Hello there,hope everyone's doing alright!
So I'd like to explain my situation here as I haven't really told this to anyone and I need a place to vent and some guidance as to what to do from here on out.
Like it says in the title I'm only 17 and I think I have MS.For the longest of time I couldn't really bring myself to accept that I have it but today was the day I finally took a good look at my past and current symptoms and I have concluded that it can't really be anything else.
Immediately after that realization I broke down emotionally and at first I was angry then I was sad/crying,it really got me.
I just saw my future collapsing in front of me,I had a possibly good life in front of me but now it's all gone in my eyes,it's really getting at me.
Then I started thinking about how would I cope with the expensive medications,I know it would ruin my parents' financial standpoint,right now as they are coming up in the world and started earning.
As to what my symptoms are/were:
-About 2 years ago I had neuritis retrobulbaris(That roughly translates to:"Inflammation of the back of the eye")on my left eye.
That made me have vision impairment,it was blurry and of course it couldn't be treated with glasses.It went away by itself but I was doing constant checkups with the doc.
They even once sent me to the neurologist to check if i have ms,which they told me that I don't have.
-About a year ago I had L'hermittes sign.I had tingling in my legs whenever I would bend my neck downwards.I went to the doctor once again and i remember giving a blood sample and I have insufficient vitamin B,the doctor blamed that for my tingling,and said hmm,you are too young to have that(I think she was referencing MS there).
My current symptoms are:
-My brain goes fuzzy at random times for 5-6 seconds and I'm having trouble concentrating at anything during that time
-I'm having problems with my bladder(I'm going to the bathroom more than I did,especially at night)
-My cervical spine hurts constantly,even after I wake up I can still feel it a tad bit.It gets kinda bad when I'm doing physical activities.
-I keep losing my balance in darkness.
Please help me,I'm really depressed over this and I have no idea what I should do from now on.
If I tell my parents I'm afraid I'll make them worry a lot and I really want to avoid that.
And what stops the neurologist just screwing up again and telling me that I don't have MS?
And I don't want to ruin my parents' finances.
I really need your help with this one guys,I feel like everything's against me and I have no way out of this,I feel like my future is ruined because I don't really fear death,I fear living with this.
I'm 17,I'm 99% sure I have MS.No idea what to do.
Re: I'm 17,I'm 99% sure I have MS.No idea what to do.
Hi Tarnas21,
You have an assumption that what you are experiencing is MS and could not be anything else, but it's very possibly not MS and there can be other causes. If you are experiencing Lhermitte sign it can be caused by a B-12 Deficiency.
I don't believe you have MS. I would like to encourage you to speak to your parents. Your fears and concerns are not healthy and your parents can be very helpful for you.
You have an assumption that what you are experiencing is MS and could not be anything else, but it's very possibly not MS and there can be other causes. If you are experiencing Lhermitte sign it can be caused by a B-12 Deficiency.
This isn't Multiple Sclerosis. I have had cervical spinal cord involvement for 32 years and my cervical spine has never hurt.My cervical spine hurts constantly,even after I wake up I can still feel it a tad bit.It gets kinda bad when I'm doing physical activities
This can be normal for perfectly healthy people. Balance problems happen all the time for those with MS. I had symptoms of MS younger than you and I had balance problems even then, my friends would even get frustrated with me due to my lousy balanceI keep losing my balance in darkness
Concentration problems and fuzziness, in MS, is usually much more severe than 5-6seconds.My brain goes fuzzy at random times for 5-6 seconds and I'm having trouble concentrating at anything during that time
Maybe you are drinking more throughout the day and at night?I'm having problems with my bladder(I'm going to the bathroom more than I did,especially at night
I don't believe you have MS. I would like to encourage you to speak to your parents. Your fears and concerns are not healthy and your parents can be very helpful for you.
Re: I'm 17,I'm 99% sure I have MS.No idea what to do.
hi and welcome 
vent away! this is why we are here.
the docs are the ones who can run the specific tests needed to decide whether you have ms; symptoms can be the result of many different factors.
for example, low b12 results in spinal lesions which can also result in lhermitte's sign and many other issues seen in ms patients. so if you already know those b levels are down, depending which b vit that could be a point against ms being the dx for you.
symptoms can be so frustrating :S since you already know low nutrient levels are part of the picture, please do consider working on that first.
you can make sure that you are as little like a typical ms patient, in nutritional terms, as possible. if your doctor will refer to a nutritionist, particularly one who can specialize in ms, worst case scenario you get a healthier routine which can only be preventive against a wide array of chronic ailments. b12 is absolutely NOT the single nutrient to zero in on. but it's a reasonable starting point.
