Hi Everyone,
I am hoping someone can give me some advice or any inofmation about what is happening to me recently. In June last year the left side of my face went numb, temporarily paralyzied and dropped. I went to the hospital and the doc said it was a viral thing that got in through the eye. Told me to go home and I would be fine. Sure enough after a few days my face was back to normal.
I started having some minor probs with my speech in September and put it down to my Epilepsy which I have had all my life. Then around Christmas I noticed that my limbs would occasionally give way for no reason. I will be walking along and my left or right leg would suddenly collapse and I noticed my strength was also not good. Since new year my face on the left side has dropped and temporary paralyzed again about 8 times most recently in 5 consecitive days and today I noticed a tingling sensation near my right eye. I have been seeing stars on occasions for no reason that I can see and I've had a consistant headache over the left eye. My speech now is noticably not good I often stuuter over words and even have trouble getting the words out. I am also excessivly tired and drained. I have spoken with my Gp and have an appointment in the city with a neurologist for some tests. Does any one have any ideas what is going on? Is there anything I should bring up at the appointment?
Many Thanks Lori :)

Have you ever had an MRI of your brain?Marcia

When I go to the city on Thursday I am seeing a specialist and he is going to do an MRI, CT scan and an EEG. My GP has said I might have to go into hospital for the tests.
Lori

Ok guys, I got the results from the MRI and EEG. The MRI said there is nothing wrong and my EEG is like it always is just slightly unstable. The specialist says he can't see any reason why my face should not be moving properly, and why I am getting these headaches and tingling sensations. I have asked him if it is possibile to be MS as it does run in the family and I do know for a fact that my mothers cousin had a clear MRI to start with but had similar problems with her face but it was the right side instead of the left. The doctors have completely ruled it out because they say it would have shoewed on the MRI. Hmmmmm I'm not entirely ready to rule it out. Blood tests should come back on Tuesday. Does anyone have any ideas here I am getting frustrated as I don't feel right and I am wonky on my legs. I am getting more questions and not enough answers here.
Lori

Yeesh! You have a drooping face and the doctors don't think you could still have MS?

I thought my doctors were bad! I have tons of symptoms of MS but no positive objective signs except for mildly brisk reflexes. All of my symptoms are troubling to me, but not visible to the doctors.

Yes, you can have MS with a negative MRI. I'm finding some doctors acknowledge this, and some just don't. Your chances of having MS are less with a negative MRI, but it happens, nonetheless.

MS is a clinical diagnosis which is hard to make, though considering your family history I find it irresponsible of a doctor to so quickly dismiss it.

I would suggest you get yourself to an MS specialist, and while you are waiting (my appt is three months from now-I haven't been dx'ed either...) you can try to push your neuro for other tests that might show MS-such as a spinal tap, evoked potentials, spinal MRI (the lesions can start in the spine and not the brain...)

Don't let them tell you you are crazy.

Is there any chance your anti-seizure meds could be causing your symptoms?

Also-the facial drooping can be an isolated case of Bell's Palsy-not necessarily related to MS (though this can occur with MS as well.)

I would also suggest you get blood work for Lyme disease, Lupus, Epstein Barr, autoimmune diseases, etc, which can also produce these symptoms.

Good luck. Dont' give up on getting your answers-it is your life to live, not the doctor's.

radasjewel, Hi , I am glad to hear that you are going to have a mri done it sound like it could be tia's a lot of times after tia's { mini strokes i believe is the layman term,not realy sure } symptoms go away any where from a few minutes to a few hours or a day or so everything returns to normal some people don't even understanding what has happen to them because doctors may not even consider tia as the problem when all the symptoms are before them. i am not saying this is your problem but it would be good to rule it out considering some of your symptoms. look up info on tia's and see if this reminds you of your symptoms . God Bless , wishing you well.

Hi guys thanks for your support.
Jemmy I do have diabetes but it is managed very well. That was the next thing I checked out after my Epilepsy. My levels are good and I have been looking after myself. My GP says that as far as diabetics go I am in pristine condition and he doubts that it is causing the probs.
SuzU I am going to push for some other tests as I am not going to let this go, thanks for the suggestions of some other things to ask about I had not even though about Lupas or Epstein Barr. (Trust me I dont want them though if avoidable). I have worked out that if the blood tests show nothing on Tuesday that I am going to walk in to my docs office and slam my fist on the table and scream "FIX ME!!!" Today has been a good day, my speech has not been too bad and my face has only fallen once, but not too badly. This started as a one off thing but is becoming more and more frequent, not good enough. I will put these other possibilities to the doc and hopefully they might consider them. I would like to be double checked for MS on the spine though as I am still not entirely convinced there.
Thanks for everything guys Lori