I am a 27yr old female with some recent issues the past several months i hope someone can give me some advise. About six months ago i started to have a tingly numb sensation on my right side in my hand and foot. It would come and go but continued on for several months. I didn't think anything of it until more symptoms started, like right eye pain and blurry vision. I also started to become really tired all of the sudden. About two months later i was at work and my entire right side went completly numb!! So bad that i couldn't speak, see, or even stand up! My husband thought I was having a stroke. I immediatly saw a neuro and was told I had symptoms of MS. He ordered a MRI that came back negative! He said that there was a small "something" on the scan and that he wasn't too worried. My symptoms started to slowly improve over the next couple weeks and i thought i was fine. Until recently. The past few weeks my hand and my leg have been going numb, my right hand has been shaking, and whole body feels tight and almost like its vibrating. My motor skill feel slower too. I have an appointment again with the same neuro in the morning , should I go to someone else? Is it possible this is MS? PLease help. Thank You.

I am a 27yr old female with some recent issues the past several months i hope someone can give me some advise. About six months ago i started to have a tingly numb sensation on my right side in my hand and foot. It would come and go but continued on for several months. I didn't think anything of it until more symptoms started, like right eye pain and blurry vision. I also started to become really tired all of the sudden. About two months later i was at work and my entire right side went completly numb!! So bad that i couldn't speak, see, or even stand up! My husband thought I was having a stroke. I immediatly saw a neuro and was told I had symptoms of MS. He ordered a MRI that came back negative! He said that there was a small "something" on the scan and that he wasn't too worried. My symptoms started to slowly improve over the next couple weeks and i thought i was fine. Until recently. The past few weeks my hand and my leg have been going numb, my right hand has been shaking, and whole body feels tight and almost like its vibrating. My motor skill feel slower too. I have an appointment again with the same neuro in the morning , should I go to someone else? Is it possible this is MS? PLease help. Thank You.

I do have MS. Sometimes it takes awhile to be diagnoised. You probable need to see a nuero who specializes in MS, take a copy of your MRI. Good Luck. If it is MS, there is medicine to slow the progression down and there is other meds to handle other symptoms. Good Luck. I'll say a pray for you.

Thank you.

It is very possible that you have MS. As the other poster stated, it can take awhile for the legions to show up and a full dx to be made....when you see the Neuro, you should make sure if he re-orders another MRI (and he probably will) that its of the brain and spine- with and without contrast. Contrast is the dye which is injected into your body, and it will help show any tiny little - and active- lesions...without it, things are more likely to be missed.

The eye issues are also probably related to MS. Optical Neuritis is inflammation of the optic nerve and can cause blurriness, pain and even colored blindness in one or both eyes...

MS is the spine, the brain and the eyes, the central nervous system. ITs a random thing how it attacks the body- and where the lesions are usually have something to do with what symtoms you have. A good Neuro will be able to tell from the MRi what is going on....however, if you have serious doubts, you should get a second opinon and contact a MS specialist, who can both diagnos, or rule out MS. Since it can take soo long to get an appointment, I would keep this appointment, see what happens and then take it from there....you can also ask this doctor to refer you to an MS specalist, possibly he will make the call and get you in sooner then if you called on your own.

Let us know what happens and hang in there....MS is manageable. Its not the end of the world.
Nikki

I went to the neuro today and he did say that he would like for me to get a LP and another MRI. I am really scared for the spinal tap!! He also showed my last MRI scan and showed me three small lesions on it. He didn't show those last time. I really don't know how to feel right now. Should i be really scared for the LP?

Most people are scared of the LP, but they need not be. I have had 2 in my lifetime, both for MS. What should you think? Well, tomorrow will be another day OR what clothes should you wear..... MS does not mean the end of you. The essence of who you are and what you believe need never change unless you are seeking to improve yourself. If you have MS, then you have MS. When I first heard the news in 1982, I went through a "pity party" which lasted about 2-3 days. I have never looked back nor have I had any regrets as to what might have been. You have a path which is well trodden. If you have MS, the path you will follow is well-worn by others who have gone before you and many who are still working on the path to make it smoother, straighter, and MS friendly!