caveat, not all dietitians provide awesome info, but they will likely be able to spot glaring issues and give important advice. you want someone who will ask for and analyze a 3 day diet diary or similar.
if you get nutritional bloodwork, never trust 'normal' - where your levels sit within current normal ranges can provide important clues.
so, a couple questions then, which b vitamin was low? any clues in your diet and lifestyle to suggest how that occurred?
vent away! this is why we are here.the docs are the ones who can run the specific tests needed to decide whether you have ms; symptoms can be the result of many different factors.
for example, low b12 results in spinal lesions which can also result in lhermitte's sign and many other issues seen in ms patients. so if you already know those b levels are down, depending which b vit that could be a point against ms being the dx for you.
symptoms can be so frustrating :S since you already know low nutrient levels are part of the picture, please do consider working on that first.
you can make sure that you are as little like a typical ms patient, in nutritional terms, as possible. if your doctor will refer to a nutritionist, particularly one who can specialize in ms, worst case scenario you get a healthier routine which can only be preventive against a wide array of chronic ailments. b12 is absolutely NOT the single nutrient to zero in on. but it's a reasonable starting point.
caveat, not all dietitians provide awesome info, but they will likely be able to spot glaring issues and give important advice. you want someone who will ask for and analyze a 3 day diet diary or similar.
if you get nutritional bloodwork, never trust 'normal' - where your levels sit within current normal ranges can provide important clues.
so, a couple questions then, which b vitamin was low? any clues in your diet and lifestyle to suggest how that occurred?
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Re: I'm 17,I'm 99% sure I have MS.No idea what to do.
Heyy thanks for the answers,a little bit of guidance really helps me out here.
Diet-wise my problem really is not eating fruit almost at all,my whole life.
I'm trying to correct that right now,as I started having a healthier diet.
The thing with my balance is i remember about a month or so ago I was fine in the dark,a little bit of a stumble when in complete darkness every now and then but I could definitely get around way easier than I can right now.
The cervical spine really felt to me as a ms symptom since it appeared at the same time the fuzziness and my balance in the dark problem,and I've linked it all together.
I still don't know if I'm ready to tell my parents as this could cause them a lot of stress and I'm worried about that.
I might just consider preparing for that and telling them in the near future so they can help me out and I can get my checkups to be 100% sure.
Again guys,thanks for reading through the whole thing and posting,it's really uplifting.
Actually I remember taking Vitamin D Drops and a multivitamin so I'm not sure I have a b-12 deficiency but I just might.Lhermitte sign it can be caused by a B-12 Deficiency
Diet-wise my problem really is not eating fruit almost at all,my whole life.
I'm trying to correct that right now,as I started having a healthier diet.
The thing with my balance is i remember about a month or so ago I was fine in the dark,a little bit of a stumble when in complete darkness every now and then but I could definitely get around way easier than I can right now.
The cervical spine really felt to me as a ms symptom since it appeared at the same time the fuzziness and my balance in the dark problem,and I've linked it all together.
I still don't know if I'm ready to tell my parents as this could cause them a lot of stress and I'm worried about that.
I might just consider preparing for that and telling them in the near future so they can help me out and I can get my checkups to be 100% sure.
Again guys,thanks for reading through the whole thing and posting,it's really uplifting.
Re: I'm 17,I'm 99% sure I have MS.No idea what to do.
"what to do..."
Get yourself in the best health possible, both physically and mentally.
"I'm really depressed over this"
There are a lot of things you can do for yourself - perhaps the most important is to exercise as much as you can (3-5 hours per day every day, and it does not have to be strenuous exercise). It is difficult to feel down when you are exercising. It works for me. There is a lot of information on this topic on the web. Here is a link to get you started:
http://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and- ... rt-excerpt
And it is understandable that you may not feel like exercising which is normal, but once you get started, you will find you feel better within just a few minutes and will want to keep doing it.
Get yourself in the best health possible, both physically and mentally.
"I'm really depressed over this"
There are a lot of things you can do for yourself - perhaps the most important is to exercise as much as you can (3-5 hours per day every day, and it does not have to be strenuous exercise). It is difficult to feel down when you are exercising. It works for me. There is a lot of information on this topic on the web. Here is a link to get you started:
http://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and- ... rt-excerpt
And it is understandable that you may not feel like exercising which is normal, but once you get started, you will find you feel better within just a few minutes and will want to keep doing it.
