Spinal MS?
Posted: Mon Oct 16, 2017 11:24 am
Hello all - Thanks for reading my post and for any insight that you may have on my condition itself and/or as a potential MS diagnosis.
A little over two years ago I began having severe pain in my pelvic region, along with numbness, difficulty urinating, and sexual dysfunction. Many, many doctors and countless invasive and inconclusive tests eventually led me to a neurologist. The neurologist that examined me uncovered some worrisome test results, to include a positive Hoffman's sign, hyperactive knee reflexes, and a uncommon reflex in my elbow that I can't recall, prompting an MRI. At that point, I was pretty sure that I was going to be diagnosed with MS. But, the MRI was negative for tumors, lesions, etc. The doctors had no explanation for the cause of my pain. I was told that I could be rest assured that all of the "scary" things had been ruled out, wished good luck in the journey to find the cause, and referred to a pain management doctor who has been treating me since. I had convinced myself that I had a pelvic floor dysfunction, or something like that until recently.
That is because while my pain has been managed, and has even improved over time, I have been having all sorts of weird symptoms the past couple of months. They include: numbness, burning, pins/needles pain in my hands, arms, feet and sometimes my chest (intensified by heat), heat intolerance, night sweats, shaky legs and difficulty maintaining balance descending stairs (not going up), occasional difficulty urinating, gastrointestinal issues, constant fatigue and daytime sleepiness, memory and concentration problems, and aphasia. Last week while eating dinner my back ignited with intense needle-like pain that lasted 15 minutes. It hasn't happened again. I still have sexual dysfunction and the fatigue and depression has been constant for years. On several occasions, my legs have acted like they don't want to move. My mind is telling them to, but the best that they can do is minimal movement. This has been sporadic and usually doesn't last more than 15-20 minutes.
Research on MS shows some similarities with symptoms, but some don't seem to fit, mainly because of the short duration. And there is the fact that no lesions showed up on the brain MRI two years ago. But I also understand that MS can primarily effect the spinal cord, so perhaps the cause can be found there? Note that I had bacterial meningitis when I was 3 years old, and nearly didn't recover. I often wonder if that illness could have long-term effects.
If you made it this far, thanks for reading. If you have any thoughts on my condition or have similar experiences, I would appreciate hearing from you. The next time I visit a physician for this, I want to be prepared to ask the right questions. If I have learned anything over the past two years of seeking medical help for my chronic condition, its that you have be your own advocate.
bull
A little over two years ago I began having severe pain in my pelvic region, along with numbness, difficulty urinating, and sexual dysfunction. Many, many doctors and countless invasive and inconclusive tests eventually led me to a neurologist. The neurologist that examined me uncovered some worrisome test results, to include a positive Hoffman's sign, hyperactive knee reflexes, and a uncommon reflex in my elbow that I can't recall, prompting an MRI. At that point, I was pretty sure that I was going to be diagnosed with MS. But, the MRI was negative for tumors, lesions, etc. The doctors had no explanation for the cause of my pain. I was told that I could be rest assured that all of the "scary" things had been ruled out, wished good luck in the journey to find the cause, and referred to a pain management doctor who has been treating me since. I had convinced myself that I had a pelvic floor dysfunction, or something like that until recently.
That is because while my pain has been managed, and has even improved over time, I have been having all sorts of weird symptoms the past couple of months. They include: numbness, burning, pins/needles pain in my hands, arms, feet and sometimes my chest (intensified by heat), heat intolerance, night sweats, shaky legs and difficulty maintaining balance descending stairs (not going up), occasional difficulty urinating, gastrointestinal issues, constant fatigue and daytime sleepiness, memory and concentration problems, and aphasia. Last week while eating dinner my back ignited with intense needle-like pain that lasted 15 minutes. It hasn't happened again. I still have sexual dysfunction and the fatigue and depression has been constant for years. On several occasions, my legs have acted like they don't want to move. My mind is telling them to, but the best that they can do is minimal movement. This has been sporadic and usually doesn't last more than 15-20 minutes.
Research on MS shows some similarities with symptoms, but some don't seem to fit, mainly because of the short duration. And there is the fact that no lesions showed up on the brain MRI two years ago. But I also understand that MS can primarily effect the spinal cord, so perhaps the cause can be found there? Note that I had bacterial meningitis when I was 3 years old, and nearly didn't recover. I often wonder if that illness could have long-term effects.
If you made it this far, thanks for reading. If you have any thoughts on my condition or have similar experiences, I would appreciate hearing from you. The next time I visit a physician for this, I want to be prepared to ask the right questions. If I have learned anything over the past two years of seeking medical help for my chronic condition, its that you have be your own advocate.
bull
have any docs referred you to a dietitian? do you have any serum nutrient results on file? i'm curious about serum zinc, serum magnesium and serum d3 levels in particular if you have had any or all of these done.