This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Knowledge & Support Community

I'm sure you guys get many people on here asking if these are the symptoms of MS. So please forgive me for being another intruder with odd symptoms and no diagnosis. But I'm freaking out here.
I know some of this stuff is symptoms, but I'm not sure about other things.

Let me tell you a little about myself. My name is Sherry. I'm a 33 yr old mother to four children. Ages 14-4. I'm married and live just outside of Saint Louis, Mo. In 06, I was hospitalized for extreme dizziness that lasted for weeks. Fatigue, and muscle cramps. A house doctor blamed it on High blood pressure. (Even though I've told him I I didn't think that was it!) I insisted something was wrong, no one listened. They put me on blood pressure meds, this brought my blood pressure down, 2 weeks later, I seen a neurologist because it continued, even after the BP was lowered. The Neuro blamed it on depression, even after I went in with a long list of stuff I'd been experiencing. No tests were ever done. I assume all blood work came back normal from the hospital. However, I've since gotten bloodwork from that stay and my thyroid was high and they didnt' tell me!

These are my current medical conditions and medications currently being taken:
Hypothyrodism. (My last TSH was 9.2%) - take Synthroid .112mmg
High blood pressure - take Micardin HCT 40mg/12.5mg
Insomnia - Ambien CR 12.5mg
Depression - Zoloft 100mg

6 weeks ago, I began having syptoms of :
1) my back in the mid to upper going numb/tingling. (Not totally numb) this has now went to my legs and arms. But stays mostly in my back.
2) Weakness in my lower arms and hands. Both, but mostly my left hand.
3) Severe insomnia
4) Dizziness 2-4 hours per day, if not more.
5) Severe headaches. Mostly on my left side of my head.
6) feelings of bugs crawling on my arms and legs. Mostly my legs though.
7) Increased Irritibility. (I feel like I'm PMS'ing 24/7)
8) for almost 2 months was sweating profusely all the time. Night sweats. However, has recently turned into me being cold all the time.
9) Severe Hip pain. (Had Xray and Doc says its okay. thinks its siatic nerve) Can't get comfortable at anytime!)
10) Frequent 'charlie horse' cramping in legs and thigh muscles.
11) Increased fatique. (This comes along with the hypothyroidism, but this is much more intense!) When I do lay down and try to sleep, I have severe insomnia!)
12) Numbness in fingertips
13) Eye pain (had to remove contacts and have not been able to wear them since)
14) double vision
15) Excessive thirst for water only!

I've also lost 18lbs in 5 weeks. I'm sure this has to do with my med of synthroid and getting my thryroid under control, but its still kinda scary since I've never been able to lose any weight. I'm NOT diabetic! (Been checked for that!)

Last Tues, I was admitted into the hospital for these awful headaches. For two days they were excruciating painful! And the double vision, dizziness. They did a spinal tap and found little blood in my last tube of fluid. I was transferred to a larger facility. They thought i had bleeding on my brain. W/O an MRI they determined that I didn't. (they attempted one but I totally paniced and freaked out with the closed MRI!)
My doctor called a Neuro for an emergency visit. I got in Friday. After listing ALL symptoms on paper, like i did here. He listened to what I had to say! His exact words were that "I highly suspect an MS relapse". I brought in my records from the insident in 06 and this one from this week. He is doing a brain, neck and spine MRI with contrast next week. If this is not the case, he will rule out inner ear problems. (not infection) and then make sure its not all from my thyroid.

IF this is MS how long will all this last? Is this how I will feel forever? Or will this fade with time like my 06 incident did? Because this is lasting MUCH MUCH Longer and I feel 100 times worse. I can hardly do anything for my family and these headaches are killing me! Ive turned into a royal B&#%% and can hardly stand myself. I hope to have answers on the 30th when I go back. But until then, I'm left hanging. Unless the MRI's come back next week with something horrible that my doc can't wait to see me for. (I pray that it doesn't!)

