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This is all new and happening way too fast. I went to my neurosurgeon this week with a numb left arm, hand and fingers. Last time I had this problem it was the result of a ruptured disc in my neck which required immediate surgery. I assumed this would be the same case. During the examination I was asked numerous questions non-related to my neck and disc. Every question she asked I answered yes to, and I wondered how she knew that I was having that particular problem. She has me scheduled for an MRI and EMG in two weeks. I was given 5 scripts. One being a steroid pak (prednisone), something for muscle spasms, pain pills, neurontin, and 800 MG of Ibuprofin to begin after steroids pak. Two months ago I went to my opthamologist due to the onset of blurred vision. I was given a script for antibiotic drops. There has been no improvement. I have had major coordination problems the last two years, and have fallen many, many times. Problems swallowing for two years. Now I easily choke several days a week. I have lost 40 lbs in two years with absolutely no dieting. I have bladder and bowel leakage problems. I never put any of these symptoms together until this appointment when she asked the questions. I am 61 years old and worry that if it is MS it may already be at a progressed stage. The waiting is driving me insane. I cry every day. Could someone advise me if they feel, that I do in fact probably have MS. If not, what else could be? Thank you.

LSUFAN wrote:This is all new and happening way too fast. I went to my neurosurgeon this week with a numb left arm, hand and fingers. Last time I had this problem it was the result of a ruptured disc in my neck which required immediate surgery. I assumed this would be the same case. During the examination I was asked numerous questions non-related to my neck and disc. Every question she asked I answered yes to, and I wondered how she knew that I was having that particular problem. She has me scheduled for an MRI and EMG in two weeks. I was given 5 scripts. One being a steroid pak (prednisone), something for muscle spasms, pain pills, neurontin, and 800 MG of Ibuprofin to begin after steroids pak. Two months ago I went to my opthamologist due to the onset of blurred vision. I was given a script for antibiotic drops. There has been no improvement. I have had major coordination problems the last two years, and have fallen many, many times. Problems swallowing for two years. Now I easily choke several days a week. I have lost 40 lbs in two years with absolutely no dieting. I have bladder and bowel leakage problems. I never put any of these symptoms together until this appointment when she asked the questions. I am 61 years old and worry that if it is MS it may already be at a progressed stage. The waiting is driving me insane. I cry every day. Could someone advise me if they feel, that I do in fact probably have MS. If not, what else could be? Thank you.

Welcome to ThisIsMS, LSUFAN.

The first symptom you mentioned is "numb left arm, hand and fingers." As you may know, this is the definition of peripheral neuropathy, which is a common symptom in many conditions. In their guidelines for investigating the cause of peripheral neuropathy, the University of Chicago suggests the following:

http://peripheralneuropathycenter.uchic ... #bloodtest

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

Please notice that the first testing is to rule out a possible vitamin B12 deficiency. I hope this was done when this occurred before and ended in your disc surgery. (I had a similar situation, was diagnosed and had a cervical laminectomy performed in Rochester, Minnesota. Even the Mayo Clinic can make a mistake. In the two weeks of testing which led to my misdiagnosis, I was NOT tested for a B12 deficiency.)

If your GP, neurosurgeon, neurologist, or ophthalmologist has not ordered the initial four tests (#1 serum B12 test, #2 serum folic acid test, #3 serum homocysteine test, and #4 either a serum or urinary methylmalonic acid tests – the urinary test is considered to be more accurate), please request that these be done. Do not begin vitamin B supplementation before testing as this will skew the test results. Also, ask for your own copy of the test results.

I encourage you to read the book, Could It Be B12? An Epidemic of Misdiagnoses by Sally Pacholok, RN, BSN, and Jeffrey Stuart, D.O. Your symptoms are the very same as those found with a B12 deficiency.

If you have a vitamin B 12 deficiency, it is easily and inexpensively treated.

All the best to you; please let us know how it goes.

Here area some videos which will explain what is going on. If you have any disease the treatment on these videos work. It would be really sad if you get caught up in todays medical system. The medical system we have will not give you your health back. The doctors will not heal you. You have to do it.

I'm so sorry for what you're going through. I share many of the same symptoms and am currently undiagnosed. Feel free to PM me. Let us know how your testing goes. I sincerely hope you don't have MS, but if you do, you're in good hands with these folks -- they have a lot of wisdom to share.

Blessings,

Michele

I'm now experiencing the feeling of pins and needles piercing my body. Also, not exactly headaches, but pressure in my head that is very uncomfortable. When I first felt the pins/needle feelings I thought a bug was biting me. I finally went into the bathroom to look at my back to see where it had bitten me and there were no bite marks. Now, it has happened six days in a row. But the feelings are moving all over. The head pressure is also everyday but I'm controlling it with Ibuprofin 600 mg and robaxin 500 mg my MRI and ENG are not scheduled until 7/22. I feel like my entire body is failing me. I've even tried changing my style of shoes several times to see if it would improve my walking ability. I still walk uneven no matter how hard I try. I always end up moving toward the right. Never straight or left, but to the right.

LSUFAN:

The waiting is driving me insane.

Yes, I'm sure it is tough, to be sure.

In my experience, the doctors have been of less than zero help. And they have no explanations for the things I have found that do help.

I think you would feel a whole lot better if you had some control over your situation, some ideas about what is causing what. Please be aware that M.D's receive, on average, only 23.9 hours of training in nutrition. Nutrients are what the body is made out of and runs on, so that is an avenue to explore that will almost for certain not be addressed in a competent fashion by the doctors.