Hello everyone,

My name is Michael. I'm a 21-year-old college student living in Miami Beach, Florida. Lately, some strange (and horrifying) symptoms have arisen, and I was wondering if you all think if it is something serious like MS or not. The odd symptoms I've experienced for the last 2 months are:

*Frequent muscle spasms. Very small and never painful, only lasting for a few seconds at random points on my body. They happened to be in the past occasionally, but they have become more frequent.

*Odd tingling sensations. The two areas that I feel tingling/vibrating the most is my left foot and hand. It isn't totally constant, it comes and goes throughout the day. I'll get these same feelings in my right hand and foot as well, but never as much as the left side. I've also experienced this feeling occasionally in my fingers.

*Feelings at random places on my body that feels like someone is pushing a needle into my pin. Like, pinches of pain. These only last a few seconds as well. They occur the most in my toes, soles of my feet, and rarely in my fingers. Something that is odd is that a lot of the time, when I feel this pinching pain in my foot, I'll also feel in on my lower abdomen at the same time. When one stops, so will the other.

*Just odd, general pain in my legs and arms. Never painful, just noticeable and annoying. These come and go and are not very constant. I've felt these dull pains in my arms, legs, sometimes around my torso, and on the sides of my chest (never directly in the middle).

*Headaches that come and go throughout the day.

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Now, the thing is, is that weird things have been happening for almost 6 months now. I was told by 2 doctors that I have an anxiety problem. I'd have attacks (and sometimes still do). But this "anxiety disorder" stirred by a bunch of dragging symtoms over the course of the months I experienced them. When I had my first attack about 5 or 6 months ago, my left hand felt like it was tingling for a week, then it stopped. I was hospitalized for strong constipation, odd BMs, and bloody stools. I received the following tests in the course of the last 5 months or so:

-EKG
-Chest x-ray
-CT scan of abdomen
-Colonoscopy
-Blood tests to test the following:
Thyroid
Liver
Kidneys
Red and white blood cell count
Sodium levels
Protein levels
Calcium levels
Cholesterol
Diabetes screening

Out of all of the above tests, the only thing the doctor had to say was that my spleen was slightly enlarged, but that that is nothing to worry about, and that everything else came back fine. They said the constipation and bloody stools was due to the anxiety.

But these neurological symptoms don't feel like they're improving, and I've very scared.

I have no medical insurance. The only way I had the above tests done was by going to my local ER. And I get billed a ridiculous amount when it was all through.

So, do you guys think it may be something serious, like a bad neurological condition like MS or something? Or is it just my anxiety playing tricks on me? I don't even feel anxious lately.

Please help! All comments, ideas and feedback are greatly, GREATLY appreciated.

Hello, mmuller and welcome to NeuroTalk.

There is really no way we can tell you if what you're experiencing is MS or not.

Unfortunately, you will need testing by a neurologist to know if your dealing with something neurological.

The symptoms you're describing could be caused by any number of things including anxiety. I am not suggesting anxiety is the cause of your problems only that anxiety can cause neurological symptoms.

Hi Michael,

I can offer a couple of things that you could try and see if they helped.

Some of the odd symptoms you are experiencing can be caused by B12 deficiency. It happened to me, and it took three years and 8 doctors before a doctor thought to check for it. B12 is CHEAP, safe, and something you could absolutely try. You will know in 3-6 months time if it is helping your neurological type symptoms, usually sooner. It is important to take high dose B12, because if you are low in it, you are probably having trouble absorbing it. Take at least 1000mcg of B12, preferably the methylcobalamin type.

Here is what I learned about B12 through my personal experience. First link discusses diagnostics and dosages. The second discusses symptoms I had.
http://jccglutenfree.googlepages.com/b12deficiency
http://jccglutenfree.googlepages.com...ciencysymptoms

Because you have constipation and bloody stools... you should most definitely consider gluten senstivity/ celiac disease. Notorious for causing bloody stools, and though most frequently associated with diarrhea, it can abosolutely present with severe constipation. I could write a book about this... but you can begin by reading the home page and diagnostic pages of The Gluten File (linked in my signature). You can contact me via pm or email if you need more information.

I'm satisfied you've sought medical advice, based upon the above, and have dead ended with an "anxiety" dx. Good for you not to accept that. I usually suggest everyone begin with the blood testing for celiac disease, including the full panel of tests... because once you begin a gluten free you can't go back and do the testing because antibodies can begin to drop rapidly.

BUT... in some cases... where medical help has been sought and turned up nothing... and money is an issue... it makes sense to do a dietary trial without the benefit of blood testing. Truth is that blood tests often show negative in those with gluten sensitivity, so whether the tests would be negative or positive ... I would recommend you try a diet trial. Treatment involves eliminating gluten from your diet... this is anything made with wheat, barley, or rye. Including beer, unless a gluten free brand... and there are a few now. There is a lot to know before beginning a gluten free diet, so if you want to try this... please contact me for additional tips about a gluten free diet. The Internet is full of info, and there is a gluten sensitivity/celiac disease board right here at this forum.

If you have parents who might help out with the cost, or if you can get the tests covered by student health care at a nominal cost... the blood tests might be worth doing. Both of my kids received pretty good care via student health services... and they even picked up a lot of the lab costs. Do check that possibility. Your hospital doctor SHOULD have thought to include both these things in the first place... but obviously not so. You can also read my story in The Gluten File. My family had wide ranging gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms... all treated with diet and vitamins. Real disease conditions... written up in real medical journals and textbooks... just grossly underdiagnosed.

The pin stabbing pain... another B12er I met along the way described these as "bee stings". I had them too.

Did you have a MONO test? Mono typically causes an enlarged spleen. (may also cause some liver abnormalities that do reverse with time.

Did you have a sore throat before this started? Are you really tired?