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I saw my PCP 12/19. MRI/MRA 12/23. Results 12/27. Neuro referral. First available was 3/30!! When I let my PCP know, he must've called. Moved appointment to 1/20. I work for orthopedic surgeons and after several disturbing symptoms and missing some work because of it, the head ortho surgeon called the neurologist and I got in the next day with the neuro's PA. (That was Friday)

She was fantastic. That day, I was having some vertigo, neck stiffness and subsequent nausea. I could barely walk in and kept my head straight. She got a front row seat to my latest symptoms.

She did the typical neurological tests of reflexes, strength and balance that I read all about. I was a little off balance with my eyes closed. Swayed. Legs shook when I heel, toe, heel walked. And she said my left side was weaker than my right. She mentioned MS a few times and said what I knew she would which is that we have a ways to go before we arrive at that diagnosis. More bloodwork (vitamin D and ANA to check for lupus). A neck CT angiogram to check for blood flow to my brain and then a cervical MRI to check for lesions that might be causing some of my numbness. I go back in two weeks on 1/25. Hopefully, I'll have those tests prior to that follow up and hopefully more answers.

Today I don't feel any numbness but continued neck stiffness (not pain...just stiff...), headache, fatigue, off balance. Last week, several parts were going numb yet the past two days, no real numbness. Is that typical to come and go?

Hi,

Yes. that's very typical.

If that turns out to be the diagnosis then your emphasis needs to be put on what to do to manage symptoms. Many people live for years and years with things that "come and go". Fatigue is the real big one. If you can manage that then lots of other things don't seem so bad.

I found the best guidance for managing fatigue didn't come from an MS source at. It's a book called "Metabolic Cardiology: The Sinatra Solution" by Stephen Sinatra who is a cardiologist. As you are at an early stage then it's probably a good time to start doing some reading. Don't think of this book as a cardiology book. Think of it as a good description of how your cells give you energy. Following the basic guidelines has helped me a great deal.

I also take an antiviral called valacyclovir to combat EBV and I found that to be beneficial with fatigue.

Doing both the Sinatra approach and using valacyclovir means I have no fatigue at all. I was where you are now in the early 1990's. The trick is to be really self disciplined. There are many things to do but the first is to read while you still can.

Regards,