possible MS?

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lyndacarol
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IMO, classic

Post by lyndacarol »

Worried, it is good that your girlfriend will see a neurologist. Her list of symptoms sounds like classic MS to me, but I am not a physician.

With my belief in the involvement of insulin, I encourage her to remove sugar, all artificial sweeteners, and carbohydrates from her diet. These dietary components increase blood sugar (glucose), which in turn increases insulin levels.

I suspect that mucus from any cause (from colds/flu, viral or bacterial infections, allergies, etc.) also raises blood sugar and , consequently, insulin levels. But... remember, I am not a physician.
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Post by Lyon »

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Last edited by Lyon on Sat Nov 26, 2011 12:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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cheerleader
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Post by cheerleader »

Good one, Bob! Very true about closed up winter homes. The seasonal angle really hit me, too. Have you had her vitamin D/B12/nutritional levels checked, worried? The other seasonal connection I thought of that everyone else mentioned is lack of sunshine in the frigid north- and low vit. D. Even though she's taking supplements, her levels could still be low if her body is not processing them effectively.

I wouldn't call this classic MS, worried. It could be vitamin/mineral deficiencies, chemical/allergic response or chronic fatigue- along with a myriad of other things. Get lots of bloodwork done, see the neuro and keep helping her thru this rough spot. She must be pretty scared, and your love and support thru this time will help her-
AC
Husband dx RRMS 3/07
dx dual jugular vein stenosis (CCSVI) 4/09
http://ccsviinms.blogspot.com
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pinpricks
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Post by pinpricks »

worriedincanada wrote:Hey,

So far, her list of symptoms are (BUT NEVER IN THE SUMMER..usually between Nov and April for the lat 3 years):
I don't "think is typical in MS this seasonal pattern but i'm not a doctor ...
worriedincanada wrote: -Brutal "cluster" headaches - pain in one spot of the head, then gone and appears somewhere else in the head
- What do you means by that? Does it looks "inside" (brain) pain or outside pain?
Peoples get headache but but it's tension headache, it's outside.
I do get strange MOVING pains in my legs/feet mostly. Appears in one spot then gone, then in other area ... moving around.
What a nightmare if it would be in the head.
There is a new member here that has this type in the head. Sudden "kick" that hurt really then gone, then back again in an other place.
worriedincanada wrote:Hey,
pain behind the eyes
Is it like some one is kicking needles behind the eyes? A stabbing pain.
Is there any pain when moving eyes around?

Anyway, you have to have exam by a good neuro (MRI and so on).
Meanwhile you could try IBT (just upper the head of your bed by 3 to 6 inches).
I do take also some aspirin.
Since i'm doing this i fall asleep immediately and get up very early (that was not the case before, alway sleepy, sleeping 10h a day!).
I was having a lot of nightmare, every night ... now it's almost gone.
I'll have to morrow an EMG then i'll ask for MRI ...

Take care
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worriedincanada
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Post by worriedincanada »

so she is going back to her doc to get more blood tests. She is trying to be proactive in getting everything done that she can...

What vitamins and minerals should be screened for other than b12 and D3?
She has been on supplements, so should she stop all supplements for a while and then get the blood work done?

Thanks for all your help. We're also trying to get her MRI bumped up - it is still 3 months away!!!!!
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jimmylegs
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Post by jimmylegs »

zinc and uric acid would be good to have a look at for starters.
i'd say magnesium too, but blood tests for that aren't necessarily very helpful re tissue status.
yes do a washout of supplements for a week before the test.
i have washed out for too long before, and paid the price
also, i am doing a washout of sorts right now. i am still taking supplements but just not the specific ones i will be having tested. oh crap i just realized i did take an iron yesterday! but other than that i have mostly been on fish oil and vitamin C all week, and i will be testing (probably tomorrow) D3, B12, zinc, uric acid, ferritin (iron) and RBC folate. magnesium is on the list but i have to ask the lab about their methods and besides i have not been able to stop with the magnesium entirely - apparently i need it to live :S hehehe
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marcstck
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Post by marcstck »

Worried, the symptoms you described could be attributed to literally dozens of different diseases and syndromes, and I wouldn't think that MS is the most likely among them.

Your girlfriend doesn't exhibit sensory symptoms (numbness, tingling), or visual problems, both of which are very common early signs of MS.

Perhaps more significantly, you say that your girlfriends symptoms go into complete remission during the summer months. Many MS patients are quite heat sensitive, and their symptoms tend to get worse during the warmer months. As a matter of fact, before MRIs and more recent diagnostic advances, the old way of diagnosing MS was to put the patient in a hot bath and see if their symptoms got worse.

