Symptoms, can it be MS
Hi I'm new here. I have symptoms that could be MS . Tingling sensation and numbness in my arms and fingers , crumbs in my legs, numbness and pins and needles in my nose and upper lip, tiredness, tremors, weird pulling sensation behind my eye, some bladder issues and tightness in the chest, cognitive issues - brain fog. I haven't seen doctors yet, I have my appointment in two weeks so in a meantime diagnosed myself with google doctor🙈. I know the process to get answers can be lengthy. I'm not sure what to expect how it looks , I'm terrified of lumbar puncture examination. What was your experience in getting diagnosis?
Hi,
! First off, I am sorry you are experiencing these symptoms. I know they must be unpleasant and disconcerting, to say the least. And, Dr. Google can be a mixed bag, I know, so please tread carefully.
The symptoms you describe could be related to MS or some other issue. When a doctor is looking to rule out MS, they will check for other conditions that share symptoms with MS. Here's some information on those conditions -- https://multiplesclerosis.net/diagnosis/ruling-out-other-health-conditions .
Getting diagnosed can be a quick or lengthy process and it tends to very widely from person-to-person. Some people were experiencing one symptom and a doctor that was paying attention is able to schedule testing and get a person diagnosed. Other individuals have been misdiagnosed or seeking a diagnosis for years. I hope you fall in the former category!
I want to share some of the tests a doctor will potentially use to make a diagnosis of MS. Keep in mind that many people are diagnosed without a lumbar puncture, so you may not have to have that test done. It really depends on many factors. Here's the information on those tests -- https://multiplesclerosis.net/diagnosis/tools-your-doctor-will-use-to-make-a-diagnosis.
Lastly, I wanted to share some diagnosis stories from our community members that you might find interesting. I'm gonna share a few, so hopefully, they won't be overwhelming. Here's one -- https://multiplesclerosis.net/stories/ms-diagnosis-ppms. And another -- https://multiplesclerosis.net/stories/23-years-after-diagnosis. And yet another -- https://multiplesclerosis.net/stories/ppms. And here's a take on diagnosis from one of our contributors -- https://multiplesclerosis.net/living-with-ms/relief-diagnosis.
We have tons more diagnosis stories in our forums, which you are welcome to peruse. I didn't want to make this comment any longer than it already is! 😉
I hope this information is helpful for you and not too overwhelming! Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have further questions and let us know how that appointment goes, if you feel comfortable doing so.
Best, Erin, MultipleSclerosis.net Team Member.
Well, you can know definitively when you sit in a hot tub, because if you cant even move and have severe numbness, then that sounds sooo much like MS. I will then demand to get a MRI afterwards...if they see plaque,they need to move accordingly! I had it for 23 years n didnt have to do a spinal tap, because I went blind in my left eye AND had plaque on brain and spine!
Lumbar puncture does not hurt just a pinch I swear. It was uncomfortable but bearable! You can do this!
Thank you all for your response, I guess the long wait is making me focus more on all this symptoms, pins and needles don't pass and it's annoying me so much. We had a heatwave recently and it was very difficult for me to focus. I can't stand hot bath it makes me weak and fainty. I have numbness in fingertips most of the time now. In my nose and lips not anymore. I always considered myself healthy and fit , I used to hike a lot until COVID which I had 5 times despite all the vaccines. Since my health deteriorated. I can't walk up the hill anymore it makes me so tired. My doctor's appointment is 18 th of July.
I'm so sorry you're facing all these health challenges at this time in your life. I know you've gotten lots of answers already, but I wanted to weigh in on the lumbar puncture and to mention one other thing. Lumbar puncture is not nearly as awful as it sounds. You will feel a good pinch, and you'll have to stay quiet for a while the puncture heals, maybe eight or ten hours. But it's not particularly painful, and a nurse held my hand when I got one! It's okay to be scared, but it's not very scary. The other thing I wanted to mention is that ordinarily, MS is a diagnosis of elimination. A lot of the tests are given to make sure you don't have one of the other diseases that presents like MS with similar symptoms. It took three years for me to get a diagnosis, back when I first got sick in 1978. There weren't any MRIs at that time! But you still have to eliminate the other possiblities, and that can take time. The best thing about trying to get a diagnosis these days is that unlike 1978, once you have the diagnosis there are tons of things you can do to manage the disease, like using a disease modifying therapy! And the very old fashioned therapy that I use, copaxone, has essentially stopped the disease process. I haven't had an exacerbation in fifteen years. I still have the damage I insurred in the first twenty two years I had MS, and it's a pain in the ass, but it isn't damaging my central nervous system any more.
My only advice is to leearn asa much as you can and to be patient. The diagnostic process grinds slowly, but it grinds exceedingly fine. Hang in there, and visit us early and often. This is agreat community!
