New here, thoughts on symptoms?

[marjo60]

Hi, I'm new here.
I would like some feedback. I'm a 62 yr old female and have been having a series of problems the last few years they seem to be leading to something neurological. I put my symptoms in google it leads me here.

I have been having dizzy spells for years. In the past couple of years I have had 3 faints. I tore my ACL and needed surgery with one. They chalked it up to getting up too quick and blood pressure dropping. During the same period I was having bladder and kidney infections. I also had vision trouble. The doctor called it an ocular migraine. Tests showed I lost some peripheral vision and color. A lot was chalked up to aging.

At the beginning of this year out of the blue I had a lightening bolt of pain in my lower spine lasting just seconds. A few days later it happened again and as days went on the episodes increased dramatically. As the spine pain increased it spread. All right sided but it wrapped around my back to hip to abdomen to groin. I saw an orthopedic and had an MRI that showed some problems with discs and arthritis and I started physical therapy and was referred to a pain management doctor. It was all down hill from there. Every week the pain was worse and I was weaker. I had injections in my spine, hip and SI joint with steroids for the pain. None did a thing. Pain only increased.

During one of my PT sessions I realized I was unable to lift my right leg when lying on the table. Then I tried to lift my pelvis up and it didn't move. I told my doctors and they didn't seem to think much of it.

I started noticing my right hand would shake when my pain was intense. Not on the left just the right. I noticed I was having problems swallowing. As the pain increased I was not able to stand for long. I remember saying I could on stand or walk for about an hour, then 45 minutes and now I am down to 10-15 minutes. I feel the pain in my lower spine and it spreads and then my right leg and hand shakes.
In the past few months I'll be talking with my husband and be at a loss for words.
My balance seems off. Usually when I wake a hand or foot is numb. Sometimes just sitting causes it.

I decided to see another orthopedic this week. I told him about the weakness on my right side. He had me lie on the table and the first thing he said was raise your "left" leg. I confidently went to do it and realized it wasn't cooperating. I was able to raise it a few shaky inches. Then he said right and it didn't go up at all just shook from trying.
He had me sit and checked reflexes. Knees, legs did not react. Feet, no reaction when he went up and down the bottom of my foot, no reaction. I'm new to this so I do not know the names of the tests.
The doctor said he felt my problem was neurological. He set up an appointment with a neurologist and an MRI of the brain for later this month.

I don't see a lot about pain in MS forums or sites. Pain is a huge part of what is happening to me. I really am not able to do anything that takes more than 10 minutes.
I'm editing this a bit. I just read this on another post.

"One thing you never mention was if you had dental work done recently before the problem started. Amalgam(mercury) fillings and root canals have been linked to MS"

I had 6 root canals a couple of months before all this started.

Any thoughts? Thanks, any input will be much appreciated.
Jo

[ElliotB]

You obviously have 'something', whether it is MS or something else needs to be determined at this point by doctors. Keep in mind that there are hundreds of diseases that mimic MS. When seeing a neurologist, be sure to see one that specializes in MS.

I would also suggest you get your vitamin levels checked by your doctor and you can also do a heavy metals panel at the same time.

While there is a chance the root canals are related, there is possibly no way of knowing for sure at this time.

Are you in good physical shape? Do you exercise regularly? Weight wise, are you around your ideal body weight? Are you following any type of special diet?

[marjo60]

Prior to that first lightening bolt of pain to the spine I was in my best shape ever. I worked out regularly with treadmill and weights. I had gotten all my strength back that I lost when I had my ACL surgery two years ago. My goal was to be better than I was before the surgery because I was turning 60. Last year we did a lot of traveling. We would walk for miles in some of the cities we visited. I would have a normal aching back but nothing serious. In the last couple of years I had not gained any of the weight I lost and stayed very active.

When I saw the orthopedic I was told to stop the weights and treadmill and just use the pool & do my PT.

I'm not sure if it's the 3 steroid injections for the pain, some of my meds say on the bottle weight gain or inactivity , but I have gained 20 lbs since the first of the year. My diet hasn't changed. If anything it has improved adding more fiber to help with constipation. Just before reading your post I had said to my husband I was going to treat myself today with a food I enjoy during the football game because tomorrow I'm going to have to get very strict with my diet to stop this out of control weight gain. My husband has joked, are you sure you're not sleep walking and eating?

The new orthopedic has told me do what I can tolerate. I know the treadmill won't be a possibility but I think I can start back on the weights very slow and do floor & pool work. Today I needed the walker to get to the living room. I took my pain medication and was able to get up and do a few chores without it.

[ElliotB]

What makes you think you may have a neurological disorder? Sound perhaps more like a spine issue, perhaps a pinched nerve or herniated disc. Have you tried a chiropractor?

At this point in time, you probably really need to see some good doctors.

[marjo60]

What makes you think you may have a neurological disorder? Sound perhaps more like a spine issue, perhaps a pinched nerve or herniated disc. Have you tried a chiropractor?

At this point in time, you really need to see some good doctors.

I spent the last 7 months seeing an orthopedic, pain management & going to PT.
I have had 3 steroid injections for pain that brought no relief what so ever.
I have had MRIs done. Yes, I have back issues. None that should cause the amount of pain I have or cause me not to be able to raise my legs when lying down. He pointed out how I shake when trying to perform tasks. He said that is neurological.
I changed orthopedics because I was concerned with the weakness on my right side. Sometimes my hand shakes so much I can't get food to my mouth before it shakes off fork. On exam I didn't respond well to the physical test the doctor performed. He suggested what I had been thinking, my problem might be neurological. I had not said a word to him about what I thought until after he brought it up.

[ElliotB]

Perhaps you have other back issues that you are not aware of. Or perhaps you have something else.