I am a 22 year old male who is going through a lot of testing right now to figure out my problem. Let me say that before this past winter, I was never sick nor experienced pain. When this past semester started, is when my odd symptoms started. Here is what I had/still going through in order of when they started:
-electric shock feeling while falling asleep
-acid reflux
-globus sensation
-loss of appetite for a week
-muscle twitching
-muscle cramps
-pins and needles feeling in hands, feet, face... Paraesthesia
-when turning my head left, I get a bizarre nerve shooting sensation down left arm
-eye pain
-chills when it is 70 degrees
-jerking of muscles
-restless leg syndrome
-legs feel fatigued after a few hours at work
-buzzing sensation in hands
-buzzing sensation in legs
-biting tongue while sleeping
-hands shaking
-excessive yawning
-facial pain ie. cheeks
-slurred speech
-stuttering speech
-sleeping a lot, 9 hours or more on days off
-high blood pressure since it all began (only at doctors office... white coat syndrome)
These are the tests that I have had in order of when they were taken:
10 + doctor visits, 2 hospital visits, and 1 er visit
-barium swallow
-blood test 1
-laryngoscopy
-ekg
-urine test
-blood test 2
-chest x-ray
-ct scan
-blood test 3 (vitamin b12 specific) ***
-mri ***
-neurologist appointment this August
*** these tests are pending results
As for the other tests, everything has come back normal. The last few tests have come after I began to stutter. My weight has been all over the map.. from as high as 224 to as low as 209. I am at 215 currently.
The other day I had a weird experience when I opened the dishwasher (just as it finished) there was a rush of hot steam. I had this unusual feeling rush through me. That's when I learned of heat tolerance.
My doctor, who I am changing, is not really sure what I have. I have had two different docs, mine and the one at the hospital, say that I need to see a neurologist. I am stressed, especially since the stuttering started.
My doctor even joked when this all started by saying: "What's the matter? You think you have MS?"
My mother already decided I need a better doctor. We are waiting for the MRI results to go forward.
During the last doctor visit, my doctor began asking me a lot of questions that pertain to MS, and then ordered an MRI. So I am guessing, ONLY GUESSING, that she might have MS on her mind.
It may be hard to believe that I went through all this... but I have, and still am. I can not count how many medications that I have been on. The one I really wanted, some for the stress, my doctor refused to give me.
Forgot to mention that for the first time in my life, I got the flu. It may be hard to believe, but I never had the flu before. That lasted for a good week and a half which turned into a "pretty good" ear infection. That lasted for a week or so, but cleared up after some antibiotics. Within hours of running out of antibiotics for the ear infection, I began to feel this pressure behind my eyes. It turned into a headache, and finally was told I had a sinus infection. I went on antibiotics again, and after three weeks was able to beat it.
As you can see, I have been one sick person for the last 4 months. This is the first time I have ever been this sick.
Hi blues1986,
If the neurologist thinks it could be MS he/she will have you do a spinal tap. While MS is pretty rare in men it still does happen, which may be why your original doctor dismissed your symptoms. However, there is still a huge chance that it is something completely unrelated and hopefully easily treated with the right doctor. Good luck!
I completely disagree. The spinal tap is the last resort, and not always used....since you had an MRI, can you elaborate? Was it of the head and Cspine, and did they use contrast? If they did, they would have pulled you out before it was over, injected something into your vein in your arm and then sent you back for more pictures....contrast is usually used, because it will pick up very tiny lesions which sometimes dont appear on a film (without it).
A spinal tap, will show Obands, in some people, Obands usually point towards an infection or immune system issue, however its not very accurate with MS...if you have NOTHING on the MRI, and nothing on any other tests, and all your blood work (deficiencies etc) are normal, then they MIGHT want to do a spinal tap (or lumbar puncture) but it will take awhile to rule out everything else, before that is suggested....and even if it is, its not a conclusive test.
MS is diagnosed by ruling out everything else, and yes, allot of your symtoms do sound neurological, however there are hundreds of things which this could be, and not all of your symtoms sound like MS...the flu, for instance, has nothing to do with MS. The lack of appetitite, weight loss, acid reflux, none of these are MS symtoms, HOWEVER it cant be ruled out that the anxiety you are experiencing while dealing with this mess COULD very well be causing those things! It could be related, even if it isnt part of the disease. Does it sound like MS? 50-50 chance on this one...Id say that there are way too many things to rule out before you should be thinking it. Since there are no tests FOR MS, conclusive tests- your in for some serious work ups with the new doctor. My suggestion is that you start keeping a journal of what symtoms hit you, how long they last- what brings them on or helps relieve them...keep a journal with all the tests you have had done, the dates and places, and do your very best to keep copies of the results...Especially blood work and films (MRIs) and reports, these things will help when you change docs, so they dont have to repeat everything and if they do, they'll have a base to start from.
Your in NY? Some of the best MS docs in the world are in NY and NJ....consider finding a good MS specialist (you can ask for recommendations here) and start there. MS specialist both rule out AND diagnosis MS...
Wishing you well.....remember, you are not alone, we are here if we can help you!
Nikki
__________________
RRMS- dx 05
Rebif 2005-2011
LDN Sept. 2011
"Every New Beginning Comes From Some Other Beginning's End"
I completely disagree. The spinal tap is the last resort, and not always used....since you had an MRI, can you elaborate? Was it of the head and Cspine, and did they use contrast? If they did, they would have pulled you out before it was over, injected something into your vein in your arm and then sent you back for more pictures....contrast is usually used, because it will pick up very tiny lesions which sometimes dont appear on a film (without it).
A spinal tap, will show Obands, in some people, Obands usually point towards an infection or immune system issue, however its not very accurate with MS...if you have NOTHING on the MRI, and nothing on any other tests, and all your blood work (deficiencies etc) are normal, then they MIGHT want to do a spinal tap (or lumbar puncture) but it will take awhile to rule out everything else, before that is suggested....and even if it is, its not a conclusive test.
MS is diagnosed by ruling out everything else, and yes, allot of your symtoms do sound neurological, however there are hundreds of things which this could be, and not all of your symtoms sound like MS...the flu, for instance, has nothing to do with MS. The lack of appetitite, weight loss, acid reflux, none of these are MS symtoms, HOWEVER it cant be ruled out that the anxiety you are experiencing while dealing with this mess COULD very well be causing those things! It could be related, even if it isnt part of the disease. Does it sound like MS? 50-50 chance on this one...Id say that there are way too many things to rule out before you should be thinking it. Since there are no tests FOR MS, conclusive tests- your in for some serious work ups with the new doctor. My suggestion is that you start keeping a journal of what symtoms hit you, how long they last- what brings them on or helps relieve them...keep a journal with all the tests you have had done, the dates and places, and do your very best to keep copies of the results...Especially blood work and films (MRIs) and reports, these things will help when you change docs, so they dont have to repeat everything and if they do, they'll have a base to start from.
Your in NY? Some of the best MS docs in the world are in NY and NJ....consider finding a good MS specialist (you can ask for recommendations here) and start there. MS specialist both rule out AND diagnosis MS...
Wishing you well.....remember, you are not alone, we are here if we can help you!
Nikki
The MRI was only of the head and yes contrast was used. Does any one symptom jump out as MS or are there a few cluster of them that point toward it?
I am actually in PA at the moment, and that is where all of my testing has been done.
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