Another newbie... Another asking for help!

[twisty]

Hi, I'm going by Twisty here, and I'm a newbie. Having read a good number of newbie questions, and the thoughtful answers, has given me some ease and reassurance. However, there are some residual concerns....

First of all, I haven't had any practical and useable major medical insurance for over 5 years. Unfortunately, the insurance I did have 5 years ago literally put me in the poor house after having cervical fusion surgery at C5-7.

While I did show disk herniation, slight spinal cord, and nerve root impingement, the symptoms of vice-like grip pain in my upper left arm, burning pain down my left scapula, and numbness in the fingers of my left hand, improved, and almost 100% resolved, in the months following surgery.

Fast forward about three years, and I found some of the same symptoms returning, along with some old familiar symptoms, and some new.

Since I was a teenager, I have had traditional migraines, silent migraines, and optical migraines with scintillating scotoma. I've had vertigo attacks which have lasted days to months and the world goes all "Batman Sideways" on me. I've had pain in my ribcage from and for no apparent cause that keeps me from taking a deep breath. I have almost completely lost my sense of smell, and that started in 2006.... I now have significant floaters in both eyes that are unrelenting. The numbness in my left hand and fingers has returned, and I can confidently say that the tips of my middle 3 fingers are completely numb. Makes it hard to count money with my job as City Collector. Strangest of all, the roof of my mouth, and left side of my face, tongue, and gums feel numb. In addition to all that, I am constantly fatigued.... I feel like I've been hit by a truck..... I hurt all over..... I find it hard to walk...... Heat is NOT my friend (and I grew up in Texas - loved the summertime).... I have trouble with my vocabulary when talking, and I am usually a good wordsmith and speaker.... I actually have trouble enunciating my words and slur when speaking.... My memory is slipping..... My strength has all but disappeared..... And I have recently been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, borderline personality disorder, and complex PTSD with panic and anxiety attacks.

Granted, I was my mother's primary caregiver for the past 10 years, and the last 3 years before her death in Nov 2015 were especially hard on me, my emotional state, my financial state, and my body. I forced myself to keep going for her sake (a typical unuseful co-dependent behavior and pattern -- I know), to the point of exhaustion on all levels and to the detriment of my own health. When she died, I didn't even have the money to buy gas, let alone pay for and to see any type of Doctor.

I just got on a group insurance policy for the first time in 14 years this month, and have begun the search for a PCP. I need to get the ball rolling. The only MD's I have seen in the past 2 years are Emergency Room docs, and my free-clinic psychiatrist. After the cervical neck surgery, I went without seeing another doc until last year. Don't we just love our traditional health care system for the individual everyday "Joe?" It's disgusting if you ask me. But that's just my opinion. No offense intended.

In addition to asking for all of my blood serum levels for vitamins, minerals, insulin, and iron, what are some other practical things I can do to hopefully bypass the hysterical, you're too fat, and it's all in your head syndrome? What hard facts statistics, or publications do I need to quote, or refer to?

When I put my symptoms into any WebMD, or other such symptom search program, MS seems to be in all the lists. So yes, that is concerning.

I took a fall about 2 1/2 weeks ago, fell hard on my left knee, and slapped my torso and hands on the tile floor. Today, my left leg is still swelling up, my leg below the knee and off to the left side are numb, and I get a burning like fire sensation under the skin to the point I cannot wear any clothes over that leg with any comfort. I did go to the ER and nothing is broken, and the soonest I can get in to see the referred orthopedic is in 4 more weeks. I've taken falls before, but nothing like this pain and lingering has happened before. I just don't know. Any practical advise to see about getting my new doc off the slow let's wait and see boat is appreciated!

Thank you all for reading. Just getting it all out helps, too.
Twisty -- that is TwistyintheBrain!

[lyndacarol]

First of all, I haven't had any practical and useable major medical insurance for over 5 years. Unfortunately, the insurance I did have 5 years ago literally put me in the poor house after having cervical fusion surgery at C5-7.

While I did show disk herniation, slight spinal cord, and nerve root impingement, the symptoms of vice-like grip pain in my upper left arm, burning pain down my left scapula, and numbness in the fingers of my left hand, improved, and almost 100% resolved, in the months following surgery.

Fast forward about three years, and I found some of the same symptoms returning, along with some old familiar symptoms, and some new.

Since I was a teenager, I have had traditional migraines, silent migraines, and optical migraines with scintillating scotoma. I've had vertigo attacks which have lasted days to months and the world goes all "Batman Sideways" on me. I've had pain in my ribcage from and for no apparent cause that keeps me from taking a deep breath. I have almost completely lost my sense of smell, and that started in 2006.... I now have significant floaters in both eyes that are unrelenting. The numbness in my left hand and fingers has returned, and I can confidently say that the tips of my middle 3 fingers are completely numb. Makes it hard to count money with my job as City Collector. Strangest of all, the roof of my mouth, and left side of my face, tongue, and gums feel numb. In addition to all that, I am constantly fatigued.... I feel like I've been hit by a truck..... I hurt all over..... I find it hard to walk...... Heat is NOT my friend (and I grew up in Texas - loved the summertime).... I have trouble with my vocabulary when talking, and I am usually a good wordsmith and speaker.... I actually have trouble enunciating my words and slur when speaking.... My memory is slipping..... My strength has all but disappeared..... And I have recently been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, borderline personality disorder, and complex PTSD with panic and anxiety attacks.

