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MS Symptoms. I think?

Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2014 9:23 am
by aannc
Hello,
I am a 19 year old girl with family history of MS. I was diagnosed with RLS when I was 10 which was super young. About a year ago my upper right thigh was bothering me like it was constantly sleeping and numb. When I went to the doctor he didn't run any tests just told me that I probably have a pinched nerve in my leg and that it'd go away. It did but periodically comes back. Starting early yesterday my left foot started doing the same thing. I haven't put it together until now, but I have been very fatigued the last year and I have had brain cloudiness and trouble concentrating. (This isn't due to lack of sleep, I get plenty of sleep and work out on a pretty regular basis.) I went to the doctor for depression and he put me on Meds, but I still have the cloudiness which I read can be a symptom of early MS. I also get headaches a lot and they last for days at a time sometimes. I always blame it on being tired, but the more I have researched MS I have been thinking differently. Right now I don't have health insurance until January because I am no longer qualified for state insurance (I live in Minnesota) and I am not included on my step mom's until January 1st. I know I may be just freaking out for no reason, but I was wondering if I have reason to worry and go get it checked out once I have insurance again or if I am just over thinking this all this?

Re: MS Symptoms. I think?

Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2014 12:24 pm
by Youarethecure
It could be, it couldn't be. This would all just be speculation.

Either way, live your life as happily as you can. Have as much fun as possible.... as often as possible ! haha

If it bothers you so much then go see a doctor and see what they have to say.

Re: MS Symptoms. I think?

Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2014 1:09 pm
by lyndacarol
aannc wrote:Hello,
I am a 19 year old girl with family history of MS. I was diagnosed with RLS when I was 10 which was super young. About a year ago my upper right thigh was bothering me like it was constantly sleeping and numb. When I went to the doctor he didn't run any tests just told me that I probably have a pinched nerve in my leg and that it'd go away. It did but periodically comes back. Starting early yesterday my left foot started doing the same thing. I haven't put it together until now, but I have been very fatigued the last year and I have had brain cloudiness and trouble concentrating. (This isn't due to lack of sleep, I get plenty of sleep and work out on a pretty regular basis.) I went to the doctor for depression and he put me on Meds, but I still have the cloudiness which I read can be a symptom of early MS. I also get headaches a lot and they last for days at a time sometimes. I always blame it on being tired, but the more I have researched MS I have been thinking differently. Right now I don't have health insurance until January because I am no longer qualified for state insurance (I live in Minnesota) and I am not included on my step mom's until January 1st. I know I may be just freaking out for no reason, but I was wondering if I have reason to worry and go get it checked out once I have insurance again or if I am just over thinking this all this?
Hello and welcome to ThisIsMS, aannc. Take a deep breath; try not to worry; you have physical symptoms that are not quite normal and you will have them checked out in time.

I agree with the advice given by another here:
go see a doctor and see what they have to say.
I would suggest you start with your GP (hopefully this is not the same doctor who didn't run any tests and brushed off your problem as a "pinched nerve"); take him a written list of all the symptoms you have listed for us here: RLS, numbness/tingling in your right leg/left foot; extreme fatigue; "brain cloudiness" a.k.a. brain fog; trouble concentrating; depression; headaches.

Your symptoms are common to many conditions. But since they are all consistent with a vitamin B12 deficiency, I hope the doctor will conduct testing to rule out that possibility first of all. Any person at any age (even 10 years old) can develop a B12 deficiency. You say you are a "girl with family history of MS" – B12 deficiency also runs in families.

The first test usually ordered is a B12 blood test (about $90) – this test alone is not adequate to determine if you have a deficiency. The tests to confirm or rule out a deficiency are #1 a homocysteine blood test and #2 a methylmalonic acid test (either a urinary or blood test). If your doctor will order blood tests, do not take B vitamin supplements before testing as these will skew the results. By the way, I think it is a good idea to request your own copy of any test results – so that you can have the actual numbers.

If the cause of your problems is found to be a B12 deficiency, it is easily and inexpensively treated. If caught early, symptoms are usually reversible.

You might want to check out this website: http://b12awareness.org/