This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

I wonder if you might offer your opinions on my description of symptoms. I realize no one can diagnose anything here as it requires professional help but I just want to know if you feel that these symptoms are close enough to the symptoms of MS to warrant a serious look at it. I think they do but my doctor thinks that they don't because I don't have any eye sight issues and my symptoms don't come and go, they just come and stay. Also I'm 55 and she thinks that I'm too old for the onset of MS.

Some of my symptoms have been:

Memory loss: this started about 15 years ago and quite serious at the time. A neurologist said it was PTSD based on a discussion we had. It improved considerably over several years but has recently started becoming a problem again. I even find that words sometimes come out incorrectly but I know they do and correct myself right away or part way through the word. Also when I'm typing now I have to correct quite a bit because when I read what I write I see that entire words are missing or incorrect. This was not an issue in the past. I have trouble remembering things quite frequently to the point of interfering in normal daily life. I find that the processing of information is VERY slow and I can't follow sequences until I process each item at a slow pace. There are some short term and long term memory loss issues. When learning new things I must write down the information and practice the instructions over and over until it's ingrained.

Libido loss: About 5 years ago I began to loss interest and I experienced a loss of sensation but there was no issue of dryness. I was prescribed several female enhancement drugs which did not work and then finally given a synthetic testosterone drug which helped somewhat but not really. I don't take anything now and I still have the same issue.

Frozen left arm: About a year ago I suddenly had a frozen left hand starting at the fingers and which very quickly moved up the top of the arm. It feels extremely cold like it's frozen although if you stick a pin in my arm or hand I can still feel it. I have not lost strength in the arm or hand. It continues to this day.

Involuntary contractions in my right arm: About 6 months ago a muscle in my right arm suddenly began to contract inside pulling the arm out from the body several inches and holding it in that position for a few seconds until it decided to release it. It often happens when I pick something up or when I lay down to go to sleep at night. It only takes something as light as a cup sometimes. I cannot make the arm release from that position until it's ready. If I try it starts shaking and resisting until I stop. This continues until this day.

Numbness and pins and needles in right foot: About 3 weeks ago I experienced numbness in my right toes and foot. It's very uncomfortable and feels awful and is the worst on the pads just below the toes but is everywhere on the toes and foot. It continues to this day.

Frequent urination: I have always been a person who only urinated in the morning when I got up and then at night when I went to bed. Recently I have been urinating 5 -7 times a day and it's very unusual for me. I also can't hold it for long which is also unusual.

Hot periods: Hot periods with sweating that last from one hour to three or four hours at a time in both day and night. Other people report that they are cold while I am burning up. Started about a month ago and worsen to the present.

Dizziness: only once about 3 weeks ago I had severe dizziness and I chocked that up to not exercising enough or coming down with the flu although the flu never happened.

Shakiness: The last few days I have been feeling shaky and I don't know why because I'm eating right and I'm not under undue stress. My hands are a little shaky. Enough to be noticeable.

I have had no eyesight issues that I can remember.

The doctor has tested me for Diabetes and Thyroid issues but the tests came back negative. Now she wants to send me for nerve testing as there is definitely damage especially in the left arm that is frozen.

Do you think this warrants a serious look into MS or not?

if you can find and have access to a good upper cervical or nucca chiropractor in your area would be a place to start. you might want to check out the topic ccsvi and ccvbp author uprightdoc here at tims. dr. flanagan might have some helpful input for you.

Thank you. My doctor said she didn't feel that any of this originates from the cervical area because there is no pain there and the freezing in my arm has radiated from the fingers upward rather than from the arm downward into the fingers.

If you have a lot of amalgam filllings or root canals that could be the problem. The only thing putting a name on a disease does is allows the doctors to give you drugs. Dr. Hyman explains how you get your health back no matter what the name of the disease is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THddIqz9 ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-qhxa-3 ... tube_gdata

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0WWXzJu ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmYFDkIa ... re=related

if there could be any reasons for nutrition to play into your health scenario, there's a ton of related research available to help you.

regardless of whether you have ms or something that looks like ms, there is a common set of nutrient imbalances that are prevalent in patients with ms and other illnesses.

zinc and magnesium stand out to me based on your list of symptoms. zinc for memory, libido and dizziness. magnesium for involuntary contraction.

eating right can be pretty challenging. if you were to post or pm me a detailed list of foods and fluids consumed over say a three day period, i could scan for potentially troublesome gaps or interactions.

here is a link to resources on nutrients, testing, target levels, food sources and supplements. i collected the info based on imbalances in ms patients but the targets are cross cutting, just what are seen in research looking at 'healthy controls' as the ideal or optimal range, as distinct from 'normal' (otherwise known as the average in a small local sample of unhealthy patients). regimens-f22/topic2489.html#p15460

if you have any questions fire away, either here or via private message.

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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

everything that jimmylegs and want2bike has to offer is good solid advice and have experienced improvements it's helped them and others. i have had fillings removed followed by chelation but no improvements-but that's "me" not you. i did and still do "somewhat" the diet aspect no improvements-but that's "me" not you. in my case i have cervical spurs located where they would effect movement and stenosis also. i feel strongly this is "my" biggest problem as my symptoms started shortly after a bad fall. the neuro.'s are of one mind set as a rule. but i was told that my low back pain was due to this so called ms thing. BUT when i had nucca t. low back pain went away and tmj went away. i still have 20 yrs. of bad progression movement wise but i still have spinal issues not resolved. what i'm getting at is you have to search and try. i have not met a neuro yet that thinks out of the box. what type dr. told you it would not be caused by cervical problems? they talk out both sides of their mouth at times. that area is like grand central station of the body-you got nerves that control everything-you got veins and csf flow hitting right at a critical place and if it's out of whack that's not good. so, try anything you can and pray for good results. people like jimmy legs dr. flanagan want2bike and others here will steer you better than any neuro. who 9xout of 10 will steer you to shots pills whatever to treat this so called ms or whatever else they name-but guaranteed they'll not likely steer you to cause or cure----because they don't know either but they have no problem pushing you to a drug that is supposed to be for whatever you have never mind that we are still individuals and it may do more harm than good. there are many things that can cause your symptoms. if they run a blood test for lymes or cpn if it's sent to the the usual western blot and it comes back ok it's worthless. so finding a good infectious disease dr. if you can is another ave. lots of avenues to check if you can--some get lucky and find their path right off the bat some don't. the best with your search.

i hope you find the right path for "you" right off the bat.