This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Hello everyone. While I rarely post here, I am an avid reader!

I do have a question:

My right eye-lid is becoming weak. I began showing MS symptoms in 1999 and was then dx'd (RRMS) in 2000.

Since then, my eye-lid was droop during periods bad fatigue. But, in the last six months perhaps even a year, it is always a little lower than the other, and then goes to .25 or .5 closed during major fatigue bouts.

I suppose the question is this:

Can I directly attribute my eyelid issue to the MS?

Just curious. It doesnt' bother me and is only a mild distraction. It can sometimes act as a warning sign that major fatigue is on the way. If it's a muscle weakness, then it's the only one I have. Fatigue and balance are my major problems.

I have my six-month check up with my neuro. this coming Friday.

Thanks everyone,

Niko

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"Avoid making irrevocable decisions when tired or hungry." -- Robert Heinlein

Hi Niko

I have had the same problem that you describe. I also had facial paralysis long before I was dx'd, which probably was the cause for me.

I saw my neuro last week and he said he was 99% sure it was MS related. I had some blood tests to double check it wasn't anything else and am still waiting for the results. If it is something else, he said it was curable!!

He said that with the facial paralysis the nerve root is affected, so that was that really! Likely culprit is MS I think....in my case anyway.

It is worth mentioning to your neuro though. Apparently certain drugs can help with this - gabapentine I think (sp?) so I am waiting for a prescription for this from my GP once the blood test results are ready.

Your neuro should do the tests (blood test) and offer you something if it is MS related.

Best of luck

J.

J --

Thanks for the reply! I usually take a list of questions/concerns when I see my neuro.

I'll be adding my eye-lid issue to the list.

Niko

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"Avoid making irrevocable decisions when tired or hungry." -- Robert Heinlein

Just a follow up to my previous post.

My neuro was very happy that a no point does my eyelid close shut. And at this time he doesn't feel that there is any need to address that issue.

As for my fatigue (ugh!) I had been on a combination of Provigil (200mg 2x day) and Amantadine (100mg 1x day) but still have fatigue issues.

So, he felt is was time for a change and I couldn't argue with that point. My energy level is decent in the morning but by mid-afternoon it slides down to a snail-pace. I've had to prepare dinner in the morning and just re-heat it at dinner time. Morning time I can think more clearly and can function much better than later in the afternoon and evening.

I have now started Ritalin SR (20mg 1x day). He said it may take awhile to see if it makes any difference at all to my fatigue levels. So I now just take that and have put the other meds. up into the cabinet.

This should be interesting!

-- Niko

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"Avoid making irrevocable decisions when tired or hungry." -- Robert Heinlein

My husband has one eyelid that is "lazy". The neuro just passed it off as nothing, which he has done with other symptoms. I think he knows it's the MS, but he doesn't want us to worry about it...which we do, because we aren't stupid. Well, we have a new neuro now, not that it makes much difference.

My neuro. also doesn't count my eyelid-issue as MS related, but I can't discount it.

I vote it as a muscle-weakness problem. MS has so many possible symptoms at different times and different levels it's not a suprise that there still isn't a definitive cause for the disease yet.
But there's always hope!

Cheers!

- Niko

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"Avoid making irrevocable decisions when tired or hungry." -- Robert Heinlein

I finally had a response about mine.

Apparently it is "one of the paroxysmal syndromes seen in MS associated with residual inflammatory disease within the brain stem".

Carbamazepine has been precribed.

I am really not happy that there is a problem in my brain stem but what can I say after having a brain with lesions??



J.