I applaud you for being so proactive and concerned about your girlfriend's condition, however, don't get fixated on MS alone. There are many, many much more benign illnesses that could explain your girlfriend's symptoms...
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worriedincanada
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Post by worriedincanada »

marcstck wrote:Worried, the symptoms you described could be attributed to literally dozens of different diseases and syndromes, and I wouldn't think that MS is the most likely among them.

Your girlfriend doesn't exhibit sensory symptoms (numbness, tingling), or visual problems, both of which are very common early signs of MS.

Perhaps more significantly, you say that your girlfriends symptoms go into complete remission during the summer months. Many MS patients are quite heat sensitive, and their symptoms tend to get worse during the warmer months. As a matter of fact, before MRIs and more recent diagnostic advances, the old way of diagnosing MS was to put the patient in a hot bath and see if their symptoms got worse.

I applaud you for being so proactive and concerned about your girlfriend's condition, however, don't get fixated on MS alone. There are many, many much more benign illnesses that could explain your girlfriend's symptoms...
Hey man,

Thanks for the response. I am really trying hard not to fixate on MS, but I can't ignore the similarities either. I totally agree about the heat and such. So far, the heat doesn't bug her (although she walked into a green house and the humidity instantly made her bad - so I won't say COMPLETE remission, maybe a day or two here and there in the summer). There is one member here who said her symptoms actually go away in the summer as well. I know it's hard to lump everyone into having the same symptoms since this is a very individual disease (meaning it affects everyone differently) so we can't rule it out.

Her eyesight has decreased a bit, but not to the point where she thinks something is wrong.

There is no numbness or tingling, but many people have told me they had "growing pain" feelings rather than actually tingling or numbness - and she complains about that daily. However, what got me thinking MS was the fact that apparently a common sign is dizziness and extreme fatigue - both of which she has constantly.

The latest thing she has issues with is a metallic taste in her mouth....

The docs are at a loss. Other than throwing her at a neurologist they have no idea what to do.

Anyway, thanks for the answer - I guess we'll just have to keep pushing and trying to figure out what it is

Also, even though there is diagnosis of MS yet (if ever), I really want to thank you for letting me be a part of this site and for all your great insight.....
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Terry
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Post by Terry »

magnesium is on the list but i have to ask the lab about their methods and besides i have not been able to stop with the magnesium entirely - apparently i need it to live
JL,
What happens when you stop the mag?
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jimmylegs
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Post by jimmylegs »

hi terry, for me the first sign is the arms going spastic. after a while, my throat (which is never perfect) starts to deteriorate and i end up with spit going down the wrong way with every swallow, and not being able to clear it. if i were to let it get really bad, i would start to have problems getting a proper breath, my muscles won' t work to fill my lungs. this all happened in 2008, when i stopped magnesium for too long while washing out in preparation for a test by a throat specialist.

worried, when you said metallic taste i thought of zinc. i just did a really quick search and b12 comes up for that as well.

HTH,
JL
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Terry
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Post by Terry »

Thanks, JL.
And please...keep taking your magnesium!!!
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jimmylegs
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Post by jimmylegs »

will do terry :) over the last week my arms went, and by last night my throat was awful. i had been sneaking the odd weak mag tea through the week but last night i gave in and took a hefty cal mag pill :S my lab doesn't do tissue testing for mag anyway - only serum.
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worriedincanada
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Post by worriedincanada »

jimmylegs wrote:hi terry, for me the first sign is the arms going spastic. after a while, my throat (which is never perfect) starts to deteriorate and i end up with spit going down the wrong way with every swallow, and not being able to clear it. if i were to let it get really bad, i would start to have problems getting a proper breath, my muscles won' t work to fill my lungs. this all happened in 2008, when i stopped magnesium for too long while washing out in preparation for a test by a throat specialist.

worried, when you said metallic taste i thought of zinc. i just did a really quick search and b12 comes up for that as well.

HTH,
JL
As in the zinc and B12 maybe too low or too high?
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jimmylegs
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Post by jimmylegs »

WIC, that would be low zinc and/or b12. since she is taking b vitamins already, perhaps the zinc could be something to look at.
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jimmylegs
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Post by jimmylegs »

worried, just wanted to send you this update info:
i got confirmation from the lab - i fixed my low zinc during 2008, and the uric acid which for years has been on or below the "ms average" of 194, has jumped up to 255. i'm aiming for 290-300umol/L.
JL
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