This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Knowledge & Support Community

Hi everyone,

New here. Here's the deal: 3 years ago I had optic neuritis requiring hospitalization. Even before that, several doctors had suggested MS, since I had things like tremors, some cognitive difficulty (delay before answering questions, slowed reaction times, etc.), hyper-reflexive, etc.

Yesterday I started getting tingling in my left hand -- mostly pinky, some in 4th finger. Read that it can often be caused by nerve issue in wrist, often from leaning on elbow (which I never do). I do work on the computer all the time, though. Went away on its own, no big deal...I'm used to random symptoms after 9 years of crazy stuff.

But today, it's come back as pins and needles & burning in my whole left hand, most noticeably pointer finger and palm. I noticed before it started that my hands were tremoring and changed position at the computer in case that was causing the tremor. Took a break for a few minutes, but the tremoring didn't go away and now my hand feels like it's burning. My fine motor coordination is off, too -- I'm usually a fast typist, but I keep hitting the wrong keys as I type this.

I haven't had a brain MRI for almost 3 years; they used to do them every 18 months or so to look for lesions, but never found any.

To fill out the rest of the story, I'm under an enormous amount of stress and went to see a psychiatrist last weekend because I felt like I was having a nervous breakdown. I'm bipolar and my meds weren't working, so they switched to new meds (Seroquel and Neurontin while tapering me off Lamictal, which my insurance doesn't cover).

Anyway...so the pins & needles is stressing me out, and I'm a lot more worried about it than yesterday since it's also associated with a tremor and it has spread past the pinky.

I don't have a neurologist here. Is it time to get one, and if so, how urgent is it?

Thanks...if for nothing else, letting me type this out (clumsily).

Welcome to our community, bleubelle. It sounds like you do not yet have a definite diagnosis of MS. I suggest you start with your GP or internist, and do some basic testing (your stress increases cortisol, which increases blood sugar, which increases insulin). Your symptoms may stem from another cause, perhaps some other specialty such as endocrinology (the domain of cortisol, blood sugar, insulin, and more hormones that may be involved) rather than neurology is needed at this time. With your typing ability affected, part of the problem may be in the muscles. Even if the problem is MS, I do not think the situation is urgent.

All the best to you.