Hi there,
I'm confused because I have so many MS symptoms but saw a neurologist who did not diagnose me. She did an MRI, too, and thought it looked normal. I'm hoping I could get some input and see if you think I should get a second opinion.
Symptoms:
-Painful tingling all over my body for ~10 years
-Terrible balance (notorious among my friends)
-Urinary, gastro, and sexual difficulties (note re: gastro-- I have been diagnosed with Crohn's disease for >10 years)
-Occasional double vision
-Intermittent extreme exhaustion and weakness, worsens with heat (notorious among my friends. diagnosed with excess daytime sleepiness of unknown origin)
-Depression/Anxiety/Bipolar disorder
Any thoughts? Should I see another neuro?
So many symptoms
Re: So many symptoms
Sorry to read that you are ill. FWIW, there are about 400 illnesses that mimic the symptoms of MS.
"Should I see another neuro?"
Why not! Since you suspect MS, be sure to see a Neurologist that specializes in MS.
In the mean time, there are many things you can do for yourself to feel better with regard to diet, exercise, nutritional supplements and lifestyle changes. This site is packed with valuable information.
Hope you feel better soon!
"Should I see another neuro?"
Why not! Since you suspect MS, be sure to see a Neurologist that specializes in MS.
In the mean time, there are many things you can do for yourself to feel better with regard to diet, exercise, nutritional supplements and lifestyle changes. This site is packed with valuable information.
Hope you feel better soon!
Re: So many symptoms
Hi lily3308,
You can get a second opinion if you so choose. The problem is you might end up in the same place with no diagnosis of MS. There is a diagnostic criteria for MS, The Revised McDonald Criteria. The criteria relies heavily on MRI evidence, your brain MRI was normal. You can ask for a cervical (neck) MRI to see if there are lesions in that area but again, if normal no diagnosis of MS.
Another part of the criteria requires all other possible causes for a person's symptoms be ruled out. There is no symptom that is exclusive/unique to MS. Many other conditions, medication side effects, vitamin/mineral deficiencies and mental health problems can cause similar symptoms as seen in MS.
I would suggest you do some research on the medications you take and their side effects. If the side effects match with some or all of your symptoms then speak to your prescribing Dr. Blood work to check for vitamin/mineral deficiencies.
You can get a second opinion if you so choose. The problem is you might end up in the same place with no diagnosis of MS. There is a diagnostic criteria for MS, The Revised McDonald Criteria. The criteria relies heavily on MRI evidence, your brain MRI was normal. You can ask for a cervical (neck) MRI to see if there are lesions in that area but again, if normal no diagnosis of MS.
Another part of the criteria requires all other possible causes for a person's symptoms be ruled out. There is no symptom that is exclusive/unique to MS. Many other conditions, medication side effects, vitamin/mineral deficiencies and mental health problems can cause similar symptoms as seen in MS.
I would suggest you do some research on the medications you take and their side effects. If the side effects match with some or all of your symptoms then speak to your prescribing Dr. Blood work to check for vitamin/mineral deficiencies.
Re: So many symptoms
hi lily, loads to do independently, although I understand the motivation to look for a diagnosis. never hurts to keep asking questions on the mainstream side. maybe one of those could be to ask for a referral to a nutritionist, to ensure everything is on track in that department.
cautionary note re 'deficiencies' what we are talking about are tests that can come back normal, but LOW normal. while healthy control levels tend to be mid to high normal.
re crohn's, first major nutritional commonality with ms that leaps to mind would be low normal serum zinc.
low zinc could also correspond to low uric acid which is status quo for ms patients
(ie ms patient mean serum ua just under 200, lower in relapse, higher in remission, normal range 140-360, healthy controls up closer 300).
for years I had low normal uric acid which only corrected when I fixed deficient zinc
(which was outright deficient zinc per my hospital's lab, but wouldn't have counted as deficient at another lab using different max and min setpoints for normal)
low zinc could be linked to the sexuality piece also.
re exhaustion, when that hits me it's often iron. how's your serum ferritin?
if you end up working on zinc and iron, (or anything for that matter) increasing nutrient dense food sources first is best. and removing antinutrient influences from the routine (which connects with what snoopy said about checking your medications - search any meds you take regularly with the terms 'nutrient depletion' and see what if anything comes up).
if you were to look into it and did end up finding iron and zinc were suboptimal, and ended up using supplements, you'd need to take both iron AND zinc into your regimen together, even if you chose to do it zinc am, iron pm or whatever, since they work against each other. best to have both come up slowly, than to have one come up fast at the expense of the other.
I have a good friend with bipolar disorder.
we were roommates for a year and during that time she had no inpatient trips, every time she commented 'I feel _____ (insert undesired emotional state)' I would say 'how have you been doing with _____ (insert mood-related nutrient) and she would say 'oh I ran out!' and then things would be back on track.
we've recently discussed nutrition on mood here, we can point you to that discussion if you need.
cautionary note re 'deficiencies' what we are talking about are tests that can come back normal, but LOW normal. while healthy control levels tend to be mid to high normal.
re crohn's, first major nutritional commonality with ms that leaps to mind would be low normal serum zinc.
low zinc could also correspond to low uric acid which is status quo for ms patients
(ie ms patient mean serum ua just under 200, lower in relapse, higher in remission, normal range 140-360, healthy controls up closer 300).
for years I had low normal uric acid which only corrected when I fixed deficient zinc
(which was outright deficient zinc per my hospital's lab, but wouldn't have counted as deficient at another lab using different max and min setpoints for normal)
low zinc could be linked to the sexuality piece also.
re exhaustion, when that hits me it's often iron. how's your serum ferritin?
if you end up working on zinc and iron, (or anything for that matter) increasing nutrient dense food sources first is best. and removing antinutrient influences from the routine (which connects with what snoopy said about checking your medications - search any meds you take regularly with the terms 'nutrient depletion' and see what if anything comes up).
if you were to look into it and did end up finding iron and zinc were suboptimal, and ended up using supplements, you'd need to take both iron AND zinc into your regimen together, even if you chose to do it zinc am, iron pm or whatever, since they work against each other. best to have both come up slowly, than to have one come up fast at the expense of the other.
I have a good friend with bipolar disorder.
we were roommates for a year and during that time she had no inpatient trips, every time she commented 'I feel _____ (insert undesired emotional state)' I would say 'how have you been doing with _____ (insert mood-related nutrient) and she would say 'oh I ran out!' and then things would be back on track.
we've recently discussed nutrition on mood here, we can point you to that discussion if you need.
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Re: So many symptoms
Hi,
Absolutely see another neuro if the one you see now has nothing more to add. Double vision, fatigue and nerve pain are reason enough.
Apart from that, do you see a doctor who has looked for infections such as mycoplasma or checked for vitamin deficiences? Have you had your uric acid (not urea) level checked? Do you use probiotics? Do you have gluten, dairy or pulses in your diet or do you consume added sugar regularly?
Do you have back or leg pain? Where abouts?
What medications are you on (including supplements)?
Regards,
Absolutely see another neuro if the one you see now has nothing more to add. Double vision, fatigue and nerve pain are reason enough.
Apart from that, do you see a doctor who has looked for infections such as mycoplasma or checked for vitamin deficiences? Have you had your uric acid (not urea) level checked? Do you use probiotics? Do you have gluten, dairy or pulses in your diet or do you consume added sugar regularly?
Do you have back or leg pain? Where abouts?
What medications are you on (including supplements)?
Regards,