This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Hello all! I'm 21 years old and in college and a newly-diagnosed sufferer of MS (or at least clinically isolated syndrome). One second I was going in for an MRI because of (unrelated to MS) neck pain, and the next thing I knew, I found out that I had active lesions on my brain and that the vision problems I had for a while when I was eighteen were likely MS-related.

I've been taking copaxone since January, but it appears that I may be suffering from an outbreak. Right side of my face has been twitching for 1.5 weeks now, and now my mouth has gone slightly crooked :/. It's almost like one muscle in my face contracted and kind of stuck there. Headed to doctor tomorrow.

I have obsessive-compulsive disorder. I've dealt with it for several years, and I usually get by. However, I do tend to obsess over how intelligent I am. When I get really anxious I start making lists and memorizing them and quizzing myself on things. With my recent diagnosis and the twitching in my face, I have become INCREDIBLY ANXIOUS over losing my cognitive abilities. Beyond the fact that, for whatever reason, being smart is of obsessive importance to me, I am about to begin a very challenging job at an economic consulting firm, and I eventually want to go for my economics ph.d and become an academic economist and professor.

Some people tell me that, since I caught it early and am treating it, I could very well go my whole life with very few problems. Other people tell me that cognitive symptoms are far rarer than physical symptoms, but can happen. Then, an MS patient from Shared Solutions (Copaxone provider) shared with me his story, which mostly concerned diminished memory. With this new outbreak I'm having, I'm really looking for someone to calm me down...

a mathie! welcome to the TiMS forum

so brain lesions only? no lesions noted in the C spine or the rest of your spine?

do you know how many lesions you have, size and location?

did they clarify on the neck pain? any other pain (explained or otherwise) that you're dealing with? what is the nature of your vision trouble?

since my angle on health care is nutritional, here is a study abstract for you to start with:

Alterations of Serum Zinc, Copper, Manganese, Iron, Calcium, and Magnesium Concentrations and the Complexity of Interelement Relations in Patients with Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder
http://www.springerlink.com/content/t16235001h267486/


since i imagine you can get access to the full text of this study, if you could post the data table(s) showing serum results for zinc, iron and magnesium in patients and controls, that would be very interesting.

zinc, iron and magnesium are also problematic in ms patients. for a start, serum zinc, ferritin and magnesium may be very worthwhile things to get tested, if you can. other nutrients that can be problems for ms patients (or potential ms patients) include vit b12 (deficiency is one differential ddx for ms), vit D3, vit E, selenium, and omega 3 fatty acids, to start.

for a take-away point / action item, in terms of getting some relaxation for your muscles and mental-emotional state, you might try boosting magnesium first. ordinarily, having a baseline test for comparison would be more ideal, but perhaps not when you feel this badly. if you feel so inclined, may as well start on a magnesium regimen and get tested when you can.

dietary sources http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=75
epsom salts baths http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnesium_sulfate
optimal supplemental source (to my knowledge): magnesium glycinate
(other forms may contain more elemental magnesium but be far less soluble, so in effect ppl may largely excrete money spent on forms like oxide).

again welcome to the forum. you will find plenty of support here.

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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