I have dreadfully fatigue, pins and needles in legs and when really struggling up stairs when very tired. Urinary urgency in that I get sensation that need to go then struggle to get there… Oops to much information! Have been ref to ms specialist seeing him next week but neuro consultant says not ms as MRI Head and lp clear? Confused and I’m sure I’m not dreaming this up but as soon as scan came back Negative consultant near anough said it was in my head. I have great life practice yoga, meditate, career that is very rewarding and no childhood trauma or abuse as consultant implied… Confused.com!
MS can attack anywhere in the central nervous system so that means anywhere in the brain or spinal cord. It is completely wrong to rule out MS because of a clear brain MRI. Firstly, MRI is not perfect and can miss smaller lesions. Secondly, a decent chunk of people with MS only have spinal lesions (I once read up to 25%). Thirdly, spinal MRI is relatively unreliable (easy to miss lesions). Fourthly, the standard NHS spinal scans have terrible resolution (very easy to miss lesions). Fifthly, some people with clinically definite MS have clear MRI scans. Any neuro worth his salt knows this. Also, a clear LP makes MS less likely, but it doesn’t rule it out either. None of this means that the neuro is wrong in deciding that it isn’t MS because it might not be, but his logic needs to be much more robust before I would accept it at least. Hopefully the MS specialist will sort it out. Karen x
Once again thank u karen. I’m not very good at questioning and often say oh Ok, your the doctor! You seem to know a lot I could do with you at my appointment ! I will be saying “Karen says…,” Take care xx
I have at least one at thoracic (chest level), and in fact, that was the first to be detected. It was only after it had caused me some trouble that it was discovered I had half-a-dozen in my brain, as well. It’s possible I still might not know about the brain ones, if the thoracic one hadn’t made its presence felt first. It’s what prompted them to search for more.
Brain and cervical lesions are more common, as I understand it, which is why they tend to look there first - unless symptoms indicate otherwise. I had symptoms consistent with damage quite low in the spine, which they’d assumed was probably a slipped disc, which was why they looked there first.
What they saw was not what they expected. I was lucky enough to have a very astute neurosurgeon, who saw I definitely didn’t have a slipped disc, but did see some subtle features that made him suspicious. Without telling me his fears, he referred me to someone who turned out to be an MS specialist.
With hindsight, I’m sure he knew damn well what it was, but it was not his field, and not his place to break it to me.
Tina
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Tina thank you for answering can I ask what we’re your lower symptom? Best wishes xx
Yeah, sure - I had completely numb feet - I mean numb to heat, cold, touch, pain - all of it. And numb lady bits! I think the polite term is “saddle area numbness” (v. useful if you want to describe it without being too explicit - the bits of you that would be in contact with a saddle).
The area in-between (thighs to ankles) was relatively untouched, although neurological examination revealed I had no sense of vibration in my ankles. Not a faculty I knew I’d lost, as I hadn’t been aware I’d had it in the first place (How often do you test for vibration with your ankles?) But apparently, your ankles should be able to detect vibration, but mine just didn’t give a damn!
Tina
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Oh yes the pins and needles in the “saddle area” is a very strange sensation! Thanks for sharing xx