Found this amazing forum and thought I could maybe get some advise from people who have been there and got the t-shirt!!
Was on holiday just over 3 months ago when I first developed tingling in both legs, this was on the same day I developed a urine infection. After taking my antibiotics everything cleared up. It was after returning home about 2 weeks later that the tingling returned and I had pain that climed up my back over the next few days. I decided to make an appointment with the doctor who put it down to having food poisoning on holiday or all my mosiquito bites and that the virus should go away. Symptoms continued, lower back pain, tingling and numbness painly in the right leg (its never felt the same since), my two middle fingers on each hand are stiff and both wrists can be weak or stiff, painful left elbow, tingling on the right side of my face and blurry vision in my right eye on and off throughout the day. I’ve also had pain in both eyes and recently developed twitching in both legs, ear pain and ringing in my right ear. All the symptoms I’ve mentioned come and go from day to day.
I was referred to a neurologist and brain and cervical spine MRI’s have come back clear. Waiting on a date for a lumbar puncture. The neurologist thinks MS looks less likely now these are clear, but my symptoms are not going away!! Should he be requesting a lower spinal MRI or should the lumbar puncture be enough?
Sorry for the long post, but thanks for listening. I just don’t know where to go from here and dont think anyone is taking me seriously.
Well, there certainly seems to be something going on! I have to say that I don’t think it’s MS though - MS symptoms don’t tend to happen in such numbers at the one time, come and go so much or accumulate so rapidly.
Of course, I’m not a neuro and could be wrong - hopefully the LP will help to shed more light on it all. Unfortunately it’s not a definitive test though as some people with MS have a negative result and some people who don’t have MS have a positive result.
Should you be having a thoracic MRI? Possibly, but lesions on your thoracic cord wouldn’t explain any of your arms, hands, face or eye symptoms. It’s probably worth suggesting if other tests come up blank though.
Have you seen an ophthalmologist about your blurred vision? If you haven’t, you should ask your GP for a referral.
And have you told the neuro about your GP originally thinking it might be related to your food poisoning and mosquito bites? It’s not such a daft idea as it might sound to some - these things do happen!
Thanking you so much for responding so quickly. I haven’t been able to get online since my post!
So since my last post I was referred to the ophthalmologist. He said there was no signs of optic neuritis at the moment but the visual acuity of my right eye is 6/9 and my left is 6/6. I developed swollen eyelids the last few weeks and he’s given me drops for a possible allergy! I don’t have a clue whats related and what’s not!! He doesn’t know why I stuggle with blurred vision in my right eye though and that they’ll see me again in 3 months.
Other Symptoms have continued but not as bad as they have been. Lumbar puncture at the end of the month, so I’m hoping to have some answers before christmas.
So thanks for your advice. If lumbar puncture comes back clear then I will definitely speak to to the Neuro about the thoracic spine MRI.
