergies & sensitivities, I fear that some of the recommendations that are given to MS patients would probably kill me. (especially Omega 3s!) We're all unique and what works for one may not work for another.

Good luck, and feel free to ask more questions.

_________________
Dx'd with MS & HNPP (hereditary peripheral neuropathy) 7/03 but must have had MS for 30 yrs before that. I've never taken meds for MS or MS symptoms except 1 yr experiment on LDN. (I found diet, exercise, sleep, humor, music help me the most.)

Hi everyone. Thank you for the responses. I appreciate you taking the time to give me your experiences. I havent had much change. I'm having migrating muscle and joint pain that's just noticable. Migrating numbness sometimes it's one exteremity somtimes it's two they can be same side opposite side both arms or both legs.

I have one question but i think I'll probably post this question here and separately because Im really worried.
I need to know if this is something that anyone else here has who is diagnosedwith MS

when I put my arm to my side and raise it the movement is smooth. When I slowly lower it there's a series of small jumps or jerks its not smooth. I think this is also happening now in my legs I haven't pinpointed where Its coming from but the arm one seems to be behind my shoulder perhaps terries major or minor. I think it's a muscle in my rotated cuff group. Anyway it's pretty equal on each arm, it seemed to just appears about 5 weeks ago. This is Making me so nervoious.

Anyone have something like this. I have full use but in everything I do when I bring my
Arm back toward my body I feel it shake. It's not visible to others.

I have question same with this one, if it is a nrve problem from the side of your knees, what are the possiblities or symptoms of this one? Is it a symptoms of a much worst medical issue or not?

Jewels – It is observations such as yours that make me wonder if MS is a nerve or muscle problem.

In every movement there are two muscle groups involved – the agonist and its opposite, the antagonist. The one muscle must contract while the other muscle must relax. If these two actions are coordinated properly, the movement should be smooth; this may be the case when you raise your arm. The muscle roles are reversed when you lower your arm; and this may result in jerking. This would be a good question for a physiatrist, as Mark and euphoniaa mention.

Another good question for the doctor would be "Could this be the result of insulin resistance in the skeletal muscles?" Request a fasting blood insulin test (NOT a glucose test) – I suspect that your insulin level is much above 3 UU/ML.

Great now I have a reason to ask my doc to do the test! I was afraid to just ask for it just especially If the gluecose test comes back ok. Thank you!