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Joined: Apr 09, 2005 Posts: 15 Location: Slovenia, Europe
Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 1:46 pm Post subject: Temporary paralysis - ten second flashes
Hi to all,
I have a question. For about a month I'm getting partial temporary paralysis to my left hand and parts of my face - mostly lips, chin and the right eye. It happens every few (15 or so) minutes for about 10 seconds - I can't use my left hand, can't speak, I kind of freeze. After 10 seconds or so I get well again.
It's a strange feeling during the "flash" - like having local anaesthesia. I can move my hand though, but the strength is very limited and I hardly have any control. The sensority is almost gone at the time. For example, I can't open a bottle at the time. Even worse, i've dropped plenty of things when it happened, like a cell phone.
Let me mention that I have MS diagnosis for more than 4 years. I'm not on any meds for now even though I've had a fair share of exacerbations - sometimes 5 a year, sometimes none for more than a year. I can still run and ride a bike though, for example. My exacerbations are usually very "slow" (few months) and the remission is never complete. I have had 14 or so lesions on the last MRI.
I also believe that MS is a consequence, not a cause itself. I'm looking at my cause and this may have something to do with it. I'm wondering: has anyone had similar symptoms? What could they mean? Any suggestions? I'm about to call my GP and neuro this week or so since this doesn't get better.
Thank you for your answers.
P.S.: just an anecdote. A friend (who was working in USA) got MS. It was progressing very fast, even faster when she got on Copaxone. She was a biotech post-graduate student (she's PHD now). She was on a wheelchair in few years or even less. She was very much interested in her condition and did not believe that she has MS. She convinced the doctors and together they found the cause for her "MS". As I know she had an operation (don't ask me what exactly was wrong because I don't know) and she recovered completely. She works in Sweden as I know, I didn't hear from her since she got well.
Just some hope. If she wasn't so curious and determined she would probably be dead today - of MS ofifcially. I believe there's a cause for each of our MSes but nobody will come to us and help us - we have to help ourselves and each other. And forums like this can help (I also have a forum for MSers in my country, for 4 years).
Joined: Apr 09, 2005 Posts: 15 Location: Slovenia, Europe
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 12:45 pm Post subject:
No ideas?
I'm thinking of some possible reasons:
- mini relapses/remissions (but 10 seconds??? - that's what should be called RRMS!)
- MS is causing some kind of ...lepsy (like "narcolepsy" - but only some parts of my body falls asleep)
- it isn't MS at all, something else is causing this (but has to be in CNS because it affects hand and face at the same time) - any ideas here? Any possibility of blood flow problems - some areas don't get enough blood for short periods of time?
- please help with further ideas!
I called my neuro. He finds my problems strange but still thinks that they're caused by MS. He recommended corticosteroids but I didn't feel much better after them the first time (5g in 6 days; had quite severe depression after that). He still didn't mention any CRABs... I'm also not too keen about them even though they are fully covered from the insurance in our country.
Did anyone of you have this kind of problems? Should I ask anywhere else? I doubt that someone would think of MS with (only) my problems...
Joined: May 04, 2006 Posts: 3395 Location: Mid-Michigan
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 1:34 pm Post subject:
Hi Damjan,
I've gone through your posts and I don't see that you've ever specifically mentioned whether or not you've been officially diagnosed with MS.
I've never heard of anything similar to what you're talking about being associated with MS but these spells might be causing permanent damage and might be something which could be controlled upon correct diagnosis.
You definitely should be telling this stuff to your neuro immediately if not sooner.
Bob _________________ Wife diagnosed with MS in Feb. 2006 and is a participant in the Tovaxin IIb clinical trial.
Joined: Apr 09, 2005 Posts: 15 Location: Slovenia, Europe
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 1:52 pm Post subject:
I do have official diagnosis for 4 years (based on my neurological status, positive MRI, LP and SEP). Had second MRI scan last year, which confirmed the diagnosis (14 or so lesions).
I talked to my neuro over the phone but he thought it was weird too. I'm not sure what tests should I do next to get the "correct" diagnosis, he didn't mention any other diagnostics...
Joined: Sep 11, 2007 Posts: 677 Location: southern California
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 1:59 pm Post subject:
Facial paralysis and Bell's Palsy are found in Lyme disease. Have you had a complete blood work up for Lyme? Not just western blot, but the whole shebang. Igenex labs in northern California do a thorough test. A Lyme literate doc can help. We had my husband tested and he was negative.