Granted, I was my mother's primary caregiver for the past 10 years, and the last 3 years before her death in Nov 2015 were especially hard on me, my emotional state, my financial state, and my body. I forced myself to keep going for her sake (a typical unuseful co-dependent behavior and pattern -- I know), to the point of exhaustion on all levels and to the detriment of my own health. When she died, I didn't even have the money to buy gas, let alone pay for and to see any type of Doctor.

I just got on a group insurance policy for the first time in 14 years this month, and have begun the search for a PCP. I need to get the ball rolling. The only MD's I have seen in the past 2 years are Emergency Room docs, and my free-clinic psychiatrist. After the cervical neck surgery, I went without seeing another doc until last year. Don't we just love our traditional health care system for the individual everyday "Joe?" It's disgusting if you ask me. But that's just my opinion. No offense intended.

In addition to asking for all of my blood serum levels for vitamins, minerals, insulin, and iron, what are some other practical things I can do to hopefully bypass the hysterical, you're too fat, and it's all in your head syndrome? What hard facts statistics, or publications do I need to quote, or refer to?

When I put my symptoms into any WebMD, or other such symptom search program, MS seems to be in all the lists. So yes, that is concerning.

I took a fall about 2 1/2 weeks ago, fell hard on my left knee, and slapped my torso and hands on the tile floor. Today, my left leg is still swelling up, my leg below the knee and off to the left side are numb, and I get a burning like fire sensation under the skin to the point I cannot wear any clothes over that leg with any comfort. I did go to the ER and nothing is broken, and the soonest I can get in to see the referred orthopedic is in 4 more weeks. I've taken falls before, but nothing like this pain and lingering has happened before. I just don't know. Any practical advise to see about getting my new doc off the slow let's wait and see boat is appreciated!

Thank you all for reading. Just getting it all out helps, too.
Twisty -- that is TwistyintheBrain!

Welcome to ThisIsMS, Twisty.

Your history of cervical surgery reminded me of my own cervical laminectomy. However, I had NO symptom improvement. The feeling of constriction around my upper left arm and the tingling in my left hand was not relieved. (By the way, tingling/numbness/pain in the arm/hand or leg/feet is called "peripheral neuropathy.")

I admire the love and devotion you gave your mother for a decade. You sacrificed a lot. Now it is time to take care of yourself.

In my opinion, you are wise to begin the search for a PCP. Perhaps your co-workers, friends, neighbors, and family members can suggest some names.

You have a good list of blood tests to request: vitamins, minerals, insulin, and iron. (Please request your own copy of any test results – it is important to have the actual numbers.)

I would emphasize the importance of a vitamin D test (the "25-hydroxy D" test) – most Americans are deficient in vitamin D. In my opinion (I have no medical background), ALL your symptoms are consistent with vitamin D deficiency – even falling. (By the way, vitamin D deficiency causes dysfunction of glands, including the pancreas which makes insulin. Insulin is necessary to put on weight – too much insulin = too much weight.)

Weight Loss Help with Vitamin D
with James E Dowd, MD, FACR, ABIHM (3 min.)


@0:30 We know that vitamin D influences insulin secretion and insulin response, meaning insulin sensitivity. And we know that insulin is the primary hormone that leads to satisfaction after a meal. That's why satisfaction after a meal takes about 20 to 30 minutes into the meal because it takes that long for the food to get to the proximal part of your small bowel, where the pancreas is, and it triggers the insulin; the insulin gets to your brain; the brain says, "whoa, okay, we're there."


With your history of migraines, a magnesium test might also be especially important for you:

Why all migraine patients should be treated with magnesium.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22426836

"Considering these features of magnesium, the fact that magnesium deficiency may be present in up to half of migraine patients, and that routine blood tests are not indicative of magnesium status, empiric treatment with at least oral magnesium is warranted in all migraine sufferers."

I suggest you compose a written list of your symptoms (in the quiet of your home before your first appointment with a PCP – I tend to get flustered and forgetful if I don't arrive prepared). Hand him a copy for your file – it will keep your discussion with him on track and make best use of the time.

Yes, MS may pop up when you put your symptoms into a search program; but there are MANY more likely causes that a doctor must rule out FIRST. MS is the last possibility that should be considered.

[NHE]

When I put my symptoms into any WebMD, or other such symptom search program, MS seems to be in all the lists. So yes, that is concerning.

There are many conditions which can mimic MS symptoms. In addition to vitamin D3, a vitamin B12 deficiency can produce similar symptoms. Have you had testing for a vitamin B12 deficiency yet? This includes vitamin B12, homocysteine, red blood cell (RBC) folate and methylmalonic acid (MMA).

Please see the following topic for more information.
http://www.thisisms.com/forum/natural-a ... 24857.html

Moreover, several of your symptoms are discussed in the book "Could It Be B12? An Epidemic of Misdiagnoses" by Sally Pacholok and Jeffrey Stuart.
http://b12awareness.org/could-it-be-b12 ... diagnoses/

[Scott1]

Hi.

You really are having a hard time of it. I think you need to retrace your steps and go back to the medical people who were involved in your spinal fusion three years ago. At least they have records and can compare you now with then. If the old symptoms are returning then let them look first.
You may have more than one thing happening at the same time and at least they know where they have been.
You mention weight, migranes, fatigue, heat issues, balance, pain, depression etc. They aren't necessarily MS issues. Many are but they are common to many other issues.
See a neurologist, get tests for underlying infections, get a proper nutritional panel, test your blood sugars, test your amino acid and uric acid levels. Get your new doctor to send you to review of the work they did three years ago.

Regards,

[twisty]

Thank you all for your information and suggestions! Hope everyone had a nice long holiday weekend. Back to the salt mines tomorrow...