This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Knowledge & Support Community

Hi everyone,
I'm new to this site so please bare with me as am in terrible pain and as a result I am finding it hard to type.
My question is this, I an in severe pain right now and at first I thought it was just my lower back I have had injection after injection for my back but to no avail, I was then sent to a different Dr who suggested that ms might be the problem, He said that I had multiple places on my body that is totally sensitive and painful to the touch he also noticed that there was something wrong with me eyes and of course asked my about my vision which has become blurred/ double vision at times.
Some of these things have been going on for some time others years and I get them sporadically sometimes a year goes by others come and go more often, I do have many more symptoms but I'm sure your all board stiff at this stage.
I'm not sure this is M.S as I had a SPINAL FLUID test done about 10 years ago which was fine so does that mean it's NOT M.S??
I can not tell u how worried I am about this and to make matters worse I have no support on this subject ( only because I haven't told anyone)
I'm a woman aged 42 years , with a history of Polythecymia Vera and thyroid disorder which are under control at the moment.
Does that SPINAL test rule out M.S?????

LouLouxxx wrote:Hi everyone,
I'm new to this site so please bare with me as am in terrible pain and as a result I am finding it hard to type.
My question is this, I an in severe pain right now and at first I thought it was just my lower back I have had injection after injection for my back but to no avail, I was then sent to a different Dr who suggested that ms might be the problem, He said that I had multiple places on my body that is totally sensitive and painful to the touch he also noticed that there was something wrong with me eyes and of course asked my about my vision which has become blurred/ double vision at times.
Some of these things have been going on for some time others years and I get them sporadically sometimes a year goes by others come and go more often, I do have many more symptoms but I'm sure your all board stiff at this stage.
I'm not sure this is M.S as I had a SPINAL FLUID test done about 10 years ago which was fine so does that mean it's NOT M.S??
I can not tell u how worried I am about this and to make matters worse I have no support on this subject ( only because I haven't told anyone)
I'm a woman aged 42 years , with a history of Polythecymia Vera and thyroid disorder which are under control at the moment.
Does that SPINAL test rule out M.S?????

Welcome to ThisIsMS, LouLouxxx .

First, you may not have MS at all, but there is a possibility; it is an exclusionary diagnosis - made by ruling out other possibilities. Unfortunately, normal test results do not necessarily rule out MS (my first three MRIs were normal). IF you do have MS, you have found many supportive friends at this site.

I hope you have a good neuro (or a good GP) – one who is compassionate and enjoys being a "disease detective." Too often if you see a surgeon about a problem, he will find a solution only in surgery; if you see a neuro, he will only see the problem/solution in neurology. I read an article that summed this up well: "doctors are experts in, and only test for, those parts of the body in which they specialize."

#1 Compose a timeline and symptom list.
#2 At your next appointment hand it to the doctor and discuss it.
#3 Compare the plan you and your doctor develop to investigate your problem with the following suggestions from the University of Chicago:

http://peripheralneuropathycenter.uchic ... ndex.shtml

Blood tests

Blood tests are commonly employed to check for vitamin deficiencies, toxic elements and evidence of an abnormal immune response.

Depending on your individual situation, your doctor may request certain laboratory tests to identify potentially treatable causes for neuropathy. These include tests for:
Vitamin B12 and folate levels
Thyroid, liver and kidney functions
Vasculitis evaluation
Oral glucose tolerance test
Antibodies to nerve components (e.g., anti-MAG antibody)
Antibodies related to celiac disease
Lyme disease
HIV/AIDS
Hepatitis C and B

I think wheat/gluten sensitivity is involved in many neurological symptoms. Compare your symptoms to those listed below.

On 12/2/2013 Dr. Amy Myers, M.D. spoke about gluten sensitivity:
http://www.doctoroz.com/episode/gluten- ... t-epidemic

@4:00 Dr. Amy Myers, M.D., speaks on the newly-recognized warning signs of gluten sensitivity: headaches, migraines, inflammation causing brain fog, depression from nutrient deficiencies (zinc, iron, B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D), joint pain & arthritis, and skin rashes.


In part 2 of his 7-part presentation on celiac disease, Gary Kaplan, D.O.,described the 4 forms of the disease:


At 0:30 he says that the atypical/extraintestinal form includes minimal gastrointestinal symptoms AND may include:
iron deficiency/anemia
dermatitis herpetiformis
chronic fatigue
joint pain
infertility (I also had endometriosis.)
neurologic symptoms (ataxia, neuropathies)
vitamin deficiencies
ADD
osteoporosis/osteopenia
autoimmune disorders - complete list available at http://www.aarda.org/
migraines, headaches

I have no medical background; I offer these personal suggestions to begin your investigations.
All the best to you.