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Do I have MS?

Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 6:20 pm
by wolfrunner
Hello. I have been having weird symptoms for years and always end up thinking it is anxiety or being a hypochondriac since the doctors never find an explanation.

I don't know if everything is related but I remember in my twenties after heavy aerobic exercise, feeling light headed, dizzy, and having blurry vision. In my thirties, about 5 years ago, I started having numbness in my left foot. At that time, i also noticed a really increased effect of exercise on my symptoms. Sometimes i would feel like I had the flu for the next day or even two days afterwards. I had an EMG and brain, spine MRI and they only saw mild athritis in the back.

After not exercising for years, I am trying to run and although i occasionally would have the numbness in my foot, it is now up and down my leg and at times it feels funny to walk, as if my leg is not working right. I am also having some back pain and cramping in the muscles. Also, now it feels as if numbness or tingling is happening along the right side of my back and down the right arm.

It seems as if the worsening symptoms coincided with my new running regimen. I am hoping it is only arthritis or disc problems but i am not sure if that would explain the exercise intolerance. I have read some of the posts here and like one of them, i was always fine lifting weights. It seems that exercise that goes anaerobic is the problem. Swimming was always tough. I can swim a couple of laps and then would have to rest a minute. If i pushed to hard I could expect to feel worn out for a day. I have always thought it could be a lactic acid metabolism problem.

Anyway, i am sorry to ramble but just wanted to know if this is how MS usually starts? What should i ask my doctor to do and should i ask to see a doctor who specializes in MS?

Thanks

Re: Do I have MS?

Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 7:40 pm
by jimmylegs
hi, welcome to the forum. here's where my brain went upon reading your post:

Nutritional Aspects of Immunosuppression in Athletes
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/a ... 3/art00002
The literature suggests that a heavy schedule of training and competition leads to immunosuppression in athletes, placing them at a greater risk of opportunistic infection. There are many factors which influence exercise-induced immunosuppression, and nutrition undoubtedly plays a critical role. Misinterpretation of published data and misleading media reports have lead many athletes to adopt an unbalanced dietary regimen in the belief that it holds the key to improved performance. Some sports have strict weight categories, whilst in others low body fat levels are considered to be necessary for optimal performance or seen as an aesthetic advantage. This leads some athletes to consume a diet extremely low in carbohydrate content which, whilst causing rapid weight loss, may have undesirable results which include placing the athlete at risk from several nutrient deficiencies. Complete avoidance of foods high in animal fat reduces the intake of protein and several fat-soluble vitamins. On the other hand, diets with a very high carbohydrate content are usually achieved at the expense of protein.
In addition, anecdotal and media reports have often promoted the supposed performance benefits of certain vitamins and minerals, yet most athletes do not realise that micronutrient supplementation is only beneficial when correcting a deficiency, and to date there is little scientific evidence to substantiate claims that micronutrients act as an ergogenic aid. Moreover, excessive intakes of micronutrients can be toxic.
Deficiencies or excesses of various dietary components can have a substantial impact on immune function and may further exacerbate the immunosuppression associated with heavy training loads. This review examines the role of nutrition in exercise-induced immunosuppression and the effect of both excessive and insufficient nutrient intake on immunocompetence. As much of the present literature concerning nutrition and immune function is based on studies with sedentary participants, the need for future research which directly investigates the relationship between exercise, training, immunity and nutrition is highlighted.

Exercise and mineral status of athletes: calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and iron
http://ukpmc.ac.uk/abstract/MED/7658944 ... HAYAcOeR.0
Calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and iron are important to a wide variety of body functions, such as mineralization of bones, serving as cofactors to many enzyme systems, sustaining muscle and nerve excitation, and, in the case of iron, maintaining the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood. Many female athletes consume less calcium than the recommended dietary allowance (RDA). This is of concern because of the need to achieve peak bone mass during adolescence and the possible relationship of poor calcium intake to stress fractures. Athletes appear to have adequate magnesium and phosphorus status. However, those athletes who are on calorie-restricted diets may not be ingesting sufficient quantities of magnesium and possibly phosphorus. Limited data have suggested that magnesium status is indirectly related to strength improvement as well as the incidence of muscle cramps. Acute ingestion of phosphorus (phosphate loading) has been shown to improve aerobic capacity. Iron depletion is common in female athletes but similar to the general population. Iron supplements are of health benefit, but of questionable performance benefit, to those who are iron depleted and nonanemic. To maintain optimal status of these minerals, it is recommended that nutrient rich foods be ingested including dairy products and foods high in heme iron.

if you have access to tests, there are target levels for many of the listed nutrients available here:
http://www.thisisms.com/forum/regimens- ... tml#p15460
(scroll down to bloodwork, subsection targets)

something to consider perhaps. have your docs ever ordered tests for serum ferritin, magnesium, calcium etc? any other nutrients?

Re: Do I have MS?

Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2012 7:52 pm
by shadyrn
I completely understand your thinking that it's anxiety or you being a hypochondriac! I feel like that a lot, and being a nurse makes it worse- I imagine all sorts of things! I am new to this forum, no diagnosis, just looking for some input. Hang in there, that's all I'm doing right now!