New here, still looking for a diagnosis
Posted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 5:25 pm
Hi, I'm Lesley. I'm 28 years old and have been dealing with symptoms of something since I was 21. Just recently, (in the past 3 months) I was diagnosed with a gluten allergy and endometriosis. After 7 years I finally thought my symptoms would go away, but they haven't. So I guess I'll start from early on with symptoms and maybe someone can help me out with whether MS should be considered a possibility. I first started getting numbness and tingling in my arms and legs. Some nights I would wake up in the middle of the night and one of my arms would be in the most excruciating pain ever - like I had been clenching my muscles all night and it was so sore and painful. My husband would debate on calling an ambulance because I would be crying in so much pain. I have two bulging discs in my back from a car accident I was in when I was 11 years old, but from what my doctors always tell me I shouldn't be in as much pain as I am with my back. I always attributed my numbness, tingling, waking up at night, etc to my back injuries. Of course, I'm allergic or sensitive to every type of pain medication so I am currently unable to take anything for my back. I went to an urgent care facility a couple days ago for sciatica pain and he gave me steroids, which helped slightly, but I'm still in pain. I get blurred vision episodes from time to time, but I've always attributed that to wearing contacts. Last week was the first time it really scared me. I was at work and my right eye was so blurry that I couldn't see out of it at all, and the color was so washed out looking. I thought I was going blind! It was just so blurry and pale, and it lasted a few hours. I didn't tell anyone at work because I just started this new job and I wanted to make a good impression, so I fumbled through the procedure. But I often times get blurry vision where I'm doing something and I just can't focus on what I'm looking at. Not sure if that's MS related, but it's annoying and scary! Another thing I've noticed myself over these past 7 years is that I have become increasingly more and more clumsy. I drop things often and run into tables and walls all the time. I get so embarrassed at work when I drop a blood sample or sharp scissors! Even at home I drop things all the time. I used to get really severe joint pain where I couldn't grip anything, but that has since gotten better since I've been gluten free and am on vitamin D supplements. (I was tested and had a severe vit D deficiency). Now things just slip right out of my hands. I get migraines and headaches often, I'm always tired after work - like to the point where I CANNOT stay awake. My husband and I get into fights over the fact that I'm always tired. I was also told a few months ago that I could possibly have fibromyalgia due to the fact that when I run into things or my dog jumps up on my leg, (etc) it hurts like crazy - like way more than it seems like it should. Its like a stinging pain that lasts a while and sometimes I drop to the ground. My husband probably thinks I'm the biggest drama queen ever, but sometimes I wish he could feel and see what I feel and see. Even right now I'm having a hard time focusing my eyes and its blurred and pale in color.
At my new job, I have a coworker who's wife has MS and celiac disease, and he mentioned to me that I should talk to a doctor to get tested for it. I moved out to Arizona a couple years ago and haven't quite gotten myself a regular doctor that I feel like I can trust yet, so I'm having a hard time with that. Her doctor is in California and there isn't any way I can make it out there enough to be seen by him. I'm just looking for someone who has MS and deals with the symptoms to give me their opinion about what I'm experiencing and if it at all seems like a possibility for me. I've probably left some symptoms out, but those are the majority of things.
Sorry this is so scattered. I'm having trouble seeing now and feel like I should end this before it gets messy! Thanks for listening/reading this and I look forward to meeting all of you and hearing your opinions.
At my new job, I have a coworker who's wife has MS and celiac disease, and he mentioned to me that I should talk to a doctor to get tested for it. I moved out to Arizona a couple years ago and haven't quite gotten myself a regular doctor that I feel like I can trust yet, so I'm having a hard time with that. Her doctor is in California and there isn't any way I can make it out there enough to be seen by him. I'm just looking for someone who has MS and deals with the symptoms to give me their opinion about what I'm experiencing and if it at all seems like a possibility for me. I've probably left some symptoms out, but those are the majority of things.
Sorry this is so scattered. I'm having trouble seeing now and feel like I should end this before it gets messy! Thanks for listening/reading this and I look forward to meeting all of you and hearing your opinions.