New and confused - advice needed
 

Hi there;
Usually I am on the RSD forum as i have it in my knee. But I have had a few ongoing problems my nuerologist has been following. In 2004, I was extremely ill with a virus no one could figure out. During this time, the dr ordered an MRI which showed white lesions. I was not experiencing any problems so the dr said we would watch for more symptoms of MS. I have gone in for a followup MRI recently which i am awaiting the tech to compare the MRI's. My problem is that on Friday nite I had severe stabbing pain in my right eye (which I have had several times in the past and never followed up on). But then my face on the same side became numb, and felt like pins and needles. It stayed this way until Sunday. I was planning on calling my Neurologist on Monday - did not want to make an ER visit on the weekend. Could this be a symptom of MS? The only other thing I have going on that I can't explain is twitching (jerks) of my body. It started out at nite -before I fell asleep and the dr thought it was RL and put me on meds. But this weekend my whole body was taking turns giving quick little jerks - lasted quite a while and not just in the evening. I have read MS threads, but am confused at what it takes for a person to be diagnosed with MS. Thank you for reading and if you can give advice - thanks. PS - anything specific I should ask the dr when I see her?

Hi and Welcome!

Sorry to hear that things are going wonky for ya. It can be scary. :hug::hug:

MS is generally a diagnosis via exculsion since there's a lot of things out there that can mimic it. The follow up MRI would be a start to see if anything has changed. There's a lot of bloodwork to rule stuff like Lyme's out and possibly an LP (spinal tap - though that's being used less). Evoked potentials is another tool that they use as well.

McDonald's Critera is the usual rule of thumb for the docs to DX MS

I had tremors on my right side that lead to my eventual DX. It was scary and annoying to not have control of the bod. I've been fortunate in that it's been the only symptom to fully remit for me.

Hang in there, and hope the docs can find the answer for ya. :hug:

Hello lindkaye and Welcome to NeuroTalk. Fin gave you some great advice, so I'll just add that I am glad you found us and hope that you take a look around, ask questions whenever you need to and make yourself at home here. NT is an amazing place w/amazing members.

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I am so sorry that you ever have to know what the word MS means. The thing is, it means so many things to so many people. For some it means a dropped foot, and a dragging leg. For some it mean optic neuritis, and visual issues, for others it means some MD tells them they have lesion in their brain, and no sx at all. The thing is, its NOT the same for most of the population. its very hard to say XYZ is going to happen at ABC time. its so fluid, and scattered.

The eye pain could be nothing more than stress, or could be as serious as optic neuritis. i know I have had ON, and it was painful. I felt like the knife stayed IN my eye. It was painful to move my eyeball from side to side, or up and down. My vision was shattered, and double. It was awful! I also know that I have anxiety flare ups that can take some of my smaller sx, and turn them into monsters, and make me lay in bed assured that the end is near.

The best thing you can do is exactly what you are doing. Allow the MDs a chance to compare one film to the other. Are you collecting more lesions? are you collecting more sx? Are you living inside your own head so much that you have paralyzed yourself? I hate when I do that to myself. If your visual sx keep up, and the pain/numbness continues, please seek medical care. You must realize that the majority of MS is not an emergency. This is a slow disease that creeps along and slowly does its damage to the majority of its victims. Optic neuritis is one of the only exceptions to that. Do you have double vision? Do you have pain that is greater than 7 on the 1-10 pain scale? its better to go to the MD and be told its nothing, than to sit home and learn it was ON, and you did damage. A simple exam that is non invasive will be able to show that, if your MRI was in the last week, it should show up on the film. Ask them to search your MRI for signs of it.

I hope you feel better, and get some answers. :hug:

Hi Lindkaye,

I know you from off the RSD forum and you and me have spoken quite a bit but I just wanted to say that I am so sorry to hear that you could possibly have MS on top of everything else and really hope that the stabbing pains in your eye is nothing too serious and that it can be easily treated!:hug:

The others gave you lots of good advice and I really hope it helps you! I don't have MS but my nanan used to have it so I understand just how debillitating it can be as I dealt a lot with her illness and tried to help her out whenever I could!

Please try not to worry too much - I KNOW it is easier to say than do but the last thing you need is to stress and worry yourself out as you have enough going on at the moment and as I am sure you already know, the stress WON'T help wit your RSD at all!!:hug:

I really hope you get to the bottom of your problems soon and I would definitely call your Neuro and see what he/she says. The jerks could be from the RSD, I have them sometimes even in my limbs that don't have RSD and it is really annoying and painful!

Thinking about you and please keep us updated ... we're all here for you!!

Welcome Lindkaye. :) I'm sorry and happy at the same time for your visit here to the MS board. RSD is enough...you don't need MS..:(

Because of your eye problems I would suggest you see a Neuro/Optho. You could have ON and an Optho can be quite helpful in reaching a MS DX. ON is often the onset of MS. As for the jerks, I don't have those but like Ali said it could be a sx of your RSD?

Good luck on your journey and do check in here often for our help and support.. :hug: