I'd appreciate you taking the time to read through this. I really need some help and peace of mind. Just a little background and then the current. It's been a little under a year since i've posted, but now that I'll be approaching my "anniversary" to first symptoms mark I'm starting to feel more and more anxious that they'll return or something new will come about.

In Summer 2011 (at 24 yrs old) I started losing my hair (rapid shedding which ended up lasting 8 months). Then in Oct 2011 I woke up one morning with what felt like a painless zap go up the back of my head and then my whole left side felt numb. I could walk and do everything just fine, but when I touched my left side there was slightly less sensation than on my right. That went away within a few days. Was referred to a neuro by med clinic since it was the weekend and my pcp wasn't open, had an MRI of brain and spine which were clear. Of course I had googled after this symptom came up and freaked when I read MS so maybe it's possible I gave myself so much anxiety I brought on a bunch of other little symptoms with it - such as stiffness, a random bout of joint pain, rash on my body. I was so worked up, my mind was never at peace. All that went away once I got my MRI results and blood work back and was told by several doctors there was nothing to be concerned about and that it was likely anxiety due to the passing of my mom the year prior, and i was trying to finish my last year of college with a full load. I eventually believed that because I was so close to her and refused to accept that she was gone therefore I never grieved or let myself deal with it. It was just all building up inside (still is 3 yrs later - still haven't dealt). But then some weird symptoms came back a year later, and I thought...Ok, I guess it wasn't stress/anxiety...

So, after all my symptoms went away I was fine for months and months, until August 2012. I started losing my hair again and woke up one morning to SHOCKS in my inner left calf! Literally felt like electric shocks, like I was being zapped from the inside. It was so painful and made me recoil and cry out every time. I saw my dr that day and he just assumed magnesium/sodium def even though I was positive this was nerve and not muscle. Told me to drink a lot of gatorade that sent me on my way (didn't help fyi). Thankfully the severe zaps tapered off and only lasted that one day but ever since then I've had mini versions of those zaps. More like nerve twinges of pain that don't make me stop in my tracks, but it's enough to be uncomfortable and scare me and make the baby hairs stand up on my body.

Ever since that Aug 2012 shocks ordeal, I have also had small muscle twitching, occasional muscle jerks, pins prick sensations all over body, occasional ear ringing, another couple of bouts of numbness but it wasn't my whole side this time. Once it was my face and a patch on my shins, and thighs/arm. The numbness didn't stick around past a day or two, and the leg thing only happened for a few seconds that one time, but these other little symptoms like pin pricks and muscle twitches come and go still, but they were MUCH worse when I seemed to be in my high state of anxiety after the severe shocks happened! So far in 2013 I've only experienced the little nerve pain twinges, pin pricks and twitches (which like I said do come and go more often than other symptoms), and am currenty going through another bout of hair shed. And a month ago I woke up one morning and rolled off the bed to find my right leg collapse on me. I tried to stand twice before it was normal again. I have NO idea if that's a concerning thing, or if I just slept on it weird and it was very asleep, but it wasn't tingling so I don't know.

What should I do? I went back to my neuro after the shocks (but before all the other little symptoms) in Sept 2012, but he didn't think it was necessary to re-do the MRI because my previous one from the year before had been so clear and he didn't really seem to know about these shocks or seemed to have been familiar with that. He suggested sciatica and i had a lower back MRI but it was clear, and it didn't behave like sciatica to me. i have a new PCP and I was thinking of asking her to see the neuro she would refer and get another opinion.

I know symptoms of MS can also mimic symptoms of other conditions. All my blood work (last done Nov 2012) has been fine, but my thyroid was slightly low on one of them. But, some of the symptoms that throw me are the shocks and hair loss (just started up again a few weeks ago), because I've never seen those symptoms with anyone who I've read has MS. What do you think? No one in my fam has an autoimmune or really any heath conditions other than maybe high blood pressure. I just know something isn't right with me, but I'm terrified it could be MS even though it could be something else that's a mimic of it? Always thinking the worst possible thing, right? *sigh*

Well it doesn't sound like "classic" MS to me, but I'm sure if you read through a couple of threads on here you will quickly see that none of us have the exact same symptom presentation. My symptoms, for example, last for very short periods of time and rarely meet true criteria for it, but boy does my brain look like I have it, so what are you gonna do? My neuro wasn't at all convinced that I had it right up until my MRI came back haha.

