Thoughts on this "MS Quiz" Anyone?

[DepressedDemigod]

Hey there. Two things. 1) Quick Intro since this is my first post. 2) Look at this quiz...is it mostly accurate?

For the last several years, my life has been hell thanks to psych disorders like Depression. But though I've had had some MS-ish symptoms for a while, they suddenly started increasing in intensity and frequency within the last 2 months. I hope I'm not having early warning signs of MS... but none of my doctors have been able to find a cause for my fatigue and weird muscle stuff (this is way beyond simple Depression-- I am even having trouble walking some days). I think my doctor is going to order an MRI and I'm really freaked out... I'm only 24 years old! Nevertheless, I have fatigue so severe I cannot work, tingling sensations in arms and legs, chronic muscle pain, weakness, and spasms (even loss of muscle control to parts of my face!), changes in my vision, vertigo, worsening memory and terrible headaches, speech difficulties that never occurred when I was younger, bladder issues, and a significant change with my psychological state---namely, a relatively sudden change from wide mood swings to almost constant apathy. So... I don't know, I really hope I'm wrong.

Anyway, I found this "MS Quiz" online and wanted to see if you guys thought it was asking the right kind of questions that could point towards MS diagnosis. (I've mostly learned about it from my mother who works as an OT, and I usually don't trust these online quizzes.) It came from here: http://www2.organizedwisdom.com/quiz/ta ... _Sclerosis

It asks these 20 Questions, and I included my answers: Are you regularly exhausted? (Y) Do you have numbness in extremities? (N) Tingling in extremities or trunk? (Y) Burning sensation in extremities/trunk? (Y) Feeling swollen in a certain place, when there is no swelling? (N) Do you experience sharp, shooting pains in face/body? (Y) Your muscles feel so tight it takes all you have to just change positions? (Y) Regular and sudden muscle cramps? (Y) Unexplained and uncontrollable shaking in any bodyparts? (Y) Does your head sometimes tremble? (N) Do you feel unbalanced? (Y) Do you swagger? (Y) Has sex drive gone down? (Y) Sexual performance issues? (Y) Have you become more depressed/lethargic? (Y) Bladder issues? (Y) Bowel issues? (Y) Blurry vision recently? (Y) Worsening memory? (Y?) Is it taking you way longer to process information and solve problems? (Y)

Apparently, if you answer the majority in the affirmative, you should see a doctor and ask about MS. But what do others think? Is it too simplistic? And, do my symptoms sound like early MS? I have to go back to the doctor next week regardless...

[herecomesthesun]

Hey, I'm sorry to hear you are going through a rough time and I hope you find some answers soon. I think a lot of what you are describing resembles MS and I'm positive I have experienced most of the symptoms you have listed at some point or another. The quiz you linked to also does address the most common symptoms associated with MS, but a lot of these symptoms can be linked to other conditions, too.

I remember I was doing quizzes and using symptom checkers to figure out what I might have; my main symptoms were fatigue and lateral numbness on my right side from my toes to my neck.I was convinced I had RLS and iron deficiency while my friends were thinking lyme disease, B12 deficiency, or a pinched nerve. I was 18 when I was being tested and was diagnosed with RRMS when I was 19, a few months later. I had an MRI and it showed quite a few lesions. There were some other tests prior to my MRI that the doctors did, including blood work and a CT scan. The neurologist also did some tests, mostly testing reflexes. There is the Babinsky reflex that is done by running a pen or similar instrument up to sole of your foot and the way it reflexes can be indicative of neurological damage.

An MRI is a wise idea because for the most part it can give you a pretty solid answer (though of course there is always the exception). I wouldn't say that the quiz is conducive but it would be worth mentioning MS to your doctor. All of those symptoms can also indicate some other disease.

I hope you find an answer soon. I always thought MS was a mid-life disease, but turns out most cases are diagnosed between 20 and 40. Stay positive!

[MandyHill]

I hope you have found some answers & are feeling better. I'm 45yrs old & have been experiencing MS symptoms since I was 31. I went thru most if the testing but the neurologist insisted I had "Ocular Migraines". I reluctantly accepted the diagnosis due to we had used this neurologist for years w/ my husband who has cluster migraines. However, my symptoms last for days & even weeks at times. After doing some research I found that these " Ocular Migraines " only last 15-30 minutes. So, that ruled out the diagnosis. I am currently having the symptoms again, vision issues, foggy head, feeling depressed & disconnected, severe balance issues, etc. I'm going to a new Dr & I hope I can get some answers. I've also had 2 severe kidney infections that have put me in the hospital. The last one I was visited by the Infectious Disease Dr who asked me about Shingles because I have severe pain around my left rib cage. But nothing more was said about it. Its bad enough that I have serious memory problems, both short & long term & I have a hard time concentrating, so the added confusion isn't helping. If anyone has gotten answers on their symptoms I would love to hear them. I'm the mom of a child w/ Cerebral Palsy & my symptoms have seriously effected my care for him. To say that I'm really scared is an understatement. My best wishes for everyone on here.
Sincerely, Mandy Hill

[lyndacarol]

What

I'm 45yrs old & have been experiencing MS symptoms since I was 31. I went thru most if the testing but the neurologist insisted I had "Ocular Migraines". I reluctantly accepted the diagnosis due to we had used this neurologist for years w/ my husband who has cluster migraines. However, my symptoms last for days & even weeks at times. After doing some research I found that these " Ocular Migraines " only last 15-30 minutes. So, that ruled out the diagnosis. I am currently having the symptoms again, vision issues, foggy head, feeling depressed & disconnected, severe balance issues, etc. I'm going to a new Dr & I hope I can get some answers. I've also had 2 severe kidney infections that have put me in the hospital. The last one I was visited by the Infectious Disease Dr who asked me about Shingles because I have severe pain around my left rib cage. But nothing more was said about it. Its bad enough that I have serious memory problems, both short & long term & I have a hard time concentrating, so the added confusion isn't helping. If anyone has gotten answers on their symptoms I would love to hear them. I'm the mom of a child w/ Cerebral Palsy & my symptoms have seriously effected my care for him. To say that I'm really scared is an understatement.

Welcome to ThisIsMS, MandyHill.

Since over 1/2 of the world's population is deficient in vitamin D, please ask your new doctor for this blood test: 25-hydroxy D. (AND request your own copy of any test results – it is important to have the actual test result numbers.)

Your symptoms are common to many conditions, one of which is vitamin D deficiency.
Other common symptoms of vitamin D deficiency may include the following symptoms (a deficiency will not have ALL of these symptoms):

1. Chronic Pain
2. Muscle Weakness
3. Skin Itchiness
4. Constant Overtiredness
5. Depression
6. Sweaty Head
7. Flu/Respiratory Infections
8. High Blood Pressure or Heart Disease
9. Chronic Kidney Disease
10. Constant Infections
11. Asthma Attack
12. Chronic Gum Disease (Swollen, Bleeding Gums, Periodontal Disease)

Deficiency results in increased blood pressure, and thus increased likelihood of migraines/headaches.
Since vitamin D3 is vital for cognition, D3 deficiency results in poorer mental function.(your "foggy head" and "hard time concentrating")

Also, proper kidney function is necessary in the vitamin D metabolism pathway. Your kidney infections (and perhaps ongoing kidney problems) may have interfered with the vitamin D pathway.