Trouble Walking
 

I am a 33 year old who has been having trouble walking over the past year. I was a very fit individual who went to the gym 3/4 times a week but found 18 just over a year ago that I was finding difficulty running. After many blood tests, x-rays, brain and back scans, VEP's, lumber punctures and electrical tests the neurologist found a small lesion on my brain stem back in May. The subsequent lumber puncture found oligoconal bands however MS was ruled out due to the position and type of lesion. A follow up brain scan in September showed the lesion had shrunk. My walking however is still troubled and getting worse, somedays down to 20mtrs. I have no pain, vision fine, sleeping usual and no pins and needles in my hands and feet. My legs feel like lead weights and I drag my feet alot. I can recover by just stopping, and then carry on with no requirement to sit down. My arms and hands also get very tired.
Does any one have any ideas? I'm definately confusing the docs and, as you can imagine, I feel totally imprisoned every day.

Hi bbird! I don't have much to offer....just an "ear" to listen. This is such a baffling disease with many strange symptoms in each one of us. Some people wait years for a definite diagnosis.

This certainly isn't very encouraging, but wanted to let you know we're here if you have any questions or just want to vent!

Good luck!!!!!!! :)

Hi bbird and welcome to NeuroTalk!

Have you sought a second opinion? If not, I think I might try to get one just to have another doctor's opinion.

This disease is mystifying enough even when we think we know what's going on. :rolleyes:

Good luck and I hope you can get some answers.

Welcome to NeuroTalk, bbird!

I'm sorry for the sx you are experiencing. I do hope you'll be able to get some help very soon. :hug:

Bbird...I am so sorry and can totally sympathize with the lead weights attached to your body.

I would also recommend more than one opinion. Where are you from? I know I have met some wonderful people from all over this country and even some from Australia, and they all have a lot of good advice as far as symptoms and doctors.

So sorry Bird, that's tough. I had trouble with my legs too, for a couple of years before other sx showed up and someone decided to start looking at MS. I was told that I was "getting older" I was all of 45! and suddenly couldn't walk up a flight of stairs without feeling like I'd just run a marathon!

I was also having memory issues, which were also being dismissed as "age related" or possibly due to menopause, stress, or medication.

I feel your frustration.

Even though the docs have ruled out MS (for now) doesn't mean you don't have it, or something else. Though I hope for your sake it's something else, like a pinched nerve or too much or not enough of some mineral, (insert your theory here), or something weird. Do go for a second or third opinion. And look at other possible sx. You mention the tingling, numbness, etc. What about headache, pain in the limbs other odd sensations?

Good luck, and keep coming here. If nothing else, you'll get plenty of sympathy. :winky:

Thank you everyone for your support.

In answer to a couple of your suggestions I am going to see another neurologist next week, refered to by work. I have so far seen 2 neurologists, 3 doctors and 2 physiotherapists. Each seem to be baffled as much as the others in their respective fields.

I have no pain and not other problems/symptoms that have arrisen and short/long term memory is fine.

I had never been to hospitial before this all happened and rarely to see the doc. I guess you don't realise how good you have it until things don't go to plan.

If it walks like a duck . . . :cool:

You have been given some great advice already; that the dx sometimes takes considerable time, that you should seek a second opinion, and that your symptoms seem indicative of MS (or perhaps another disease yet unconfirmed).

Since most of us have Relapsing Remitting MS to start, what they are normally looking for in the diagnosis phase is "dissemination in time and space" (further explained in the following thread, see the last posting):

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...cdonald&page=2

As it stands right now, you may have had one "event" (no dissemination in time), and one lesion (no dissemination in space) . . . so although the test results seem to indicate possible MS, they would have a hard time "confirming" it at this point. They are probably waiting for something new to crop up ...

Our lesions can come and go, or shrink as yours seems to have . . . but O-bands caused by MS don't go away (whereas with other diseases they often do). If nothing else changes (no new symptoms) though . . . even if you had another spinal tap (and the O-bands were still there), they would still be very hesitant about giving out a dx without "dissemination in time and space".

Some other causes of O-bands are in the following link:

http://www.diseasesdatabase.com/resu...ClassSort=True

You mentioned a number of tests, but didn't mention a MRI. Have you had a MRI of your brain with contrast, AND a MRI of you C-spine and T-spine . . . or just some kind of "scan" (like a CT scan, which is less accurate, but can also pick up on lesions)? Although a MRI can often pick up on more activity (lesions) then a CT scan, it doesn't necessarily tell the whole story of what is going on in our brains either.

Not all of us start out as Relapsing Remitting MS though, sometimes we are dx from the get-go with Secondary Progressive or Primary Progressive MS. Those categories do not present the same way, with dissemination in time and space, and we do not usually have so many lesions apparent either. There are a relatively small percentage of us that fit in that category though, so they are very reluctant to give out that prognosis.

Cherie

Hi bbird and welcome to Neurotalk..:hug:

My most bothersome symptom, before DX, was Lead Legs....great name for it.:p

Get another opinion from an MS specialist and hang with us, for support. We need your support too.:)

Trouble Walking
 

Not to say it is not MS. Have you been checked for Myasthenia Gravis that can cause your legs and arms to feel heavy and is relieved by rest just a thought. I know you are in good hands with your neurologists and I hope you find an answer soon.