Not taken seriously... Pregnancy & "Too Young"!?

[ChelseaK1213]

Hello everyone! I need some advice.. I am 24 years old, and 24 weeks pregnant. I have had symptoms since I was 19 years old. Starting with right leg & rib/ side pain squeezing, tingling & numbness. My right leg has become increasingly more numb and weak as time passes. I have type 1 diabetes, and they diagnosed me with Peripheral neuropathy on only the right side. Also, the rib cage/ side pain they diagnosed me with intercostal neuralgia. ( I even got an intercostal nerve block, which did not help) I have been tested for EVERYTHING and nothing ever shows up. I have had an MRI a year or so ago of my brain which indicated I had lesions, but not enough to be classified as MS? My neurologist said I probably got them from migranes? The past couple months I have had more symptoms, and recently diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia as well, which has been going on years and was always put down to "sinus infections" until they paid attention to my actual symptoms (ice pick pain scalp to jaw, numbness and touch/cold air sensitivity). I have been to the ER so many times, and I never get any answers except that I am "too young" for any issues and essentially they think I am a drug seeker.. I feel like I am not being taken seriously one bit. The tingling, numbness and weakness has moved into my arm and is affecting my entire right side now. I am also experiencing right sided migranes and eye pain and eye blurriness on the right side(this is all new in the past few months). I think the main issue right now is that I am pregnant, so there isn't anything they can do. I contacted my neurologist who said that I should just wait until my scheduled appointment in Jan to be seen, rather than see me any sooner because she's really busy.. I know its just that they are not taking me seriously and possibly do not believe me. Today has been bad, my rib cage pain is horrendous, I am having really bad pin pricks on my right shoulder and my arm and leg feel almost dead. I have this horrible fatigue that will not let up no matter how much sleep I get. I went into the ER over the weekend and the neurologist there said they suspect MS, but I couldn't get an MRI because they did not have a tech there. Everything I read points to MS, and it makes the most sense to me, and honestly at this point I would just be relieved to have a diagnosis so I can finally be treated. I guess I am here looking for some advice on how to be taken seriously, and how much my symptoms sound like they could be MS. The neurologist in the hospital the time before last time (that half way diagnosed me trigeminal neuralgia- but essentially thought I was a drug seeker) said I was too young to have MS, and that my neurological exam seemed fine so there was no way I had MS, except that my right leg has notable weakness compared to the other leg. I was on gabapentin prior to pregnancy for my "neuropathy" which I have stopped due to the pregnancy and I feel AWFUL. Should I push to be seen sooner? Could it be worse if I deal with this for a month and not be seen, even though there isn't anything they can do since I am pregnant? Also, if my next MRI still doesn't have enough lesions, does that completely rule out MS? Has anyone else heard of lesions being caused by migranes or does it sound like my neurologist just really isn't taking me seriously? Thanks for your advice everyone!

I wanted to add- I am always told my pain is from my diabetes, which makes no sense to me because although my blood sugars are PERFECT, i am having more and worsening symptoms. The Pain in my right rib also wraps around to my left side sometimes, and feels like someone is squeezing me to death, or stabbing me with a knife, I often feel like cutting myself open and "ripping out" whatever is causing the pain- it is under my rib towards the back but wraps the the front. I also have experienced weird pelvic & abdominal pain which is unexplained as well, and put down to "more nerve damage".

2 more things I thought of- I have also had INTENSE ringing in my ears lately, and this weird "cold fluid"sensation in the back of my skull thats really freaking me out.

[NHE]

I have been tested for EVERYTHING and nothing ever shows up.

Have you ever been tested for a vitamin B12 deficiency? If so, do you have the test results? In addition to serum vitamin B12, this should also include homocysteine, red blood cell (RBC) folate and methylmalonic acid (MMA). In my experience, a B12 deficiency can cause chest cramping sensations along with some of the other symptoms you're experiencing. In addition, to answer your other question, the age of 24 is NOT too young to be diagnosed with MS. There are plenty of pediatric MS cases. Keep in mind though that pregnancy can produce a wide range of symptoms. One of my family members had a widespread dark red rash the color of raw hamburger that needed to be treated with prednisone during her pregnancy. Also note, that it's important to check B12 as a deficiency can have a severe negative impact your child's development. So if you're having neurological symptoms, your pregnancy alone is reason enough to run a full B12 panel.

[ChelseaK1213]

Thank you for the response. Yes I have been tested for all deficiencies as well as lupus, RA, & a thousand other things (haha) since this has been going on since 19. I can't remeber my exact b12 results but I believe they were somewhere in the 600's if I remember correctly. My WBC is always a little high, RBC are normal and everytime I have a "Flare up" from whatever this is my SED AND CRP rates are high, last month both being in the upper 20's.

[lyndacarol]

Thank you for the response. Yes I have been tested for all deficiencies as well as lupus, RA, & a thousand other things (haha) since this has been going on since 19. I can't remeber my exact b12 results but I believe they were somewhere in the 600's if I remember correctly. My WBC is always a little high, RBC are normal and everytime I have a "Flare up" from whatever this is my SED AND CRP rates are high, last month both being in the upper 20's.

Welcome to ThisIsMS, ChelseaK1213.

First, lesions can be caused by migraines (as well as many other conditions, including vitamin B12 deficiency and MS).

Children as young as 2 years old have been diagnosed with MS. No one is "too young" as your doctors told you. Also, please be aware that any person at any age can develop a B12 deficiency. (If a mother is B12 deficient during pregnancy, her child can be born with B12 deficiency.)

All of your symptoms do not necessarily have the same cause.

With your pregnancy, I assume you're taking prenatal vitamins. These are imbalanced with a high amount of folic acid (a B vitamin), but not enough vitamin B12. If a woman has an existing B12 deficiency, taking large amounts of folic acid will worsen existing symptoms, or even cause new ones to appear.

If your obstetrician tested your B12 level after you took vitamin B supplements (prenatal vitamins or others), your test results are unreliable.

The very first paragraph you posted in this thread ended with the sentence,"Thanks for your advice everyone!" Here is my advice:

The next time you see your obstetrician, firmly request thorough testing for possible vitamin B12 deficiency. The outdated "serum B12" will not accurately measure your B12 level now that you are taking prenatal vitamins. (I am not sure that even the newer HoloTc test would be accurate, since you are taking vitamins.)

Ask your obstetrician to order a serum homocysteine test AND a methylmalonic acid test (the MMA has either a serum form or a urinary form). It is absolutely critical to the health and development of your baby for you and your doctor to be sure that you do NOT have a vitamin B12 deficiency!

Ask for your own copy of any test results.