I think that perhaps the best thing that you can do at this point is keep track of what you are experiencing and follow up with a new neuro, perhaps. You never know what a year can do for those rounds of tests and what may change.

Best of luck!

Hi samrose86,

Although you are having symptoms of something the one that makes me wonder is your hair loss. Hair loss is not a symptom of MS. Hair loss can be due to a vitamin deficiency, thyroid problems, stress/anxiety, some medications and other causes.

Maybe if your Primary Care Physician can find a cause for your hair loss the other symptoms can be explained.

I'm also wondering about your hair loss as that isn't common with MS.

There are lots of things that can cause unexplained hair loss.....and with your symptoms of joint pain, muscle twitching and body rash I'm wondering if you've had your thyroid checked?

Iron deficiency anemia and lupus are also concerns. Have you been tested for either of these?

There are so many things that look like MS at first glance. You have to eliminate all the things that "could be" before you get to the ultimate MS diagnosis.

Thanks for the replies. I can't help but think the hair loss is related because the bouts come on around same time I get other symptoms. I've had blood work for thyroid, lupus, vitamin def, etc and everything has been clear except a slightly low thyroid but apparently was no big deal. Haven't had it done again for this year though. To be honest, I also haven't read of anyone having these nerve shocks manifested like mine with MS yet either. Just because they happen and I have pin pricks and twitching does that have to mean there's been damage to the myelin? Meaning MS? It's not the same as that symptom some people get when they put chin to chest. As I said I know other conditions can cause similar symptoms but when it comes to nerve pain I don't know of another condition besides diabetes and MS that can cause cause that. My latest blood work was done in Nov 2012, and my MRIs were done in Oct 2011, but nothing came up too abnormal with either so I don't know what's happening.

Hi Sam. I've had MS for a loooong time, and the only time I
had hair loss was, when on IV Steroids.

I think Snoopy is right. If your Doc finds out why the sudden
hair loss, along with your other SX, you may find your answer.

I hope you find answers soon.

I agree that it does not sound like MS, but I would fire your Neuro anyway. Doesn't sound like due diligence is being done. When my Neuro wasn't finding anything...she sent me to a Rhumitologist. Anf in 6 months time my MRI's changed from a big negative to a big positive....so I don't know what your Neuro was thinking by suggesting that the MRI's may not change from a year ago. Sounds like he HIGHLY doubts MS and therefore does not want to subject you to another MRI.

With that being said...I agree that the hair loss here is key. I would insist that they run the Thyroid tests: T3 and T4. The standard thyroid test is not that accurate.
*admin edit of copy/pasted material = copyright infringement*
Please see here for the information http://www.womentowomen.com/hypothyr...ttheymean.aspx

And with that in mind I think I would also suggest a consult with a Rhumitologist.

With what everyone else, has suggested, aside from having your possible anxiety taken care of, have you ever seen a chiropractor? A herniated disc, can also mimic some of the symptoms that you've described.

Hair loss, can usually be stress. You mentioned not having grieved your mom, fully, after three years. I lost my mom, three years ago, as well, and I just want to let you know, that I can appreciate the grief you must feel

MS is an illness that follows the MacDonald's Differential Diagnosis Criteria. And even once MS, is diagnosed, we are not immune to other illness and anxiety and depression can be exacerbated by the illness, itself.

Being an MS patient, is, to me, about taking care of all aspect of your health!

Hang in there!!