Re: I'm 17,I'm 99% sure I have MS.No idea what to do.
yes to exercise!!! have a friend who was funneled into the mental health 'client' world as a teen, before anyone ever bothered to suggest an exercise regimen which was in fact lacking at the time. has had lifelong impacts. i am glad i was able to stick with as much activity as i have over time. when i was in high school, my parents made me quit the stuff that i think would have laid down the best lifelong exercise habits, while pushing me to keep on with sedentary extracurriculars i wasn't as interested in. boo.
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lyndacarol
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Re: I'm 17,I'm 99% sure I have MS.No idea what to do.
As jimmylegs has mentioned, ask your doctor for nutrient testing. If you have NOT already had the vitamin D blood test called "25-hydroxy D", ask specifically for this test (Be sure to request your own copy of the test results so that you have the actual number result.)Tarnas21 wrote:I need a place to vent and some guidance as to what to do from here on out.
Like it says in the title I'm only 17 and I think I have MS....
Please help me,I'm really depressed over this and I have no idea what I should do from now on.
I really need your help with this one guys,I feel like everything's against me and I have no way out of this,I feel like my future is ruined because I don't really fear death,I fear living with this.
The California-based public health promotion & research organization, GrassrootsHealth (http://www.GrassrootsHealth.net) recommends that a person's vitamin D level should be at least 40-60 ng/mL.
Re: I'm 17,I'm 99% sure I have MS.No idea what to do.
hi again, if you have access to your records, it would be a good idea to check out what nutritional info you already have available. esp which of the b-vits was the low one.
glad to hear you are working on a healthier diet. what kind of fruits have you added so far, and what would you say your vegetable - fruit balance is like overall?
would you say your night vision has worsened at all lately? this is not a proprioception question related to if you need light and sight for balance, just a straight question about vision in darkness.
personally, my chronic neck pain ended up being about posture. a physiotherapist pointed out a couple things, gave me a couple neck exercises about 3-4 years ago, and it hasn't come back unless i'm stuck in a car driving for a really long time - the seat is *designed* to push me into a perfect storm position for c-spine pain. low vit d is also common and deficits can lead to bone pain.
you are awesome for being concerned about your parents. i agree you'll need them on your side to make sure everything is tip top in the health department. just please don't rely on the family doc to be the nutrition expert. unless an exceptional case, odds are he or she is just not a real pro where things nutritional are concerned. get a referral if you can!
glad to hear you are working on a healthier diet. what kind of fruits have you added so far, and what would you say your vegetable - fruit balance is like overall?
would you say your night vision has worsened at all lately? this is not a proprioception question related to if you need light and sight for balance, just a straight question about vision in darkness.
personally, my chronic neck pain ended up being about posture. a physiotherapist pointed out a couple things, gave me a couple neck exercises about 3-4 years ago, and it hasn't come back unless i'm stuck in a car driving for a really long time - the seat is *designed* to push me into a perfect storm position for c-spine pain. low vit d is also common and deficits can lead to bone pain.
you are awesome for being concerned about your parents. i agree you'll need them on your side to make sure everything is tip top in the health department. just please don't rely on the family doc to be the nutrition expert. unless an exceptional case, odds are he or she is just not a real pro where things nutritional are concerned. get a referral if you can!
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Re: I'm 17,I'm 99% sure I have MS.No idea what to do.
I'll try to find those,they're bound to be somewhere around here...if you have access to your records, it would be a good idea to check out what nutritional info you already have available.
I have started eating apples,bananas and oranges so far,I don't think I have a problem with vegetables as I eat quite a lot of them.what kind of fruits have you added so far, and what would you say your vegetable - fruit balance is like overall?
Not at all,in fact I think that my eyes see better in the darkness than an average person,as I'm pretty sensitive to light and when I go try to sleep I have to dim every single light.would you say your night vision has worsened at all lately?
Sure,when I decide to confront my parents and get my checkup I'll ask specifically for this.If you have NOT already had the vitamin D blood test called "25-hydroxy D", ask specifically for this test (Be sure to request your own copy of the test results so that you have the actual number result.)
I'm already exercising,although not much,just a few sets of push-ups almost every day just to stay in shape.I'll see what I can do and try to find a proper workout program for myself,thanks for the tip!perhaps the most important is to exercise as much as you can
So then,next on my to do list is to prepare myself mentally to confront my parents about this,and try to get a complete checkup with a nutritionist,give out a blood sample for testing,and consult with my general practicioner to maybe get a neurologist to see if there's anything to be done.
I'm so glad I found this place it's been such a help for me,you people are awesome!
