Question about symptoms and symptom onset.

[justdontknow]

Hello. I am 43 yr old female. I am experiencing tell-tale symptoms of MS but am wondering how far back in my health history I should go when I meet with the Neurologist.
Does it make sense that someone could have had a relapsing/remitting form of MS for nearly 20 years with the episodes being blamed on menstrual cycle and/or stress?

[lyndacarol]

Does it make sense that someone could have had a relapsing/remitting form of MS for nearly 20 years with the episodes being blamed on menstrual cycle and/or stress?

Welcome to ThisIsMS, justdontknow.

It absolutely makes sense! In looking back on our lives, most of us recall probable MS symptoms from MANY years earlier.

[justdontknow]

Amazing. The more I read and learn about MS, the more I am sorry that I was not more insistant with my drs. Perhaps i could have done more to slow the progression.
Since my last episode, or exacerbation if i do indeed have MS, I have symptoms in my legs which have not gone away. This is the first time this has happened. Typically, my symptoms would clear within a few days to a week with no residual effects.
I guess time will tell. Not getting to the neuro for another month unfortunately.
For the record; I had all sorts of bloodwork done to rule out many other possibilities. Fasting and non-fasting. The results were nothing interesting. I am thalassemic, so the iron and folate numbers were typical for me. My D3 was low, taking a supplement for that now, but all others, including insulin, magnesium and zinc, were in healthy range. No indication of diabetes or lupus.
Still hoping for a dx of fibromyalgia or compressed disk, although the doc says no way.

[lyndacarol]

I guess time will tell. Not getting to the neuro for another month unfortunately.

For the record; I had all sorts of bloodwork done to rule out many other possibilities. Fasting and non-fasting. The results were nothing interesting. I am thalassemic, so the iron and folate numbers were typical for me. My D3 was low, taking a supplement for that now, but all others, including insulin, magnesium and zinc, were in healthy range. No indication of diabetes or lupus.

Don't be in a hurry to team up with a neuro – I tend to believe that if you see a surgeon about a problem, he will find a solution in surgery; if you see a neuro, he will only see the problem/solution in neurology. I read an article that summed this up well: "doctors are experts in, and only test for, those parts of the body in which they specialize." You may make the best progress toward the correct diagnosis by working with your GP at first.

Concerning your blood test for "insulin"… Unless you asked specifically for a "fasting blood insulin test"– this is NOT the same as a blood sugar/glucose test which is routinely done for diabetes, I suspect you had the blood sugar test. If you had the insulin test, the optimal result you want is 3 UU/ML or lower. The INSULIN test is not used to determine diabetes.

[justdontknow]

lol....believe me I am in no hurry to team up with any Dr however, it doesn't seem avoidable any more.

I am not sure what you mean by the insulin test not being used to determine diabetes? One of the tests i had was indeed a fasting, test of my blood, for insuline. The glucose test was also done but on a different day. The Dr. was, at my request, ruling out all possibilities of type I and type II diabetes as well as hypoglycemia, all of which run in my family. the fasting blood insulin test is a standard test for type II diabetes.

I have been back and forth to my primary care doc for over a year now and have been tested for everything under the sun(read "grasping at straws to explain my malaise"). the logical next step appears to be an MRI and a visit to a neurologist. I see a chiropractor as well and he would love to see an MRI unfortunately, my insurance does not recognize chiropractor's nor do they or my doc care what the chiro thinks. How silly is that? The MRI has not been ordered. I am hoping the neuro will order one.

thank you for the feedback!!

[jimmylegs]

hey jdk, has anyone tested nutrient levels? certain nutrients are suspect with pms and ms, and any kind of stress (physical, emotional etc) can deplete nutrients.

[justdontknow]

Hi, jimmylegs.
I have been chasing nutrient issues for years. when i had my first "stress induced" episodes in my 20's I decided to make diet changes and get more serious about eating well. My dedication to this waxed and waned over theyears....along with my symptoms and or episodes.
I eliminated all sugar substitutes (i was a diet soft drink addict!) immediately and over the years have eliminated added sugars (outside of the occasional "treat" i get my sugar from food), softdrinks, nicotine and processed foods. the only demon i have left is caffeine, but i am down to one cup a day.
I work very hard to eat a well balanced diet which is why i was surprised to see deficiencies when the dr. began doing blood tests. (except for the iron/iron related due to my thalassemia)
The dr, after looking over my food journal, agreed it isn't diet, but the body not processing certian things correctly. That actually got her thinking. Especially when i pointed out my zinc and B12 levels being on the low end of "normal" but I already take a supplement????

[jimmylegs]

ah ha! i like you already LOVE that you have a food journal !!! so smart.

can you tell me a little more about your diet and your routine with supplementing zinc, iron, b12 and anything else you might be working on? have you ever looked into your magnesium status? do you eat much gluten?

[lyndacarol]

lol....believe me I am in no hurry to team up with any Dr however, it doesn't seem avoidable any more.

I am not sure what you mean by the insulin test not being used to determine diabetes? One of the tests i had was indeed a fasting, test of my blood, for insuline. The glucose test was also done but on a different day. The Dr. was, at my request, ruling out all possibilities of type I and type II diabetes as well as hypoglycemia, all of which run in my family. the fasting blood insulin test is a standard test for type II diabetes.

I have been back and forth to my primary care doc for over a year now and have been tested for everything under the sun(read "grasping at straws to explain my malaise"). the logical next step appears to be an MRI and a visit to a neurologist. I see a chiropractor as well and he would love to see an MRI unfortunately, my insurance does not recognize chiropractor's nor do they or my doc care what the chiro thinks. How silly is that? The MRI has not been ordered. I am hoping the neuro will order one.

thank you for the feedback!!

The level of blood sugar determines whether or not a person is diabetic. (Current medical practice defines a fasting blood sugar value of 126 mg/dL and above as the diagnosis of diabetes; the value changes from time to time. I think this is soon to be lowered.) The insulin test is not routinely performed, as are cholesterol testing, glucose testing, and other blood work done in annual physical exams.

Your doctor seems to be very good since he ordered the fasting blood insulin test. An elevated insulin level in conjunction with the diabetic value of the glucose test describes type II diabetes (a.k.a. hyperinsulinemia). If a neurologist orders an MRI for you, you can request a copy of the CD and show it to your chiropractor, thereby keeping him in the loop.