This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Knowledge & Support Community

Hi everyone,
I'm completely new to this site and was just hoping to get some general opinions on some symptoms and my course of action. I'm a 26 year old male in relatively good shape, don't smoke but drink moderately. About three years ago I began experiencing intense dizziness. It felt like the room was moving around me and at times I would get light headed. I went through all sorts of tests to rule out ear/nose/throat culprits and came back with no answer except that it was most likely just stress( as it did get worse in times of intense stress, I'm a grad student). Ive also experiences chronic pain in my right shoulder pain for over four years now but chalked that up to my years lifting kegs at the brewery i used to work at. I went on for three years walking like a drunk and getting dizzy spells here and there and having that pain in my should every time I took a breath. But about 6 months ago I started getting tingling and a warm sensation in my finger tips. Googling all these symptoms together put me down as having ms. I waited and avoided it for a while until I started having those tingling/hot feelings all over. Plus now I get these hot spells where I start to over heat in normal room temperature. Went to the campus doc, he sent me to a neurologist. Had a brain scan and he said he saw one funny spot, probably nothing but wanted to be sure. Next was a cervical spine scan, he saw a few white spits but nothing definitive, so now I'm going in for a lumbar puncture this Friday. I know it's weird to come here and ask people to diagnos me, and that's not what I'm asking for. Rather, am I just crazy or is there any weight to my symptoms and thoughts of this being ms. It's hard to just sit around and wait for the results of next weeks test, so I guess I mostly just needed to vent. Thank you all.

Welcome to ThisIsMS. I believe that you will find a supportive community here. A diagnosis of MS is one of exclusion. There are several diseases which can cause symptoms which look like MS. A couple of these include vitamin B12 deficiency and Lyme disease. There are others as well. A neurologist must exclude these other diseases as a possibility before declaring an MS diagnosis. Make sure that your having the appropriate tests done. Several of the other conditions which mimic MS are actually treatable.

By the way, when you get the spinal tap done your doctor should advise you to lie down for a while afterwards. Do this. It's in your best interest. It will help prevent/minimize the post tap headache. Calling it a "headache" is a euphamism. For me, it felt like someone was trying to pull my brains out of my head down the back of my neck. Needle bevel orientation during the tap is also important.
http://www.thisisms.com/forum/general-d ... ml#p196861

NHE

Thank you for your advice, I will be sure to take it as I am opposed to the feeling of my brain being pulled out from my spine:) I will also refrain from jumping to conclusions, thanks again.