Hi, My name is Jill.
For the past 5 (ish) months I have been having involuntary muscle jerks in my legs (much different than the RLS). It has progressively moved throughout my entire body, including spasms in my face. The spasms in my face contort to the point of being painful. You just have to laugh at some of the faces it makes, but I laugh just to cope with it and not freak out..
Friday while at work my jerking and facial contorting was the worst it has ever been, including knotting up my hands.
I did go in to the ER. I got a CAT scan, urine and blood work done. Don't have the blood results back yet, but everything else came out fine.
The neuro tests the PA did (touch finger to nose and to her finger and back, walk, don't let me pull my hands away, etc) were difficult, causing my left hand to "cramp" up.
I said, "well??" she responded with, if I have to guess I would say early onset of MS. But I could be wrong.
This didn't exactly surprise or scare me. My mom was dx'd with MS when she was 35. We just recently lost her 2 weeks ago yesterday at the age of 65. I have watched what MS can do to a person for 3/4 of my life.
But they wanted to check a couple of things out first. They wanted to rule out it being from my meds (venlafaxine and wellbutrin). They gave me benadryl via IV. That made the involuntary contractions/jerks worse. They then added Ativan vi the IV. That calmed them down a bit but put me out. Even while I was out I was having the concractions.
I have been seeing my pcp about this for a few months now. We have tried Mirapex, Requip, and now Neurontin. Started off at 100 mg 3x day, bumped that up to 300 mg 3x day. I just happened to have made a follow up appt with my pcp the day before all this happened. So I do have to follow thru with that appt and strongly insist on a consult to neurology and an MRI. Well, duh! That is what I was going to do anyway!!!
All I have done all weekend now is sleep. Within minutes of waking, I cannot keep my eyes open and have to lay back down. Even now typing this I am ready to lay back down.
Everything on Friday made my fine motor skills crap. I couldn't hit the right buttons to spell anything. My hands have become sore and stiff, and my face and shoulder hurt.
Anyway, this is a little intro to what is going on in my life right now.
I am not scared of the MS diagnosis, I have already lived with it. I know what to expect. But I am wondering if this is what it is or is this something else?


Thanks!
Jill

Jill, first I wanted to welcome to Neuro Talk!!
I feel so bad for you and the way the symptoms have affected your life. My husband has had MS for 27 years now. Nothing has happened like you describe. He has tremors which are mostly positional.

Stick with the docs...make them do the tests that need to be done to help find out whats going on....you take care my dear!!

WELCOME to NT!
This is a wonderful place full of support and understanding! I'm sorry you are faced with all these symptoms. I hope you can start getting some answers soon.
You'll find that you are not alone in this and everyone here is very caring.
Make yourself at home...
It's great to have you!

Caring,
Rae

Thank you for the welcome. I am anxious for the appt tomorrow.
I hope it doesn't take forever to get in to neurology.

Hello Jill and WELCOME to NeuroTalk!!

Here are a couple of links to get you started in finding your way around the board and may be of interest to you.

Multiple Sclerosis
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum17.html

The Stumble Inn --the place for social chat for our M.S community
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum102.html

Movement Disorders
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum65.html

Please feel free to roam around and join in anywhere!

If you have any questions or need any assistance please don't hesitate to ask. Someone will always be around shortly to help in any way that we can.

I look forward to seeing you around the board.

Abbie