Sometimes our hunches are ways our body talks to us. Good for you for listening.
wishing you the best,
AC
PS...not responding to steroids, and a worsening of conditions, are often a sign of Lyme disease, as well. _________________ Husband diagnosed RRMS March 2007
pursuing endothelial healing
Copaxone, Swank, supplements, laughter
Joined: May 04, 2006 Posts: 3395 Location: Mid-Michigan
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 2:09 pm Post subject:
No one here is competent to diagnose the situation but I will comment that it's interesting that my Mom has Alzheimer's and recently has been experiencing some type of seizures that her doctors are at a loss to explain (not that they're willing to spend a lot of time thinking about the situation when it involves an old lady in a nursing home )
During the course of researching that situation I found that about any type of brain damage causes an increased risk of epilepsy, of which there are a multitude of different types of seizures. As it turns out, epilepsy rates are much higher in Alzheimer victims. I've never read any info specific to MS/epilepsy incidence but it stands to reason that would also be higher than normal.
Of course that is nothing more than something to consider.
Additionally, it's never been proven but it "seems" that migraines and MS share a special relationship. The symptoms of migraines are varied and aren't limited to only headaches.
Bob _________________ Wife diagnosed with MS in Feb. 2006 and is a participant in the Tovaxin IIb clinical trial.
Joined: Apr 09, 2005 Posts: 15 Location: Slovenia, Europe
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 2:38 pm Post subject:
Thank you both for sharing your thoughts.
First, I have been tested for Lyme. CSF and blood tests were negative during my first real relapse in 2004... I'm from Europe though (Slovenia), thank you for not noticing . Maybe I should repeat the test...
Second, I'm 28 (I know, I didn't mention before, sorry). Isn't it a little early for Alzheimer's?
Joined: May 04, 2006 Posts: 3395 Location: Mid-Michigan
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 2:48 pm Post subject:
cheerleader wrote:
I think Bob is referring to brain damage and seizures, which can happen at any age. (Bob, so sorry your Mom is having a tough time of it.)
Thanks AC, and you're absolutely right. I was only referring to the possibility/liklihood? that neural damage from MS makes epilepsy more common and that misfiring and short circuiting neurons might be responsible for what Damjan is experiencing.
Bob _________________ Wife diagnosed with MS in Feb. 2006 and is a participant in the Tovaxin IIb clinical trial.
Seizures can cause involuntary changes in body movement or function, sensation, awareness, or behavior. A seizure can last from a few seconds to status epilepticus, a continuous seizure that will not stop without intervention. Seizure is often associated with a sudden and involuntary contraction of a group of muscles. However, a seizure can also be as subtle as marching numbness of a part of the body, a brief loss of memory, sparkling or flashes, sensing an unpleasant odor, a strange epigastric sensation or a sensation of fear. Therefore seizures are typically classified as motor, sensory, autonomic, emotional or cognitive.
So it looks like a kind of a seizure - I'd say electrically overloaded part of the brain. I do lose ability to speak normally and full awareness during the flash. These are probably caused by MS (look at the possible causes of seizures - one of them is MS).
Now I'd really have to find the cause for my MS because it's causing me more and more troubles. Sound like a simple task but... Where should I start? _________________ Best regards!
A healthy person wants it all. An ill person wants only one thing.
Joined: May 04, 2006 Posts: 3395 Location: Mid-Michigan
Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 7:23 am Post subject:
Damjan wrote:
Now I'd really have to find the cause for my MS because it's causing me more and more troubles. Sound like a simple task but... Where should I start?
If you are able to find the cause of yours or anyone else's MS there are a lot of us who will bestow you with valuable gifts and throw great sums of money your way.
Damjan wrote:
Where should I start?
I'd suggest that you don't start at the same place as the thousands of researchers who have approached this simple task through the last 150 years
Bob _________________ Wife diagnosed with MS in Feb. 2006 and is a participant in the Tovaxin IIb clinical trial.
I do have the same flashes as you detail but in my leg, and they have been happening for about 2 years. Sometimes they get more frequent, I guess that's stress related. I don't have any other symptoms with the flashes though.
I told my neuro about it last time we met but she just shrugged it off.
I am seeing her again soon and will mention it again but I am not expecting any positive response!
Joined: Apr 09, 2005 Posts: 15 Location: Slovenia, Europe
Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 11:28 am Post subject:
Thank you for your post. I'm obviously not the only one.
Sorry to hear that you're not getting better for two years... How long do your "flashes" usually last? Can you walk at that time? I lose my strength almost completely during those 10 seconds and if it were my leg I would have to stop and hold to something...
Did you have any brain scanning - like EMG - to show what is going on during the flash?
Actually my first ever ms symptoms were when I completely lost feeling in one leg - just for a few seconds. My leg gave way as I was walking and it was quite distressing. This was in 1989 and I was not diagnosed until 2005 as the symptoms cleeared up by the time I saw a neurologist.
The more recent ones are much lighter, and only affect my calf - there is no loss of use as with the initial ones years ago.
I just feel a momentarty loss of sensation.
Sorry that I cannot help further.
Best wishes - I hope you are able to get some answers.
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. Maybe I should repeat the test...