After he mentioned MS, I've done my research on it. And it all sounds so scary, but very familiar. So, I'm freaking out. But I've reached a point of needing to know what is wrong with me. Does MS come and go, symptoms I mean? Or will there always be symtoms, just the severity come and go? Are all medications for MS injectible? Or is their oral meds?

I know I'm asking tons of questions, and I'm so sorry! I'm just so confused, and so scared......

Last night my back went numb, and my left shoulder felt like someone had rubbed ben gay all over it. It was an awful burning pain that lasted for hours. Also, my right shoulder has shooting pains that come and go.

Each of us probably has his own thoughts on your situation, Sherry; but each would probably start any advice with "Take a deep breath, Sherry." No one will offer a diagnosis online, even if we were physicians (which most are not).

I encourage you to find a doctor you trust, one who is willing to work with you. The St. Louis area must have many to choose from. Perhaps the local MS Society could help you find one? Or through your family doctor?

Start with a thorough exam, searching for possible causes for the symptoms you list. "Being cold" can be related to the thyroid, as you know. Dizziness, severe headaches, even eye pain...have your sinuses been checked? By the way, most of us have to have an MRI for diagnosis. (Since I have heard of people with claustrophobia or panic attacks inside the machine, I avoid the possibility by closing my eyes outside the machine, telling the technician that I will only open them again when I am out. And that is just what I do!!!)

There is no treatment to "fix" MS; scientists don't know what causes it yet; if MS is your ultimate diagnosis, you have time to calm down and do some reading up on it (and there is LOTS to read just at this website!).

As questions come to you, ask your friends here, search for answers, and share your findings with friends here. Welcome, Sherry, and our best to you.

Sherry...
The hardest part is the waiting and not knowing. We all understand. Since there's nothing to do until you have the MRI, try to focus on the here and now. Enjoy your family, practice lots of deep breathing, like Lyndacarol suggests.

The MRI will help the docs with your diagnosis. If the enhancement shows demyelinating spots on the brain and/or spine, they'll know more.

This could all very well be thyroid related. The vacillations in your thyroid levels going high to low and your symptoms sounds like Hashimoto's thyroiditis to me. I've got low thyroid and am on Armour thyroid supplement myself. Especially since you've given birth four times. Kids mess with our hormones The odds are much more probable for thyroid than MS.

Try to relax (hard, I know!) and fill us in after the MRI.
best,
AC

Sherry,

While you're waiting to hear back from the doctor, you could be doing some things in the mean time. There may be more than one thing going on here: thyroid problem, drug-interactions, possible MS, allergy or reaction to something. It could be a combination so see what you can eliminate:

1) Check with the pharmacist again to see if any of what you are
experiencing could be due to drug interactions since you are taking
several different drugs. Also check on the possible side-effects of
each.
2) Check for anything that might be irritating you, like mold, mildew,
a newly painted room, animal dander, something outside near the
house like poison ivy or some particularly irritating plant.
3) Have any of your children been sick lately?

Wesley

Thanks so much for all your kind words. I'm trying to stay calm and focus on the family in the moment. Although, I've felt like doing absolutely nothing over the last few days. I have very little use of my arms w/o them tiring out. And the dizziness and headaches have consumed me since Wed.

Actually, I've been taking all medications for at least a year. The only new thing added was the synthroid. And, I didn't notice a difference when I started taking it. I started with the back tingling/numbing and sensations of bugs crawlling on my legs right before I began taking that. It started spreading to my arms and legs a few days after being on synthroid. The headaches picked up in frequency right before syntrhoid too. The pain level of those headaches have shot up since being on synthroid. And I know that syntrhoid can cause headaches. I've done quite a bit of research on the hypothyrodism and synthroid. But I will check on the interactions with Zoloft and synthroid. Thanks! ;)

No one else has been sick in the house. Four kids are healthy. Hubby is healthy other than diabetes. Have had our dog for 14 years, I can't imagine it being an allergy to him since I've never had issues before related to allergies and dogs.

Trying not to panic and relax. Doc is supposed to call with MRI appointment today. Have to have those this week, as I see him next Monday.