Could it be MS? 19 years old
 

Hi everyone,

I am 19 years old, in my second year of college, and have been having neuro symptoms for about a year now. I am just wondering if my symptoms could possibly be caused by MS or if any one else here started with similar symptoms. Some information about what has been going on:

- First symptoms: was the feeling of water dripping down my legs when walking back from class (always happened at the end when I got hot), small black spots in vision, flahses in vision, and some lack of coordination

- Neuro #1: last summer, symptoms were very far and few between
- blood work: completely normal
-Brain/spine MRI: both negative for MS (no contrast)
- EMG/NCS: some small indication of problems on left side
- VEP: borderline, prolonged but normal
- other notes: reduced reflexes at knee in leg
- Neuro #2: Still seeing him
- EMG/NCS #2: completely normal
- Rest of back MRI: normal
- skin biopsy: low sweat gland nerve fiber density at thigh, low (but not low enough for diagnosis of SFN) ENFD

Symptoms which have developed this year:
- shimmering of entire vision field (oly notice on blank backgrounds especially the sky)
- increasing black pattern in vision until blinking and then it restarts (not all the time)
- heart rate problems (now taking meds for--ok)
- extreme stinging mostly in legs (sometimes arms and trunk) when working out
- tingling when i get too warm outside
- skin sensitivity to clothing in same spot everytime (right stomach/side)
- dizziness
- shakiness of hands and trembling of body (as if i had chills)
- weakness/tiredness (not all the time)
(not sure if last 3 are side effects of meds or not)

- i am on gabapentin which works for some symptoms
- scheduled an appointment t cleveland clinic and am wondering if it was just too early to test for MS before (symptoms increased alot this year)?

THANK YOU!

I'm 52 now and started having symptoms in my 20's. Didn't know then what it was but it wasn't bad enough for me to investigate. My episodes of symptom flareups were so few and far between that I just attributed it to other things (being tired, lack of sleep, etc.).

Now that MS is more widely recognized and there are more treatments that you can begin early in the disease progression it makes sense to investigate the symptoms you're having. There are so many other conditions that mimic MS you're smart to get moving on finding out what's causing them.

It's a slow, methodical process of elimination. MRI's should be done with contrast otherwise there's not much point in having them done. Gabapentin can also cause some of the symptoms you've mentioned.

In my opinion it's not too early to begin testing for MS or at least eliminating what it's NOT so you can get closer to an answer of what it IS. :) Good luck!

Hello boiler and welcome to NeuroTalk :)

Unfortunately, no one here can really say if what you are dealing with is MS or not. Many conditions have very similar symptoms and some can overlap one another.

I am wondering if you have seen an Opthamologist for your vision problems. If not you may want to consider it. Vision problems are best left to an Optometrist or Opthamolgist as the eyes are their specialty.

Good advice from Snoopy. My MS was finally diagnosed after a visit to a Neuro Opthamologist. I was having severe double vision. MS never entered my mind. Had several MRI's (with contrast) and that showed lesions on my brain and spine.

I went to an eye doctor when I first got visual symptoms (before the neuros) and they checked for retinal damage and found that my eyes seem to be perfectly fine. Also the flashing is not my entire vision field just the center and what makes me personally think it is not my eyes is i can still see the flashing box with my eyes closed. Yeah i am really frustrated because i am not sure what symptoms are from the meds and what are true symptoms...I have a lot of days where my vision is like i am watching a home video (very shaky, jerky) it is almost as if i am in a fog and I am just tired. I actually had both the later symptoms today. Also the flashing is very short term (stops when i sit down).

So because i had no contrast in the brain and spinal MRI it was kind of a waste of my time?

Also I havent had the "flare up" pattern...i have days where i feel worse but I am never free of symptoms

Thank you so much for your repies!

I'd definitely get my next MRI with contrast. Make sure they do head and spine. http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Neurolo...st/show/894466

Your vision problems sound a little like nystagmus. I have that - not all the time - but I never know when it will present itself. http://ask.healthline.com/health/nystagmus

boiler1993;978210]

Hi boiler--its been awhile im sorry to read this post your still having problems . Did they offically rule out the SFN? Im at a loss what to advise but i would keep on having test ran your symptoms have been going on for a long time. I wanted to come in and say HI to you.

Welcome to NeuroTalk Boiler. 19, wow, so young. Nice to meet you.
I see a possible DX of MS in your future?? I'm glad to see that your
Neuro is treating your symptoms and not just blowing you off.

I had my first noticeable symptoms at 23/24 and didn't seek or
receive a DX of MS until I was 34/35. It can take time and
patience.

Please do hang out with us, while you go on your DX journey and
let us know if we can be of any help support for you. That is
why we are here for each other.:hug:

Oh I just realized I forgot something kind of major which made me look at MS as a possibility in the first place : all of my symptoms increase with exercise and I am wondering .. I know that MS symptoms are exacerbated by heat increase in the body does this include visual symptoms because once again running and exercising causes ALOT of visual symptoms for me and then they go away when I finish.

MG - the final numbers for the skin biopsy showed large reduction in SGNFD in thigh, normal at ankle. ENFD were 8 calf, 9.7 thigh and they gave me no conclusion in the report due to my age. My doc says we can neither rule out or diagnose it, but he has never thought the visual probems could be caused by SFN. He has stopped looking into anything and i figured we would give one more shot with the cleveland clinic to se if they can find anything. And ... HI i hope u are doing well.

Kitty - i will make sure that if it is done again I get contrast..how long does it take for lesions to appear with MS also arent they a result of flare ups? so if i have no distince flare ups then would any lesions appear ever? ALso is nystagmus a symptom of MS?

Sally - thank you for the info. i am lucky no one has ever blown me off. I am also very fortunate to have a very supportive family and my friends at school are always looking out for me...really I am so lucky.

Thank you so much for your replies..my appointment is on may 13th so not that far off

Not sure, if there is a standard time for when lesions appear?

I wanted to address the spots in your vision, that you mentioned. Those are sometimes noted as people age, laymen's term is 'floaters', not MS related, that I am aware of.

Nystagmus is something you may want addressed with your ophthalmologist.

Are you currently in school? Stress from all that extra course work, can create havoc with your eyes, in my humble opinion.

Hope you find some answers. And no, I don't feel, it's a waste of time to rule out everything you can with your physical health. What will your neurologists, next course of action be, from here?