What was your first MS symptom?

[tara97]

paralysis. I was misdiagnosed with GBS and that prevented me from getting diagnosed because each time I had an attack of paralysis after that I kept calling it GBS and the doctors kept saying it looks more like MS to me. they saw a central nervous lesion 2 year later and said that it did not contrast so it must not be MS but all that really meant it that it was not the current cause of my symptoms. weird cuz after 8 years I finally looked at my ER report from the first attack and it said I had patchy sensory loss, asemetrical presentation and the babinski sign which are not indicative of a peripheral neuropathy.

[Wonderfulworld]

Extreme bouts of fatigue when I was 12, and tinnitus.

Next definite symptom was mild spasticity when wearing slip on shoes, age 16, my legs would cramp.
Not diagnosed until 25 and 38 now.

[scorpion]

As the jerk emergency room doctor put it at first: "a case of the dizzies".

[KrisROLLTIDE]

The symptoms that lead to diagnosis for me were numbness and weakness in my hands and my right leg. I was not able to write or use my hand for hardly anything. I had just had a baby who was 6 weeks old at diagnosis. After an MRI and spinal tap, MS it was. That was back in 2008. I have regained the use of my hands now but I still have the numbness but can deal with it if I can use them. I still have a great deal of fatigue but its improving. Looking back I had diplopia (my eye turned in) in 2000 which may have been MS that was undiagnosed. Best wishes to all going down this unknown path! Cheers.

[surfbird]

welcome to the boards! there is a wealth of great info and support here.

my first symptoms were an odd sensation of pressure at the base of my skull and a stiff neck. the next morning, and over the course of 4 days tingling spread from my hands to my whole body from the neck down and i lost all the feeling in my scalp and ears. tightness in my lower back began 2 days before they finally figured out what it was and has persisted on and off since (that was july). docs don't think it's spasticity, rather stress-related but I don't know. also, after steroid treatment for the numbness i developed eye issues - a cloud in my left eye and a flashing light every time i looked from side to side. i saw several eye doctors, all of which said it is not optic neuritis, but it is still present (improving) and gets worse when my body heat rises. hopefully it'll just keep getting better, and the back pain too!

[koopico]

First of all, welcome!

My first symptom, now that I look back, was a problem with my foot--I believe it might've been "drop foot." Next symptom was about four years later--neuralgia/nerve pain in my arm and leg. About four years after that, I had double vision, and that led to the diagnosis.

GL to you, and to everyone dealing with this!

[gainsbourg]

Extreme bouts of fatigue when I was 12, and tinnitus.

Fatigue can make life hell at such a young age - not to mention how scary tinnitus can be for the young. I know because I had both of those plus heat/bath fatigue.

[daverestonvirginia]

Numbness in my feet.

[bananana]

First symptom was complete numbness from the waist down, both legs, genital area included. Was 16 at the time (30 now). Doctors misdiagnosed me with GBS. Went away after a month or so. Then 6 months later I got a really bad case of optic neuritis in my right eye. Couldnt see a thing (luckily its never been as bad since). Finally diagnosed me w MS after a spinal tap

[leetz]

Fatigue!! (now I see this then I did not)...
burning sensation on the back of calf/legs

[Wendigo]

Looking back, the abnormal fatigue was the first sign while I was still trying to work, typing. It was like my battery went dead, I'd have to stop, take a nap or rest to continue work. My left hand had half the "speed" of the right and would cramp if I tried to make it work faster. My left thigh and leg became weaker and I began falling because they didn't "obey" normally. Those were the warm up signs to the first "attack," double vision, which sent me to the ER thinking I had had a stroke at some point.

I haven't worked since October 2007 and my former boss knew of my diagnosis of MS. We don't talk any more but I've often wished I could tell him that I wasn't lazy or just getting old. My job performance suffered a lot for at least a year from the fatigue and I finally quit before getting fired.

[mrbarlow]

Pins and needles in feet and occasionally hands - late spring 2010. Acute Optic Neuritis November 2010.

Cretins in NHS saw both and misdiagnosed. Had to come back to Saudi for proper diagnosis and treatment

[erinc14]

vertigo , i went to emergency and the doctor told me it was a virus. this was years before i heard of MS. now i wonder about other things when i was young .

[mud]

My first symptom as I remember was numbness from the waist down on my left side. I hate to be graphic but it was quite an unusual feeling when I wiped myself...after urination. Anyway this lasted about 3 weeks. Went to a neuro and they did the usual tests and came up with nothing. I had never heard of MS at this time. The next attack was in '94...I was hospitalized for what dr.s said was labyrinthitis. EXTREME vertigo. This lasted for over 3 months.
Vertigo seemed to follow me ever after.
Good luck...

[LoveActually]

Looking back now I would have to say it is my heat sensitivity. I've had it since I was a teen. But the kicker, what got me an appointment to see a neuro, good ole vertigo.