If anyone's curious these are the vitamins I took after having l'hermittes sign:
And(Not a 100% sure about this one):
Re: I'm 17,I'm 99% sure I have MS.No idea what to do.
ok sounds good, hopefully you can find the labwork.
consider entering some of your food choices into this search http://inflammationfactor.com/look-up-if-ratings/
ms is, like many other chronic conditions, an inflammatory illness. to ensure that your diet is well rounded, and on balance anti-inflammatory, you want to aim for a score of over +100 each day. many negative score foods are still great but balance is the key
you'll notice if you put in your fruit options that the apple and orange pretty much balance out, but the banana throws you further into the negative. add something with a positive score, and you're back headed in the 100 direction.
you can do the same with veggies. the IF rating site gives a snapshot of typical foods - it is not designed to be comprehensive. it's a good starting point though!
great to hear your night vision is in good shape.
i think your parents will be impressed to hear that you're taking action. hopefully you'll have no trouble getting a referral to a great dietitian. info to consider:
http://www.nutritioned.org/dietitian-vs ... onist.html
http://eatrightdc.org/consumer/dietitia ... ritionist/
consider entering some of your food choices into this search http://inflammationfactor.com/look-up-if-ratings/
ms is, like many other chronic conditions, an inflammatory illness. to ensure that your diet is well rounded, and on balance anti-inflammatory, you want to aim for a score of over +100 each day. many negative score foods are still great but balance is the key
you'll notice if you put in your fruit options that the apple and orange pretty much balance out, but the banana throws you further into the negative. add something with a positive score, and you're back headed in the 100 direction.
you can do the same with veggies. the IF rating site gives a snapshot of typical foods - it is not designed to be comprehensive. it's a good starting point though!
great to hear your night vision is in good shape.
i think your parents will be impressed to hear that you're taking action. hopefully you'll have no trouble getting a referral to a great dietitian. info to consider:
http://www.nutritioned.org/dietitian-vs ... onist.html
http://eatrightdc.org/consumer/dietitia ... ritionist/
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Re: I'm 17,I'm 99% sure I have MS.No idea what to do.
Have you had an MRI of the head or spine? That would usually be the way in which MS is diagnosed. Sometimes a spinal tap is used also. Have you had that? Don't start hoping for MS just to put a name on your symptoms. MS is a nasty disease and the medical treatments for it are crappy.
MS can start at any age but typically it starts in the early to mid thirtys. So you're a bit young to get it.
What does the doctor say is wrong?
If you have serious problems and your doctor isn't able to find the cause maybe you need a new doctor.
You should discuss this with your parents. You are probably on their insurance so they'll find out anyway if you go to the doctor.
MS can start at any age but typically it starts in the early to mid thirtys. So you're a bit young to get it.
What does the doctor say is wrong?
If you have serious problems and your doctor isn't able to find the cause maybe you need a new doctor.
You should discuss this with your parents. You are probably on their insurance so they'll find out anyway if you go to the doctor.
Re: I'm 17,I'm 99% sure I have MS.No idea what to do.
t is very early in the process if you have a scan back david
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Re: I'm 17,I'm 99% sure I have MS.No idea what to do.
The "Full Spectrum" multivitamin you posted only contains 1 µg of vitamin B12. Most of your symptoms could be attributed to a B12 deficiency. A B12 deficiency can mimic MS symptoms in many ways. If you have a B12 deficiency, the 1 µg of B12 in this supplement won't help you. You'll really need 1000-2000 µg methylcobalamin in a sublingual supplement. Also, there have been some journal articles that suggest that the adenosylcobalamin form of B12 may be better for people with neurological symptoms. Note that supplements with this form of B12 are sometimes labeled as dibencozide, but it's the same thing as adenosylcobalamin.Tarnas21 wrote:So I'd like to explain my situation here as I haven't really told this to anyone and I need a place to vent and some guidance as to what to do from here on out.
Like it says in the title I'm only 17 and I think I have MS.For the longest of time I couldn't really bring myself to accept that I have it but today was the day I finally took a good look at my past and current symptoms and I have concluded that it can't really be anything else.
I suggest that you get a full B12 workup which includes blood tests for red blood cell folate, methylmalonic acid and homocysteine in addition to B12. It would be best to stop your supplements for a few days prior to getting tested and don't start taking higher potency B12 until you get tested. Also, read the book "Could It Be B12? An epidemic of misdiagnoses" by Sally Pacholok and Jeffrey Stuart.
https://www.amazon.com/Could-Be-B12-Epi ... 1884995691