I was diagnosed with PN six years ago. My (half) sister has had MS since we were in our 20's. (I am 52, she is 46). Mine is very very painful, hers somewhat painful.
I was describing some of my "new" symptoms to her today at lunch, and she told me it REALLY sounds like I have MS!

I was only tested for MS one time, six years ago, when I was first diagnosed. They did an MRI. There was never a follow up. However, my PN has slowly progressed up my legs to my knees. Her MS is the kind that comes and goes. She doesn't work, because she has more bad days than good lately. However, she doesn't have to use a wheelchair yet.

It was an interesting lunch though we both walked in using canes, and her mom (my step mom) walked in all healthy at 68 years old!

I couldn't wait to get back here to post this to get some feedback from you guys! I posted this (a version of it) on the MS board as well.

Thanks everyone for your support!

--of course, is evident plaquing on MRI of the brain or spinal cord consistent with MS lesions.

There's still controversy in the MS community as to whether one transient neuropathic episode of at least 24 hours duration with such MRI evidence is enough to diagnose MS; the national medical associations still lean towards waiting for there to be a second such episode separated from the first in time. (And not all MS patients start with this "relapsing-remitting" pattern.) A number of other conditions can cause a one-time neurologic deficit in the brain or spinal cord that might mimic MS, such as ADEM (acute disseminated encephalomyelitis). Still, symptomatically, it's often difficult to distinguish MS from problems that are more peripheral, the symptoms produced from central nervous system lesions can exactly mimic those of peripheral nervous system problems.

Looks like at least MRI's of brain and spinal cord with contrast are in order. My speculation, though, is that you're more likely to have a peripheral problem after all this time with constant and slowly progressive symptoms, which is much more a peripheral neuropathy pattern.