Could this be MS?

[BlsdMama]

Female, age 39, and I have drop foot (right side) and a very akward running gait. The gait and drop foot are new to late this summer. I have ZERO pain, no discomfort. I'm stiff when I wake up but, honestly, have been since we got this memory foam mattress. Leg n the lower thigh, above the knee, has been spastic in COLD weather for about two years.

I am not the most observant person in the world, so, potentially I'm missing symptoms if they are mild. The pins & needles sensation comes to mind. Once I realized that is a symptom I have noticed that sensation several times this week, but rarely lasting longer than 10 minutes. Seems random.

DH finally talked me into going to the doctor - no particular weakness noted, was able to dorsal flex my feet pretty evenly. This was three weeks ago. He referred me to a neuro and scheduled the EMG.
Got to the EMG and the neuro gave me a quick checkover before proceeding. I could not dorsal flex evenly, but not terrible. She checked my reflexes and they were incredibly overactive on the right side, not just my leg. She cancelled the EMG and I go into her office on Wednesday and then she will schedule the MRI.

I am not sensitive to heat. I am not experiencing trembling, vision problems, numbness. I do experience some "pins & needles" but only occasionally w/o explanation and it doesn't last terribly long. I have no family history of anything like this.

Thoughts?

[lyndacarol]

DH finally talked me into going to the doctor - no particular weakness noted, was able to dorsal flex my feet pretty evenly. This was three weeks ago. He referred me to a neuro and scheduled the EMG.
Got to the EMG and the neuro gave me a quick checkover before proceeding. I could not dorsal flex evenly, but not terrible. She checked my reflexes and they were incredibly overactive on the right side, not just my leg. She cancelled the EMG and I go into her office on Wednesday and then she will schedule the MRI.
....
Thoughts?

Welcome to ThisIsMS, BlsdMama.

Because vitamin D deficiency is so common today (some estimates are 70%) and because vitamin D deficiency can affect any system in the human body, I believe that doctors should be routinely ordering the "25-Hydroxy D" blood test routinely in patients.

If you have not had this blood test, please see your GP (or the neuro when you see her on Wednesday) and request one. Also, ask for your own copy of the test results – it is important to have the actual number.

[BlsdMama]

Had the neuro appointment today with history and workup. She feels this is most likely MS.
MRI is getting ordered with and without contrast.

She will do the blood tests after the MRI results.

Will the MRI give us a clue how severe this is?
And why am I not tired?

[BlsdMama]

They called - they want the MRI done Friday morning.


Can I ask you guys - is the rush normal?

My primary issue is walking. I failed my heel-toe walk this morning. I tripped during the normal walk, all of four feet. When she checked reflexes they were hyper again today and then she did something to the bottom of my foot that made it tremor/spasm. What was that?

I felt okay until they called back today with an MRI for Friday.

And because my problems do not include pain, vision, etc., does that mean it is more likely Primary?

[Scott1]

Hi,

It might be MS, and that is yet to be determined, so don't overcook things. I had similar symptoms when I was first diagnosed in the early 1990s. All they gave me was IV cortisone and sent me off. 18 months later I started on Avonex which I continued for 10 years before I decided not to use it. In 2014 I had a bad attack and recovered. I haven't taken any of the standard advice advice to use drugs but I do look after myself and think about what works and what doesn't.

Until that second attack I worked a high pressure job, raised three children and lived a normal life.

Rather than all of us guessing, it might wiser to wait till you have a diagnosis and check your doctors advice against the experiences we collectively have.

What you have described with your leg is what tight muscles do. No pain or vision problems is a good thing. Don't try to classify symptoms into neat boxes but do look to treat each symptom as its own little problem.

There's lots of different ways to look at things. Always try to work from certainty and build knowledge. There's plenty here to tap into so ask away but look for logical approaches not magic bullets.

Let us know what your doctor says, what tests were done and how your symptoms affect you.

Regards,

[NHE]

then she did something to the bottom of my foot that made it tremor/spasm. What was that?

