Hello folks just interested to know if anyone else experienced sudden loss of strength in both arms as part of a relapse?
I did but speaking to MS Soc yesterday they mentioned that sounds odd for MS. Would be interested to know, thanks
I can’t really see why it’s odd. A spinal cord lesion quite high up could affect both arms, just as one further down can affect both legs.
Since I began developing MS - I put it that way because I’m convinced it all started years before I was diagnosed - I’ve experienced loss of strength in both arms AND both legs. However, I would say it was mostly gradual, rather than sudden, although my diagnosis is still RRMS.
I definitely noticed it with my legs first. I found it hard to do any kind of standing aerobic exercise, because my legs were getting too tired before I was even breathing harder.
For a long time, my upper body was relatively unaffected, but now both arms are weak too, so that carrying anything always feels heavier than it ought to, for example.
Really, where you have symptoms just depends where the lesions form, and that’s pretty random. So I’m surprised the MSS would dismiss bilateral weakness as “odd”. It’s true that as a rule of thumb, brain lesions often affect the opposite side of the body to the side of the lesion, because right hemisphere controls left body and vice versa (this is a HUGE generalisation).
But the same isn’t true of spinal cord lesions, because everything has to pass through the spinal cord on the way to and from the brain, so a lesion there can affect everything south of it.
I must say I’ve never really found MS one-sided, but pretty symmetrical. That’s probably because my first noticeable symptoms were caused by a spinal cord lesion. When I was scanned it turned out I did have brain lesions too, but I don’t think I’d really noticed those. It was the cord lesion that alerted me something wasn’t right, because BOTH feet went numb - not just one.
If that was “odd for MS”, nobody’s ever mentioned anything to me about it, and it certainly didn’t stand in the way of a confirmed diagnosis.
Tina
Hi I don’t think the symptoms your explaining are odd for MS, like Tina has stated it is possible as the lesion on your Spinal cord may affect those areas. My first symptoms were all to do with my legs and feet and after I was given an MRI scan the consultant grilled me multiple times about my arms and hands. I kept saying they were fine, he was rather surprised as I had multiple lesion showing that affected my triceps, biceps, elbows and wrist. He said it’s not uncomman to have lesion and not get any symptoms but was surprised with me due to the size of lesions and no symptoms in those areas. My arms now sometimes feel heavier than normal and earlier today I posted a thread as since yesterday I’ve had odd pulsing feeling at the top of my arm and believe these are due to the lesions found on my spinal cord. Polly x
Hi, I lost about 60% strength suddenly, I couldn’t my hold a dinner plate with food on it due to the weight. I’ts been a gradual process of gaining strength again. About the same time I had a mini stroke episode I was sitting down to dinner and couldn’t work out what to do with my knife and fork when mum gave me some food. I was confused so I looked at mum and how she was using them and copied her and it all came back… The MS soc said I am too young for a TIA mini sroke so it must have been my demyelination…
I was just interested to hear if any one else expereinced this rapid symptom. I understand transverse militus can give both sided symptoms
If you had an episode of transverse myelitis following an MS diagnosis, it probably wouldn’t be called TM any more, if you see what I mean - it would just be called a relapse! So you can certainly get TM as part of a relapse, it’s just that it would be less likely to be referred to as that, because it would misleadingly suggest they didn’t know you had MS. They tend to diagnose TM where it occurs in isolation, and the person hasn’t already been diagnosed with some deeper underlying cause - such as MS. So an MS diagnosis absolutely doesn’t rule out you might still get TM sometimes - but it wouldn’t be “as well”, it would just be part of it.
No disrespect to the MSS, but they are not qualified to diagnose, or indeed to tell you what it’s not, so frankly, if there’s any doubt whether new symptoms are MS-related, you need to check it with a doctor. I agree the suddenness is rather unusual for MS, so maybe that’s the bit they were saying is odd, not the fact both sides are affected? My relapses have been known to come on quite fast - i.e. overnight - but NOT in an instant like that. Check with your doctor or MS nurse if you’re not sure.
Tina
x
Hello, for many months prior to even considering I had any possibility of a neurological illness I had noticed my normal upper body strength particularly in my arms appeared to be diminishing, I ignored it, however on reflection I think it was the calm before my storm. My lesions are in my brain no evidence of spinal, but my arms remain weaker and prone to episodes of absolutely useless. Same with my legs, some days I walk fine other days and for no apparent reason it feels they struggle to carry me. Ive been looked at by both my neurologist and my ms nurses when i describe some of the symptoms I experience and have been told they are not classic ms. However I strongly believe as one we come together with this illness but are also uniquely individual in how we experience a great deal. Why not have yourself checked out by your gp, it can be easy to forget that all health symptoms are not necessarily ms related. Take care joysee
My sudden loss of strength in both arms came when taking steroids during my first relapse… I was taking steroids for the eyes then sudden loss of strength in both arms came. its hard to know if it was overnight or instant… I was sleeping alot of the time… it was all very strange… Have written to the neurologist’s head of department to explain my story and hopefully will get some feedback soon. it was like I thought my issue was just going to be vertigo and eyes but no surprisingly my spine followed with the eyes still effected. I have asked the MS nurse she said it could be possible. It was a surprise as I was hoping to go straight back to uni after the eyes recovered but couldn’t as arms so weak…
yes, had problems with arms. Loss of strength in both arms from the shoulder to the elbow but wierdly things not too bad from elbow to hands. Things recovered eventually.
I think I must have a form of servere Secondary Progressive with inflammatory RRMS to have the symptoms I had last year and am still recovering. If I get another relapse of that magnitude it will be difficult. My arms are recovering. I never got to experience the few small relapses or small symptoms that lead to my diagnosis. I do have a strange sensation on my leg at the moment and hope this does not lead to a further relapse.
I don’t know if this is anything like you are talking about?
I mentioned to my MS nurse that when I am, for example putting clothes on the clothes horse I suddenly have a problem lifting my arms after a few items and she told me that it is fatigue.
Its ok, I have been working things out for a long time. During my relapse I felt very faint and lost conciousness and had to lay down two days before my MRI, then 3 days after my MRI and commencement of steroids I get sudden loss of strength in both arms. I wrote to the neuro asking if these two symptoms are symptomatic of MS? and we will wait and see what he says…