I do know some of the symptoms are similar. It does make you think. I did not see the Oprah show but have it DVR'd. It's interesting because my sister has MS. It makes you wonder about genetics and how this could apply. Hope everyone has a good day! My husband and I went to a PTA dinner last night and I won a Garden Gift Basket. My 6year old daughter and I have been getting ready for spring so my sons are digging the garden now! Linda

Dear Ali,

If I was your mum I would fight for a SPECT scan of the brain instead. Hang in their in the mean time.

*edit* I care about you.

Their is something in my heart that says you are going to get thru this.

When you do, I 100% know you will help people.

Thanks Buckwheat!

I haven't heard of the SPECT Scan before but will get my mum to do some research into it later.

I doubt my Pain Management Doctor will do the tests on the brain - we have asked him before and he gets really angry and frustrated at us and tells my mum to stop "scaring" me!

I think we would probably have to get the test done privately as the NHS might not cover it but I think it would probably be worth it, just to put our minds at rest. It's probably not MS but there is still that nagging thought at the back of my mind thinking "What up if it is and time is going by without any proper treatment".

Thanks again and i'll keep you all posted on what decision we make.

Dear Ali,

A Pain Mgt. MD is not allowed to DX?

We've only really spoken to my Pain Management Doctor and Physical Therapists about the possibility of having MS as they are usually the doctors that treat my RSD. We only usually see my GP and MD if I have any "other" problems other than the RSD as they don't understand RSD really and haven't got a clue how to treat it. It might be worthwhile speaking to my GP about it though just to see if she could do anything. I doubt they will do the tests as they only seem to do them over here if they think they are absolutely neccasary and you haven't been diagnosed with any orher pre-exsisting condition. It's so frustrating at times as even though we have asked them to do the tests for MS, they say they cant do them and my PM just gets very frustrated with us.

I have seen a Neurologist before but that was because of the myoclonic spasms and dystonia's I was getting in my RSD leg. The neurologist asked if we had a family history of Neurological illnesses as they are doing a research study into it and my mum told them that her mum had Progressive MS and my uncle had Parkisons Disease. He wrote it all down and said that it was interesting but never really went into any other diseases. I'm not sure when I see him again but it might be worthwhile speaking to them.

I see my PTs on Tuesday about the possible spread to my left arm so my mum said she would talk to them then and see if they have ever considered any other possibilties. I don't think i'd be as worried if I didn't have some of the symptoms of MS and also the fact that my nanan suffered from it also - I guess that the RSD can "mimic" othe conditions though but I still think we would like it if someone could put our minds at rest.

Thanks again for your help and suggestions.

just quoting the original post so we keep this discussion on topic

thanks

Hey Ali...

You can read the text of Montel's interview here:
http://www.oprah.com/article/oprahsh...el-williams-ms

I looked on YouTube and it is not there. I guess Oprah hasn't
released it yet.

The pain he describes sure seems similar to RSD and also PN!
I am sorry I missed that show, too.

A lot of his symptoms seem to be the same as RSD.

I was wondering about the heat. He says heat bothers him the most as it does me. With RSD doesn't it seem the cold is worse?

His interview was very good. He was thorough.

Diana, My caregiver told me that Colorado does have the highest rate of MS.

Ada

According to the company, "This previously undetected virus appears to be of significant importance to researchers looking for a cure to Multiple Sclerosis and many other neurological illnesses. Antibodies to the newly discovered virus were found in the cerebrospinal fluid and blood of over 90% of the patients tested with Multiple Sclerosis. It is believed that this newly discovered virus may prove to be responsible for a host of neurological disorders. Tests are currently being prepared for tissue samples of lesions within the brains of patients with Multiple Sclerosis. This will be the final round of tests before approaching the FDA for approval of the diagnostic tests."

http://www.ncf-net.org/PressReleases.htm

I have always thought RSD and MS were related. I was having MRI's every 6 months for 3 years prior to my injury, which ultimately lead to my RSD. The MRI's never showed leisons so I was not officially dx'd with MS and then I just stopped going because my symptoms cleared up for about a year and then RSD!! I even asked my Orthopedic Surgeon, my PM dr, and my regular Dr if they were possibly related but all of them said they never heard they were and didn't think so. But then these are the same Dr's that don't know much about RSD to begin with!!