[Kitty]

Since the original "New Members" thread (http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread4543.html) had gotten past the 1,000 post mark we're starting a new one.

New members to the MS forum please introduce yourselves here so we can welcome you!

[SallyC]

Thanks Kell, I showed this link in the old one, so Chamar can make it a sticky..

[NoWakes]

Hi,

I am a 47 yr old woman. I've been having the odd symptoms all of my life. Being a busy person, I ignored a lot. A big "symptom" was at the 32 I lost the use of my right leg..it just stopped working for a couple of weeks. We had no insurance, I went to the urgi, but they did no scans. They thought it was anxiety and sent me on my way. I did get it going again though. A disability center loaned me a walker and somehow I got thru. I always have had times of weird vision problems and eye pains that glasses wouldn't help and opthamologists couldn't fix. Sometimes they would rx prednisone drops, sometimes not. I finally stopped looking for answers. Occasionally my closet would hide a bag of depends adult diapers.

3 years ago I had a major complex surgery and all hell broke loose. The tingles, the shakes, the burns. My face would go numb. The pain up and down my body. I couldn't handle the heat, I wouldn't even leave my air conditioned home in the summers. I started taking cool showers. I thought it was menopause. People attribute all bad stuff to menopause.

I took a few falls. Suddenly my daily beach walks had become treacherous. Stairs were a jungle. Handles became my best friends. And then I'd be fine for a few weeks. Finally my gp did the "follow my fingers" test, and then puzzled a bunch of neuro tests. And a neuro consult. 2 clear MRI's. Puzzling labs with inflammatory markers extremely high.

Optic Neuritis. Wow. Scary crap. Almost completely blind in one eye. Now they've got my attention.

I just started a 5 day IV prednisone dose.

How can it be MS with clear MRI's though? The doc's say they are pretty sure. (oh the lumbar puncture was positive?) I go to a clinic in Boston.

[Erika]

Hello NoWakes,

Welcome to NT.
Sorry that you are going through this...the road to diagnosis can be a rough one .
It is usually best to take one day at a time and listen to what your body... as well as to what the docs have to say.

It is quite possible to have MS and a clear MRI; especially if an MRI was not done of the spine. Even then, some spinal lesions do not show up either.
It sounds like you are in good hands with your doctors so far though.
It seems that they have run some of the tests to exclude other possibilities and have chosen to use a strong anti-inflammatory to get things under control ASAP.

From there it might be a bit of a wait and see approach. Please let us know how you are making out with the prednisone and how things go afterward.

With love, Erika

[SallyC]

Welcome home NoWakes. Sounds like you've had this carp for a long time..me too. I was mild n the beginning, but like you said, all hell broke lose.

I hope you are going to stay with us and let us know how it's going. Join us in our misery and fun..

[Nimrodel]

Hi,

I'm a 19 year old woman who's been having episodes of transverse myelitis in addition to other symptoms for the last six years. In 07, when I had just turned 13, I got acutely ill with the textbook TM: muscle spasms, progressing paralysis, binding pain, hyperreflexia etc. At the ER they dx'd me as Acute Idiopathic Transverse Myelitis and treated me with two weeks of IV steroids (after the first week symptoms returned so they re-hospitalized me for a second round). A slow and bumpy recovery ensued. Since then, I have had relapses (less severe) of TM as well as misc other neurological symptoms - sensory changes as well as severe shortness of breath caused by spasticity of the abdominal wall muscles and perhaps mild diaphragm weakness. Currently taking a round of 'roids for my latest TM relapse. Stickler: I have absolutely normal tests. MRI's w/o contrast of brain & spin; CSF; even an evoked potential. Every blood test available, including NMO IgG. Everything completely normal. At first neuros thought I was crazy, but now (after the history and objective neuro findings) they just don't know. Was seen at the UCSF MS Center who, on first visit, thought I had MS but after normal tests did not know. Current neuro is waiting for some confirmation before dx'ing MS: positive brain or spinal MRI or, he says, solid evidence that the disease was involving some other spot in my CNS and not just a specific band of spinal cord. Whew! There's the tirade. Sorry for all that babbling! Just really wondering if anyone has experienced anything like this - spinal-only MS and/or clear MRI's?

Thanks! And wishing everybody a peaceful and healthful neuro system in this new year!

[mhill62]

Hello, I am new. Trying to figure out what is happening to my body since this past March. Intermittent stuff, now not so intermittent. Don't know where to start.. thought the place would be with Dr's but is going nowhere. Thank you, Marge

[nemsmom]

Originally Posted by mhill62

Hello, I am new. Trying to figure out what is happening to my body since this past March. Intermittent stuff, now not so intermittent. Don't know where to start.. thought the place would be with Dr's but is going nowhere. Thank you, Marge

Hi Marge, if your doctor isn't listening please find a new one. If you are having symptoms and feel MS needs to be looked into then you need to see a Neurologist that specializes in MS.

I'm sorry you're having rough time. Welcome to the group

[SallyC]

Welcome, Marge. This is an MS Support Forum. Do Drs here, unless they happen to share our MS.

I understand your confusion and fear. It sounds like your Doc is not helping you. If you susspect MS, then look for a Neuro who specializes in MS.

Let us help you through your diagnosis process..

[Kitty]

Hi Marge and welcome to the group! I'm sorry you're not getting anywhere with the medical community. Sometimes it seems like an uphill climb to try and get anyone there to listen.

I think you'll find lots of support and information here to help you along the way. Hope to see more of you here!