That was likely a test of the plantar reflex. In young children, when the bottom of the foot is stroked, the foot and toes will curl up. This is called the Babinski reflex, or sign of Babinski if in an adult. However, in older individuals, the foot and toes should curl down. Sign of Babinski indicates neurological damage consistent with demyelination.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantar_reflex

[BlsdMama]

So, yes, she checked for that, but it was not what it was.

It was almost as though it was induced fasciculations. Is that possible? Is that an MS sign or something else?

[BlsdMama]

The update:

The foot thing is/was clonus.
I have hyperreflexia.


And, apparently NOT MS. MRI came back - white spots consistent with aging but no lesions on spine or brain.

What in the world? I can't imagine the drop foot or the spasms because I knew nothing about MS. I definitely can't imagine hyperreflexia or clonus. I am very, very grateful. Just confused.

[gu1928]

I hope and wishu you do not have MS
But I would suggest you get spinal tap as well
That might give more insight

[BlsdMama]

The MRI is clear of lesions.

I have hyerreflexia, spasticity, and clonus (although not severe.)

My leg has begun to twitch now above the knee.
She says not MS.
Had an EMG last week. Looks great.

This is not in my head. She told me she has no idea - suggested a second opinion.

This isn't ALS in an almost 40 year old woman, right? Like that would be C-R-A-Z-Y, right? I have LITTLE kids.

[LizardKing]

And, apparently NOT MS. MRI came back - white spots consistent with aging but no lesions on spine or brain.

White spots?
What sort of white spots, as FLAIR shows up as white spots on MRIs and indicates lesions.

[lyndacarol]

This is not in my head. She told me she has no idea - suggested a second opinion.

This isn't ALS in an almost 40 year old woman, right? Like that would be C-R-A-Z-Y, right? I have LITTLE kids.

I have no medical background, but I am quite certain that your symptoms are not "all in your head."

Also, I think the probability that you have ALS is quite slim.

Please retrieve my PM (private message) by clicking on "new messages" in the upper left-hand corner of this page.

[BlsdMama]

And, apparently NOT MS. MRI came back - white spots consistent with aging but no lesions on spine or brain.

White spots?
What sort of white spots, as FLAIR shows up as white spots on MRIs and indicates lesions.

We shall see.... I am really doubting the expertise of that particular neuro. I have an appointment Monday at the University. Since I last posted, I ended up in the ER. Went to urgent care and they sent me to ER for balance issues. I felt like I was walking on a ship essentially. And because I was having pain in my back/side and moving forwards to the ribs. The ER doc said it could be something called the MS girdle and said that she thinks this is MS, definitely not ALS. The spasticity in the leg is worse with cold, so obvious this time of year, lol.

Hopeful that Monday will bring more answers. The ER doc felt that the neuro at the U will repeat the MRI and probably do a spinal tap. We'll see. I'm feeling more confident that this is MS as I'm starting to have more of the "pins and needles" and tingling sensations in my right foot that is more classically MS.

So my question becomes, "And then what?" What do they then do to a newly dx'd MS patient? Can meds help this drop foot? Does a drop foot in MS get better? Because it has steadily gotten worse. I'm driving with two feet now and if it continues, I could foresee this stopping me from being able to drive.

[Snoopy]

And because I was having pain in my back/side and moving forwards to the ribs. The ER doc said it could be something called the MS girdle and said that she thinks this is MS

The "MS Hug" is muscle spasms of the intercostal muscles. This causes a feeling of having an overly tight rubber band going around you. It can make you feel as if you can't breath. The "MS Hug" isn't just a MS symptom and has other causes. Although an ER Dr. said she thinks it's MS it doesn't make it MS. A diagnosis of MS cannot be made by symptoms alone as there is no symptom exclusive to MS. The diagnostic criteria for MS relies heavily on MRI evidence.

A second opinion is never a bad idea. However, if your MRIs come back normal a diagnosis of MS will not be given.

[Snoopy]

Foot drop has different causes and treatment of it would depend on the cause. As far as MS; there are different walking devices that can be tried some find them helpful, some don't. Physical Therapy can sometimes be helpful but not always. There isn't any medication that will correct foot drop, in MS.