I am new to this forum and new to the thought of MS being a part of my life. I am 32yr mother of 5 and a very successful in my career. For the past 3 yrs I have been experiencing these strange "spells" the first time I lost felling and function of my left arm and the left side of my face I had an MRI in thoughts that I had a light stroke. The results were negative and with in a few weeks all symptoms were gone. I was chalked up to being new symptoms of my migraines. So when I would wake up in the middle of the night with tingling hands or cramping legs I never thought much about it. In March 2011 I had an other bad "spell". Between the muscle spasms in my back and numbness in my left side I decided to try chiropractic care, since the migraine meds didn't seem to be doing much. It took awhile but the pain went away so I thought maybe this is working. Then it hit again, harder, in Dec 2011 and the doctor gave me muscle relaxers and arthritis meds. So my "spell" is back and my doctor sent me to a neurologist this time for nerve testing. He shocked my arms and poked them with needles all the while Im telling him what has been going on the past 3 years (with more detail than above) He says we should look into MS and sent me for an MRI.
Thats where I am...now I am left scared and waiting. I understand MS is hard to diagnose. I have a lot of question running through my head for people that have been down this road...how long does it take to confirm diagnoses? How often do most of you have these "spells"? Do they start getting closer together? I just dont know what to prepare myself for.

Welcome to NT. Getting a dx is different for everyone. Some, it comes quick, others can take years. Depends on what your tests show and the neuro you have. You call them spells, we call them flares or exacerbations. Those too, are very individual. The thing with MS is that it is on a case by case situation. No 2 people will experience this the same way. Some can have a flare every few months, others can have years between the flares. Some never get the reprieve, and decline from the get go. Best thing IMO for you is to not panic, breath, and take it one day at a time, one test at a time. Lots of things mimic MS, and they need to be ruled out first.

First of all welcome to our little corner of the web!
Your questions and concerns brought back many memories for me. I remember all too well the confusion and fear of "what if".

M.S. has a very specific criteria that must be met before a definite diagnosis can be made. Personally for me, the doc's were looking for M.S. for over 10 years before I got a diagnosis. BUT: My symptoms would show up and then pretty much go away. However; I did have this prevailing sensation of off balance that stayed with me most days. I continued to have a clean M.R.I.
Then one day out of the blue my M.R.I. came back with lesions consistent with M.S.

My advice to you is to let the docs go through all there tests to rule out anything that mimics M.S. This can be a long process. When nothing shows up, then you are in the waiting game for things like a positive M.R.I.

There is no good time frame for diagnosis. Its different for everyone. I will say that the day will come that a diagnosis of any kind will feel like a relief. It gets that "monkey feeling" off your back and puts you in a forward motion for treatment options.

I sympathize for where you are in this process right now. Its frustrating and scarey.....but hang in there and don't be afraid. Big Hugs to you and keep in touch to let us know how things are going

Thank you ladies. I have a lot to learn about MS. I had never thought that to be an option. It has only been a few days since my MRI and I have not been able to stop thinking about anything else. I worry how quickly it will progress and how I will care for my kids, will the kids be more prone to have the disease, how long will i be able to work, i dont want to burden my husband ect. Im gonna guess these are all normal feeling. I already think any diagnoses would be a relief. Im tired of thinking I just clumsy when i drop things, getting so upset with myself over forgetting things, and feeling sick due to the "water in my head" feeling. Most of all finding something that can help with the pain when that comes. I dont know anyone that has dealt with this, so im ignorant to all of it.

Hi Hismom. I hear you and it is all too familiar. We are with you all the way.

I was DXed at 35 and have had symptoms since age 23/24. I'm now 72 and holding.

Let us know how the MRI results turn out. The MRI alone may not be your DX tool. Often, early in the disease, your MRI may be normal, but other tests down the line will show the MS. I hope the MRI is your answer, though.

Hang in there..

I had symptoms for over 30 years before I got positive tests. Of course, I had never had anything like Visual Evoked Response, Visual Fields, or MRI before that dx time. I don't know if this was because they didn't have those tests before that? I don't remember when they invented MRI or VER. My parents suspected me of having MS when I got my first symptoms as a teen, but the doctor they sent me to found nothing. I think testing was primitive in those days. At least testing is not as primitive now. But we still don't have much in the way of cure. I am on the Swank diet, my best helper, ever since dx.

I welcome you to our little corner of the world also. Just like every grain of sand and every snow flake is different, every case of MS is different. It all has to do with where the MS lesions are. Some of us with MS have worked a good while, some have gotten pregnant, raised their kids, some have gotten PHDs while with MS, some have ended in wheel chairs but are very happy. Some have had mates leave them. My husband says I married you in sickness and in health. You will find everything here. Also go over to the Stumble Inn for fun.

Some of the responders here have said it has taken them years for diagnosis. My neuro gave me a diagnosis of clinically probable MS because although every other test and physical symptom showed MS, I only had one lesion. MS is multiple. She gives me the same kind of treatment she would her other patients.

every thing you describe is absolutely normal for anyone on the hunt for an answer - we have pretty much all been there.

I hope it helps to know there are no silly feelings, dumb questions & that you are not alone on this journey~

i am starting to calm down since joining this forum really. it is great to know there are lots of people who have been in my shoes, and understand my feelings. I went into the neuro doc for nerve testing...expecting to hear "yep that nerve has slipped lets do a quick surgery to fix that problem" (at least that was how my regular doc figured it would go) When the neuro doc said MS and go for an MIR right now I was floored! I feel horrible because my husband was on a work trip and had to come home due to my anxiety. I dont think he understands the thoughts that are running through my head right now. If this MRI doesnt show anything im scared of the other testing...because I dont know what to expect.
I like that i can get on here and just ramble my feelings/fears

hello and welcome to NT.

i too understand your fears. i was diagnosed (dx'd) quickly; within 2 mos.
i began to have a gait problem. i went to my dr and my PE (physical exam) was abnormal. went to neuro...mri and lesions found. i was dx'd just on that.
that was in '03. i've been relatively stable, still walk mostly with a cane and drive. i was an RN and did have to give up my job.

the best advice i could give you right now is to take one thing and one day at a time. don't try to think into the future right now. no one knows what the future holds. like the others said...MS is so individual, everyone takes a different course.

try to bring your dh to your f/u dr appt. he'll be a 2nd set of ears and can ask Q's himself. get a copy of your mri and the report and start a medical file on yourself. it will come in handy down the road.

i would also recommend that you not discuss this at your job. the less people know the better. you don't even know yet.

we're here for you. keep us posted please.