Wondering if its MS like my family members who have it

[Moleigh]

Hi, My Aunt has MS, and my dad (her brother). I am 32 although I started having symptoms several years ago, off and on. They always seem to come and go. I'll be fine for months and then what I call flare ups happen and can last for days-weeks. I know MS is hard to diagnose. My Aunt told me that her MRI didn't show any lesions. Mine doesn't either. Blood test rules out Lupus and major types of arthritis. Did show I'm low in vitamin D. I can get sharp shooting pains and feet, hands, legs. Currently my hip is in pain and its uncomfortable to walk, particularly up or down steps. The pins and needles, falling asleep feeling happens often throughout every day in my feet, legs, hands and arms. I have developed black floaters in my vision. I get dizzy sometimes or its like I lose my balance because everything spins for a moment. I can be very tired all the time even when I get a good nights sleep. My body doesn't handle heat well at all. I get drained out very easily and have to be careful not to overdo it in the heat. I can become weak easily, not able to exert a lot of strength or energy. Sometimes my hands cramp up when I do things like scrubbing or occasionally when gripping/holding a handle. And its like I have to pry my fingers straight again because theyre stiff. Sometimes I notice that there's places in my back that go numb for what seems like a few moments, then it goes back to normal. Ive also noticed that there are seasons where i have to pee during the night or what seems like i still need to go even though ive already gone! I see a chiropractor for these symptoms, particularly the last straw was migraines, and it has helped alleviate some of the discomfort. However, the symptoms are still there... I'm curious if it could be early signs of MS since it does run in the family. When I was in hospital last time 2 separate staff, onwe nurse and another a doctor asked at different times if MS runs in the family. So it was on the radar, but no one has referred me to a neurologist. I sometimes wonder if I should look into it further to get a diagnosis (or not) to have confirmation or closure. Because during the flare up times of whatever is going on, I feel miserable sore and tired out. I'd like to meet per say other people who are in the same boat and learn what they're doing and how to cope with the unknown!

[lyndacarol]

My Aunt has MS, and my dad (her brother). I am 32 although I started having symptoms several years ago, off and on. They always seem to come and go. I'll be fine for months and then what I call flare ups happen and can last for days-weeks. I know MS is hard to diagnose. My Aunt told me that her MRI didn't show any lesions. Mine doesn't either. Blood test rules out Lupus and major types of arthritis. Did show I'm low in vitamin D. I can get sharp shooting pains and feet, hands, legs. Currently my hip is in pain and its uncomfortable to walk, particularly up or down steps. The pins and needles, falling asleep feeling happens often throughout every day in my feet, legs, hands and arms. I have developed black floaters in my vision. I get dizzy sometimes or its like I lose my balance because everything spins for a moment. I can be very tired all the time even when I get a good nights sleep. My body doesn't handle heat well at all. I get drained out very easily and have to be careful not to overdo it in the heat. I can become weak easily, not able to exert a lot of strength or energy. Sometimes my hands cramp up when I do things like scrubbing or occasionally when gripping/holding a handle. And its like I have to pry my fingers straight again because theyre stiff. Sometimes I notice that there's places in my back that go numb for what seems like a few moments, then it goes back to normal. Ive also noticed that there are seasons where i have to pee during the night or what seems like i still need to go even though ive already gone! I see a chiropractor for these symptoms, particularly the last straw was migraines, and it has helped alleviate some of the discomfort. However, the symptoms are still there... I'm curious if it could be early signs of MS since it does run in the family. When I was in hospital last time 2 separate staff, onwe nurse and another a doctor asked at different times if MS runs in the family. So it was on the radar, but no one has referred me to a neurologist. I sometimes wonder if I should look into it further to get a diagnosis (or not) to have confirmation or closure. Because during the flare up times of whatever is going on, I feel miserable sore and tired out. I'd like to meet per say other people who are in the same boat and learn what they're doing and how to cope with the unknown!

Welcome to ThisIsMS, Moleigh.

You say that a blood test has found that you are low in vitamin D. How "low" is low? Do you have, or can you obtain, the actual test result number? What is your doctor doing about your low vitamin D?

Have your aunt and your dad had the vitamin D blood test called "25-hydroxy D"? It may be that vitamin D deficiency, rather than MS, "runs in the family" – vitamin D deficiency has been linked to 4 particular genes.

Canadian researchers recently reconfirmed the link between vitamin D deficiency and MS, noting that patients who have genetic variations that cause them to have low vitamin D levels are far more likely to develop the disease. (So far, four genetic variations have been found that appear to cause low vitamin D.)
According to co-author Dr. Brent Richards, the researchers "feel that the evidence we have supports a causal relationship, but it does not prove it." :
Genetically lowered 25OHD level is associated with an increase in the risk of MS in people of European descent.
http://www.greenmedinfo.com/article/gen ... e-european

…Four SNPs were genome-wide significant for 25OHD level (p-values ranging from 6× 10-10 to 2 × 10-109), and all four SNPs lay in, or near, genes strongly implicated in separate mechanisms influencing 25OHD.

CMAJ September 1, 2015
Craig Moore, a neuroscience researcher at Memorial University of Newfoundland, questions whether vitamin D supplementation would benefit those with this type of genetic variance, saying:9
"Is their body going to do what it needs to with vitamin D? It's not going to exert the effects that it otherwise would."

Vitamin D deficiency can result in ANY symptom in ANY system of the body. In other words, your symptoms could be the result of your vitamin D level.

[Snoopy]

Hi Moleigh,

What MRIs did you have, brain, spine or both? Have you been to an Ophthalmologist regarding your eye floaters? Usually eye floaters are normal but rarely, they can indicate something more serious. Eye floaters have nothing to do with MS.

There is a diagnostic criteria for Multiple Sclerosis, The Revised McDonald Criteria. This criteria relies heavily on MRI evidence. There are many conditions that can cause similar symptoms as those seen in MS. Part of the diagnostic criteria requires all other possible causes for a persons symptoms be ruled out. If you are concerned about MS you would need to see a Neurologist and go through the diagnostic process. Symptoms alone will not give answers.

Sometimes my hands cramp up when I do things like scrubbing or occasionally when gripping/holding a handle. And its like I have to pry my fingers straight again because theyre stiff.

MS can cause contractures which can happen with spasticity. In my case I had been using a spray bottle to do some cleaning, my fingers kept cramping/hurting and I would switch hands. I finally had to stop cleaning. Went to sit down and without warning my fingers curled inward, my hand bent in ward to my wrist and my arm bent at the elbow. There was absolutely could not bend anything back to a normal position I was quite literally stuck in that position until I applied heat and took a "hopefully" quick acting medication to relax my muscles.

If your hand cramping was due to MS you would not have been able to pry your fingers open.