Thanks guys. Truly, thank you ALL for your input and advice! I have an appt with my internist on Tuesday to see about a more extensive thyroid test, and I will seek out a new neurologist and rheumatologist, but what exactly does a rheumatologist help with? I remember my mom had one for minor arthritis. I'm about to take my teaching certification exam in mid Aug, so ideally id like to get that done before seeing a neuro again just in case something comes up positive I don't want to know before that huge exam. Sounds silly, but I know me and I know what it'll do to me. I know several of you have said its not the end of your life but the things that have happened to me - such as the excruciatingly painful shocks, and my leg collapsing on me scares me that that's just another neuro symptom that can happen again without warning. They haven't come again but I can't get a peaceful mind, thinking what if that wasn't a one time thing? I'm an extremely active female in my mid 20s and I fear I won't be able to do the active things I love anymore if an MRI ever comes out positive. I also read a case where someone can't see well anymore and are in a wheelchair. I know everyone's different but it scares the heck out of me. I'm sorry, I don't want to be one of those annoying people, I just don't know much about this at all, unlike a lot of you who are already diagnosed. My previous Neuro who was an MS specialist didnt even tell me this COULD come about later on down the road after my MRIs came back clear. He just said "no MS" and sent me on my way. It wasn't until I came here and read that for a lot of you it took years before getting a diagnosis, and that also scares me because it tells me this may not be over, unlike I thought.

A few more questions I hope someone can help me answer...

1. By the McDonald criteria, when it talks about having proof that it occurred at 2 different times, are they talking about getting proof from the MRI, or the same symptom occurring twice at two separate times? I've had that with numbness.

2. Has anyone experienced the shock pains? It's not something I've ever read anyone having before. It's not like Lhermitte's sign. This was localized in my inner calf and was not a result of me moving my head or neck.

3. Is it possible to be having all these typical MS type symptoms and it really not be MS, or is it just a matter of time before the diagnosis?

Thanks everyone. Just trying to educate myself more here. And Natalie8 - Haven't been on a antidepressent in 7 yrs, but I heard they can cause hair loss. GladysD - I thought about seeing a chiro, but I had an MRI last yr of my low back and it was normal. Maybe I should still go.

I'm so sorry you are going through all of this. It's so frustrating and we have all been there.

Anxiety can manifest in many ways. Hair loss and body zaps are some of the anxiety symptoms. Check out this list: http://www.anxietycentre.com/anxiety-symptoms.shtml I'm not saying it's anxiety but you mentioned unresolved grief and thought I would put this list out there for you to check out. The list is extensive and I know I've posted it here before at some point.

Yes, your thyroid may be causing some of your symptoms as well. A follow up with an endocrinologist might be helpful as they are specialists in this area.

Check that you don't have other deficiencies that may be causing your symptoms.

Of note, a rheumatologist only treats rheumatic diseases such as arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, etc. There are other autoimmune diseases that are treated with others specialists, such as an endocrinologist as I mentioned above. Discuss with your PCP which specialist he/she feels you need to see for any follow up.

A neurologist can "send you on your way" if you don't have any clinical symptoms of a neurological condition. I had lesions on my brain and no clinical symptoms and was not diagnosed right away. It took about 3 years for me to get a definite diagnosis. An MRI can and usually does change over time. New lesions can show up, others can become smaller, and some just seem to disappear only to reappear on another MRI. They are a great diagnostic tool but not the only one. There are people who go years without a diagnosis and others who never get a definite diagnosis. We have a family friend that spent the majority of his adult life with some sort of neurological condition that they were never able to diagnose. He eventually passed away and they never knew what was wrong with him. It does happen, but not that often I don't think.

Another great and informative site to check out and help you get a better understanding of MS is http://www.my-ms.org. It is one of the best sites I have come across since being diagnosed. There is a ton of information on there and it may help you in understanding your symptoms. I highly recommend this site to anyone in limbo, newly diagnosed, or even old timers. It's a great site.

Also, has your dr. discussed any sort of symptom management while you await a diagnosis?

I hope you start feeling better soon.