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Could this be MS??

Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:37 pm
by jml945
I have had some very troubling symptoms for about 3 years now. It all started with very subtle things, tingling and weird feelings in my legs and arms, a constant eye twitch, feeling very tired. These would come and go over the course of a few days and would return with varying severity. I got tested for MS and other conditions and doctors said they ruled it all out.

Then about a year ago I had terrible panic attacks to where I thought I was dying. I thought maybe it was all just anxiety so I got put on lexapro and it seemed to help my panic attacks. But my physical pain just got worse. My legs seem to bother me a lot, my doctor said it is RLS. I get constant pain and I'm always trying to move them around, especially at night. Night time is the worse for leg pain, it seems nothing can relieve it.

I also have noticed that my vision goes through cycles where I have blurriness in one eye, my left one. I also see flashes and weird "hues" every so often.

I have a myriad of other symptoms that I have not mentioned, I could probably talk about them for many hours but I will spare everyone. Bottom line is I just don't feel right, I know something is wrong and I know it's not all anxiety. There has to be soemthing underlying that is causing this and I need to know if other people who have had MS had similar symptoms as me. I have gone the MS route before (thinking I had it) and the doctor told me no it wasn't that. But that was 3 years ago and things have changed drastically, for the worse. Should I talk to my doctor and force the issue? He seems set on the assumption that it's anxiety.

Not looking for a dx, I just need some opinions. Thanks!

Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 4:36 pm
by jimmylegs
have you thought about investigating your nutrient status? for starters, pain and d3 are pretty strongly linked...

Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 4:55 pm
by peaches
jml945

Was it a neurologists that ran the tests? What tests did they run? MRI's, blood, etc?

Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2009 10:46 am
by jml945
They ran everything, blood tests, MRI, spinal tap, EEG.... they said it all looked normal. But again, this was 3 years ago and my symptoms were mild compared to how they are now. All I had back then was occasional tingling in my legs and an eye twitch. Now I wish that was all I had!!

Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2009 10:58 am
by peaches
jml945 wrote:They ran everything, blood tests, MRI, spinal tap, EEG.... they said it all looked normal. But again, this was 3 years ago and my symptoms were mild compared to how they are now. All I had back then was occasional tingling in my legs and an eye twitch. Now I wish that was all I had!!
I would go back to the neurologist and tell him you are having more symptoms.

Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2009 11:03 am
by jml945
Part of the problem is that I moved since then, from MA to Texas. I would need to go to a new neurologist.

I'm just tired of people telling me it's all in my head. I just want to get a real diagnosis, whatever that might be, and move on with my life.

Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2009 2:33 pm
by jimmylegs
heya j, they rarely run tests for 'everything' esp when it comes to important nutrients, and esp not d3.. not 3 years ago i wouldn't think. maybe they're starting to include it now, but not every doc by a long shot, i wouldn't think.
also, everything looking 'normal' is a dangerous thing to accept when you are sick.
if the normal range for something is 140 to 360, and you as an ms patient fall at 190, there you are, 'normal'.
you could also be sitting smack on the 'ms patient' average result, while all the 'healthy controls' are up at 300.
fyi this example is about uric acid, an important antioxidant. it's not just for gout any more :) those are SI values btw.

Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 6:05 am
by jml945
What exactly is D3?

Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 11:17 am
by Wonderfulworld
Cholocalciferol - Vitamin D - called Vitamin D3.

Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 4:06 pm
by jimmylegs
yep cholecalciferol, d3's called a vitamin but isn't really.

the main nutrient that ms patients should be tested for during the diagnosis process is vitamin b12.

vit d3 is definitely one to monitor.
the lab test is "25-hydroxyvitamind3" or "25-hydroxycholecalciferol".
(not 1,25-dihydroxyvitamind3)

if you get results in nmol/L your target range is 100-250
if you get results in ng/mL you want to aim for the 40-100 range

hth,
JL