Waiting for Formal diagnosis...highly suspicious for MS....

[Rsella2]

Think I have read as much as I can...working on overload right now... really need some guidance. First off, thank you for this forum. What a blessing...educational, honest, comforting!.
I am 39 years old and over the past 8 -10 months have experienced strange occurances. I frequently fall...literally my legs just give out on me. I drag my feet, feel heavy especially with my left leg. When i sit and attempt to cross my leg I have to lift up my leg and manually cross it! Also experience my knees locking on me...super painful . I have difficulty with my memory too. Had spoken to my doctor and he prescribed Adderall... take 20mg twice a day... also have lower back pain. Began chiropractic care for a few weeks.
My doctor referred me to a neurologist and she gave me a script for an MRI of the brain and neck. ... this is what th3 impressions state: "there are innumerable FLAIR hyperintense white matter lesions seen within the supratentorial white matter. Several of these are horizontally oriented to the corpus callosum and are highly suspicious for multiple sclerosis plaques. There are also several FLAIR hyperintense foci within the cerebellum, brainstem, and cerebellar penduncles which would be consistent with multiple sclerosis. No restricted diffusion is seen to suggest an active plaque." No intracranial hemorrhage is demonstrated. No intracranial neoplasm is seen.
I'm no doctor...but feel that this may be in fact MS. I have an EMG scheduled for th u still coming Monday.....
Could this be MS???

Rebeca

[lyndacarol]

I'm no doctor...but feel that this may be in fact MS. I have an EMG scheduled for th u still coming Monday.....
Could this be MS???

Rebeca

Welcome to ThisIsMS, Rsella2 (Rebeca).

Your symptoms are consistent with MS, but also with MANY other conditions. Because there is no definitive test for MS, it can only be considered after all the other more likely possibilities have been ruled out.

In my opinion (I have no medical background), nutrient deficiencies are at the top of that list that need to be ruled out first. If you have had a vitamin D blood test (the "25-hydroxy D" test), please share your actual number results with us. In January, I was tested and found to have a deficiency (24 ng/mL).

[Snoopy]

Hi Rebeca,

Could this be MS???

It is very possible but your still going through the diagnostic process and your Neurologist is still trying to rule out other possibilities.

Since you are having lower back pain have you had an x-ray of your lower back? If not I would suggest doing so. Things like herniated/bulging discs can cause the problems you are having in your legs. If you have not had a MRI of the cervical (neck) spine that would be another recommendation. If you have MS, the leg problems and falling could indicate spinal cord lesions or a back problem. Under those conditions I would be hesitant to see a chiropractor at this time BUT am not a Dr.

[Rsella2]

Thanks for the replies... I had routing blood work as part of my annual physical but not the 25-hydroxy D -I will discuss it with the Neurologist on my follow up visit at the end of the month...

Snoopie - yes... I had an MRI of the lower back...some disc issues and reason I began to see a chiropractor...truth be told...not much of a difference...

[Snoopy]

I had an MRI of the lower back...some disc issues and reason I began to see a chiropractor...truth be told...not much of a difference...

Disc problems really should be addressed by a Neurosurgeon, have you been evaluated by one? If those discs are compressing or pushing on nerves a worst case scenario is paralysis. Surgery may be needed. If surgery isn't needed Physical Therapy is usually recommended.