I went to the MS clinic here in my state yesterday. After about 5 years of off and on problems I was diagnosed with MS yesterday.
I am not happy with the dx but am glad to know what is going on, and that I am not crazy.
Five years ago I started to have eye pain and visual changes. Numbness in my right foot. Had an MRI and it was clean. Had an EMG done. It showed Carpal Tunnel in my left hand. But, I do not have any sypmtoms of CT.
I went a couple of years with nothing then I was hit hard with Trigeminal Neuralgia. I thought maybe it was a tooth so I declined going on treatment. I had pretty constant facial and head pain during that time. Only it was tolerable. Then I had another flair of TN pain and decided to get my tooth looked at. I had a tooth pulled thinking that was the problem. Hoping pulling it would take care of my problem. It didn't, I still have mild TN pain. Then in May of this past year I developed Optic Neuritis. Went for all of the MS tests this time.
Brain MRI showed ON and area of demyelenation. Although the area was not in the "typical" MS area. I saw two different neurologists. One said the area was migrane or caused by high bp. The other said migraine stressed caused by my 7 children. Crazy woman!!
I gave up at that point. Went on. Had another test in September to see how my eye was doing. Things were improving. January 2008. Eye pain started again. Went to eye doctor have vision field test. It was now worse than with the first bout of ON. They claim to have seen pallar this time.
Went for MRI. Confirmed ON again. I finally got into the MS clinic yesterday. I took all of my tests. MRI's, BAER,SSER, VER, blood work, eye exams, letter from my PCP..
Two MS specialists went through all of my paper work before they saw me. They had their minds made up even before they did my exam. They said I am in the early stages of MS. They want me to start Avonex in the next couple of weeks. They started me on Trileptal for face pain. I have to go for a T-spine MRI in two weeks.
So, combined with all of my tests, history, and exam I did leave finally knowing what is going on. I am not happy, but at least I know now. Being in LImbo is very difficult. I feel bad for all of you who are still trying to get help.


LA