You need not fear the LP. Follow your doctor's guidelines and all should be quite well. On the day of the LP, it would be good to have a friend or family member drive you home. Please return to the boards and let us know how you are doing and if there is anything to do to help you follow a smooth pathway. You are among friends. :angel:

Ah, the LP. NO, you don't need to be afraid of the spinal tap. (It pisses me off when I see medical dramas on TV with people grimacing to endure the "agony" of an LP.)
I've only had one LP, but have NO FEAR about another based on the one I've had. But I have some advice, and I don't think anyone that has had an LP will disagree.
1. Drink lots of water the day before, and day of.
2. If you are in the habit of having caffeine on a daily basis, get PLENTY before the LP.
3. FOLLOW DOCTOR'S ORDERS regarding post-LP care and activity. TAKE IT EASY, no matter how good you feel.
Here's why: I got through with "flying colors". I was well hydrated. I drove myself to and from the procedure. My Neuro did the LP, and it was flawless - I called her "Dr. One-Shot" ever after because she poked me only once. The only discomfort was the initial "prick" of the anesthesia needle. The LP itself was UTTERLY PAINLESS.
I made the arrogant mistake of thinking I could just go shopping that evening, and go back to work the next day. Both of those would likely have been fine, but I also resumed my "Puppy-care" duties as soon as I got home from the procedure. I bent-over to pick up puppy-poop.
I think it was 4 days later I finally succumbed to "the headache" and spent a full day in bed.
It wasn't necessary. If I had taken it easy immediately afterward I would have been fine. You just really don't want to get "the headache".
It will be FINE. I'd rather have an LP than another mammogram!

Oh, I forgot that the word that best describes a minor needle-intrusion is also banned here. LOL! Starts with p-r, ends with c-k.

Thank you all for the tips. Is there anything you can take if you do get this "headache"? Also any tips for making the MRI go well? I hated it last time. I am going to take Valium but I still hate those things.

The headache, I found, can be alleviated with caffeine. If you can get a real bad headache, you might need a blood patch. Adhering to your doctor's guidance is the best thing.

MRIs can cause claustrophobic concerns for some people. I always fall asleep in the "tunnel". They can sedate you. :angel:

Hi------------

I had a chronic headache with the stiff neck for about four days before the LP and the LP actually relieved it for the rest of the day.Lilc is right though,the prospect of the procedure is much worse than the actual puncture-- I think TV confuses an LP with a bone marrow transplant or something cause it really isn't that bad at all.

wishing you the best Brijean--------------knuckle

Okay I have a couple more questions. First of all can you get the "MS hug" on just one side of your body? I have had really strange dull pain in my trunk for the past several months and the doctors have not been able to figure it out. I have had imaging done as well as blood work. I didn't tell my neuro about it because I thought it was unrelated. It was on the same side as all my other neuro symptoms. Okay second question, is a spinal tap the only way to find the anti bodies that they are looking for? I thought I had blood work looking for the same thing?

Hugs can be felt on one side or all around. Blood work helps the doctor eliminate those diseases which are blood borne (not MS). The LP may (or may not) help determine if there is a neurological event happening. I have never had a positive LP (of those MSers who have had LPs, 15% never show a positive reading). LPs are not a magic tool for MS. MS, sadly, has no test. The process of MS diagnosis is a process of elimination. Blood work is often an early test which can quickly eliminate a plethora of diseases.

I would not dismiss any pain or symptom because you want to make sure your doctor has everything available. It might be good to keep a daily journal for your symptoms. Include the weather (high pressure/low pressure and temps), what you were doing when the symptom presented, how you are sleeping, etc. The more details the better, I believe. This gives the doctor more information with which to enable a diagnosis. :angel: