Basically, my question is whether it's common for flares to "unfold" with the same progression of symptoms.
I first went to see my GP following a series of nocturnal injuries. At the time I thought I was having seizures in my sleep because I'd go to bed fine and wake up feeling like I'd fallen down a flight of stairs. As I went through test after test my symptoms progressed (motor issues of every kind and serious cognitive issues) and unfolded in a particular order.
Now it's six months later and I feel like I'm on step 2 of that same process and I'm utterly terrified.
The first time around I didn't get a definite diagnosis. An MRI was done including brain stem but it looked clean. Adequate B12, D, and everything else. No heavy metals. They tested for Huntingtons, checked for Wilson's, did a peripheral smear to look for acanthocytes... they ruled out pretty much everything. The one test that did come back positive was an MTHFR genetic test.
After I got that test result I started taking methylated b12 and methylfolate and started getting better and thought that was it. My symptoms could be explained by that alone. However, now they're coming back and I've been perfect about my vitamin regimen.
On doing research it looks like there's also a connection between my specific MTHFR defect and MS. I'm starting to fear the worst. I'm really starting to worry that this is MS and this is my second flare, but I'm an outsider looking at something unfamiliar and trying to judge whether it is or isn't something else I'm not familiar with.
To those of you with experience, is that or can it be a characteristic of flares? Does this look like MS to you?
I'm scared to go back to my GP because after my last round of medical bills I couldn't even pay my taxes this year.
Edit:
Relevant bloodwork since I've seen some of you asking about it in other threads:
Code: Select all
Component Your Value Standard Range
FERRITIN 221 ng/mL 22 - 322 ng/mL
Vit D, 25 Hydroxy 36.8 ng/mL 30.0 - 80.0 ng/mL
Vitamin B12 829 pg/mL 211 - 911 pg/mL
TSH 2.48 uIU/mL 0.33 - 4.70 uIU/mL
CERULOPLASMIN 26 mg/dL 18 - 58 mg/dL
NA 140 mmol/L 135 - 144 mmol/L
K 4.2 mmol/L 3.7 - 5.5 mmol/L
Chloride 105 mmol/L 99 - 110 mmol/L
Carbon dioxide 28 mmol/L 20 - 31 mmol/L
ANION GAP 7 4 - 13
GLUCOSE 87 mg/dL 60 - 99 mg/dL
BUN 8 mg/dL 6 - 23 mg/dL
Creatinine 0.94 mg/dL 0.60 - 1.30 mg/dL
Calcium 9.4 mg/dL 8.3 - 10.4 mg/dL
ALK PHOS 72 IU/L 32 - 110 IU/L
BILIRUBIN TOTAL 0.6 mg/dL 0.2 - 1.2 mg/dL
AST (SGOT) (REF) 16 IU/L 11 - 39 IU/L
ALT (SGPT) (REF) 15 IU/L 6 - 42 IU/L
Total protein 6.6 g/dL 6.1 - 8.0 g/dL
ALBUMIN 4.2 g/dL 3.2 - 4.9 g/dL
Lead, whole blood <2.0 ug/dL 0.0 - 4.9 ug/dL
Mercury, Blood <3 ug/L 0 - 10 ug/L
Arsenic, Blood <10.0 ug/L 0.0 - 13.0 ug/L
