Hello everyone, i'm fairly new here. I've posted under the aneurysm forum before. I am in limbo, believing I have MS but not able to get a diagnosis. I don't WANT MS, but would really like to know what's wrong. How long did it take you to get the diagnosis? Have any of you been in the same place I am (negative MRIs, normal LP), yet exhibiting most of the symptoms of MS?

Here's my story:
I had a mild stroke in December 2005. I made a fairly nice recovery, but had problems with fatigue, balance, bladder and bowel control, and cognitive issues. Then I added a constant slight dizziness to the mix. I saw an ENT and there were no inner ear problems. I started having occasional 'spells'. I would have what my 'then' neuro diagnosed as seizures, and my cardiologist diagnosed as neuro-cardiogenic syncope. I would pass out (or almost pass out), losing control of my bladder. Awful stuff. It would take me a few days to recover from this. I was queasy and absolutely wiped out. The cardiologist put me on a beta blocker. I felt WONDERFUL for about three weeks, then slowly the dizziness and fatigue came back.

Almost two years ago, I had a day of such extreme fatigue, I thought I must be coming down with the flu. The next morning when I got up, my left leg was completely numb from the hip down. I gave it a few days, thinking it would go away. My primary checked my pulse in my legs and said that they were good. So, i got a referral for a new neuro (mine had recently moved) and he ordered a head MRA. He found lesions but said they were not consistent with MS lesions. He said they could be caused by my stroke, high blood pressure, smoking, etc. A spinal MRI revealed no cause for the numbness, and no lesions. Another MRA a year later revealed new lesions, but they believe they are due to the better equipment. I had the MRAs done at two different hospitals.

In the meantime, my neurosurgeon who treated me when I had the stroke has been monitoring me since then because a small aneurysm had been found at that time. At my last appointment in May, it had grown enough that he said it was time for surgery. SO, I had that clipped in June.

I had a 'relapse' after the surgery, where I felt totally disabled for about 3 weeks. During that time, I had an appointment with my neuro. I decided I would go ahead and have the LP. I had actually hoped it would show something so I could finally know what was going on. No such luck, it was normal.

Some of the symptoms I've had for the past 2+ years are:

Fatigue (constant-sometimes extreme, lasting days to weeks)
Dizziness
Balance problems
Gait problems (which causes pain in legs and hips)
Sudden electrical pain in right shin (about brings me to my knees)
Tremors (mostly on the left, and interferes with small motor skills)
Blurred vision in left eye (diagnosed as Uveitis-constant)
Numbness and coldness in left leg (constant)
Muscle spasms in calves
Feet feel like they're broken (especially after a period of rest)
Pain and burning pain in legs worse on left (the more I'm on them, the worse they are)
Neck pain (I don't have the L'Hermittes?) sign (more of a stiffness with random pains)
Restless Leg
Heaviness in limbs
MS Hug (I think)

There's more, but I've rambled on enough. Thanks for reading this long post and I'd love to hear from you if you have anything to share. I think I'm going to go to an MS specialist but have not made an appointment yet. Thanks everyone!

Patti in Wisconsin