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Do this sound like MS symptoms??

I believe I have MS & have been struggling with strange & difficult to explain symptoms since I had a staph infection following a major surgery in 2010. Following my C-section with my son in 2017 I started to experience severe & strange symptoms that I have had to learn coping methods to deal with. I will be seeing a neurologist tomorrow but after having been sent away with no real answers time after time I am nervous I won't get the help I need & I can't take it anymore. They have done so many tests but all of them have been normal.

The way my symptoms have played out

I am going to post the way my symptoms have played out below & if anyone has any advice or can relate that might be very helpful! I'm really anxious I'll never get the help I need. Thanks for taking the time to read this:

It has been extremely difficult to describe some of the weird physical sensations I have had off & on for the last 2 years though I have had some symptoms with no real answers for the last 10 years or so & it has made me feel like I must be losing my mind. What I would consider to be the first severe episode of neurological symptoms began shortly after I had my son in January of 2017. This time it lasted just a few weeks.

Shocks, numbness, and dizziness

I would experience what I can only describe as a very uncomfortable & scary crawling sensation that traveled up my legs & through my whole body as well as a feeling like I was being shocked. I would get a squeezing tight feeling in my chest, my face would go numb, & I was extremely dizzy.

I went to the doctor & all tests done were normal. I was told I had anxiety even though I didn't feel anxious at all & everything in my life was going very well. I began meditating, started an exercise program, made changes to my diet, took vitamins, etc. with little relief. I thought I was better for 8 months or so when I had what I would call episode 2 of strange & very frightening symptoms. I had similar symptoms as the first time but also had severe cramping feelings in my legs & low back that made it painful to walk. Nothing I did produced any improvement.

"It was all in my head"

Again, I went in on numerous occasions but no cause could be found for my symptoms & was told it was "all in my head" which I started to believe at this point. This time the symptoms lasted for 6-7 months straight every single day with maybe a few good days in between. I started having tingling, numbness, burning in my hands, feet, & legs that would come & go. I mentioned this as well to my doctor but no cause could be found upon further testing. Around this time I also began to have an urgent need to use the bathroom, both to urinate & have a bowel movement. There was no sign of infection & so they called it IBS. I still have this problem daily & it is bothersome. I often have to get up in the night & hurry to the bathroom.

For a while things seemed to get a little better again & so I assumed all the healthy lifestyle changes I had made had made a difference finally. Suddenly in September of this year I started having worsening symptoms & new symptoms that have made my life a daily struggle. It started with the absolute worst fatigue I have ever experienced in my entire life. I could barely move or stand long enough to cook a meal for my family & even simple tasks like folding laundry became painful. I started having not just typical dizziness but severe vertigo that felt like the room was spinning all of the time. I started dropping things & fell down the stairs. I have had daily numbness, tingling, & burning in my hands, feet, legs, & head. Feelings of pressure & tightness around my head & chest which I have also went to the ER because I was concerned it was an oncoming stroke etc but they still could never find anything wrong with my heart, kidneys, liver, or any other organs in my abdominal cavity that would produce those symptoms.

Numbness and pain

I often got told it was "anxiety or stress" but I know I am neither stressed nor anxious. My tongue goes numb & I have noticed I am not able to taste food properly. My limbs feel extremely weak, I regularly stumble because of the vertigo feeling & I can't tell if something is hot or cold to the touch which resulted in my accidentally grabbing a hot pan. I have had all this time debilitating hip pain which I was told probably had something to do with my pregnancies. About 2 months ago I started limping & dragging my right leg because of a "pinched nerve" feeling in my low back. The pain around my tailbone has been so bad it hurts to sit down & to stand up. My muscles in my arms & legs feel stiff all the time. They had me do physical therapy but regardless of the daily exercises I do, it has not helped.

Concerning memory loss

I started having very concerning trouble with my memory that my husband & co-workers have noticed. I forget important tasks & appointments without alarms for everything which I was told is just the normal brain fog from having children. But to me it is much more serious because not only do I forget small things but I have also been lost a handful of times while driving to places I have been a million times (ie: my job of 11 GPSrs) & had no idea where I was or how I got there requiring me to use my gps to get home etc. This scared me very bad & I would have to pull over to cry.

Tremors, blurred vision, and a stabbing feeling

Also about 2 months ago I started to have tremors. I again assumed it might be an infection & got myself straight to the ER. I even called 911 for an ambulance because the shaking in my arms & legs was so severe I could not walk. The paramedics told me "street drugs cause tremors." I repeatedly told them I do not do drugs, drink alcohol, or smoke however upon my arrival to the ER I was given a urine test, told everything was normal & to follow up with my doctor & sent home. There was no fever at the time of the tremors but I did feel hot. I have had these tremors about 20 times in the last few months. On top of all of this I have blurred vision & spots in my vision & have had what I can only describe as a stabbing feeling in my head every day for over a month. This stabbing feeling is behind my eye typically & is not relieved by rest or otc medications. I have had a migraine in the past that was caused my hormones (primarily when I was pregnant) but this is nothing like that. It said online if the head pain was not relieved by medication, was new etc to go in & so finally I did.

No findings... I am beside myself

This is the point I was finally referred to see a neurologist. They did some blood work & a CT scan with no contrast (I react poorly to the contrast agents) & according to them there was no findings. I am beside myself at this point.

  1. Hi Chloe,
    First I want to tell you that at some point or another all MS patients either got that look or words “it’s all in your head”. I’m glad you’re seeing a Neurologist! The definitive test for MS is an MRI. One tip: try not to overload the Dr with all your symptoms. Tell him/her your primary concerns then a good doctor will play detective and ask you the important questions to help make a diagnosis. I went from pushing myself because I was just getting lazy or having babies. Trips to the ER and Family Practice Dr was no good. Until one day I was referred to good Neurologist. My diagnosis came 3 weeks before my daughter was married. I could hardly make it. But MS has its moments and then sometimes you will have great moments. Think on those things. We are all here for you!! Zena

    1. Elizabeth, You must be feeling so overwhelmed and alone. I'm so sorry for all you have been through in trying to find someone who can help you. Here is information on how MS is usually diagnosed: https://multiplesclerosis.net/diagnosis/ However, you have a wide variety of symptoms; therefore, it's possible it could be one of the other conditions that mimic MS like one of these: https://multiplesclerosis.net/diagnosis/ruling-out-other-health-conditions/ and then finally, here's a little more information about why each of the tests are used. https://multiplesclerosis.net/diagnosis/tools-your-doctor-will-use-to-make-a-diagnosis/ Hopefully, if you have a neurologist who knows about MS, you'll be able to find peace soon. Good luck.

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