Not diagnosed yet....could it be MS

New diagnosis and before diagnosis
1

Hello,I am 32 and Have had suspicions that my symptoms to date may be due to MS but have never asked my GP to test for it. For the past 8 years i have possibly had over 30 Appointments with various doctors and only now i think they are starting to take me serious.

Over the years i have had countless blood tests, Physio, ultrasounds and xrays and nothing has ever showed up.

I have been told i have everything from carpal tunnel syndrome to ibs and anxiety and depression, but only now is my current GP looking back at my history and the various symptoms i am getting now.

After a recent Ultrasound (for which i was given the all clear) for bladder problems i spoke with my gp and expressed my concern about the recent problems with my vision and fatigue that he suggested that it may be something like MS but wants to carry out recent blood tests first to make sure that there is nothing else.

After this discussion with my doctor i thought this would be the best place to get advice on my next steps and to have a look at my symptoms and to give me your opinion.

I hope the list is not too long and you get bored reading it

Symptoms I have had to date.

Very first symptoms was eye problems, migraines and dizziness which lasted around 7 months. (about 8 years ago) that’s subsided and following years I would have little symptoms 1 or 2 at a time that lasted a few months or weeks but can’t remember being symptom free of something in these years recently has been getting worse with the randomness of weird symptoms and feelings.

Left Arm Nerve Pain (very sore burning) in both nerves at different times (lasted about 1 month Each) similar to carpal tunnel
Eyelid twitches (lasted around 2 months)
Burning pain on my skin at hip area was sore when my clothes brushed against it (lasted 2 days)
Constant Yawning (Still present)
Lip twitching when I breath in deep (ongoing for around 4 months now)
Flashing lights in my left eye (Lasted around 6 months)
Peripheral vision problems in right eye (ongoing and given all clear from specasvers)
Lumpy feeling Swallowing (Lasted around 1 Year)
Neck pain, twinges, burning and spasms (on and off over the past 2 years)
Back of shoulder nerve problem as if someone has thumped my shoulder down (only had it 3 times)
Tight upper back as if someone is standing on my back only lasts a few seconds
Bladder problems that ,mimic a uti followed by pain in my groin and testicles
strange scratch feeling on my stomach that lasted 2 days followed by stomach cramps that lasted 2 weeks
Pins and needles in my hands and feet (on and off for the past few months)
Fatigue is a very recent thing over the past few weeks and is worse when I am hot or anxious.
Very frightening dreams that are very disturbing (enough to waken you)
Choking feeling as soon as I start to fall asleep (nightly)
various twitches and muscle spasms all over the body happening at different times
Frightening thud on the back of my neck/spine level with my shoulder blades only happened a few times.
Burning skin feeling on my left arm around the area of my tb jab sore to brush clothes against it.
periods of tinnitus (lasted around 2 months)
IBS type symptoms (had it lasting around 2 months) last summer and the summer before

Periods of Kidney type pain followed by foamy urine (happened 3 times in the space of 4 months) first 2 lasted around 3-4 days last one lasted around 2 weeks and had ultrasound and given all clear.

Most of my other symptoms not listed above are so random from day to day, little things that last a few seconds and never come back, little things like muscle twitches or weird sensations that jump from one part of my body like my shoulder and then jumps straight to my leg. Most of these symptoms are as if its muscle reflexes. One minute I might have a numb patch on my lip and next minute my pinkie is tingling

Sorry for the long post, i look forward to any replies

Thanks

Andy

2

Hi Andy. Some of the symptoms sound ms like, others not so much.I think it is a good idea to see a neurologist who will take your history and examine you to see if this could be ms or something as as lots of illnesses share symptoms. Best of luck.

3

Thanks for the input, yes looking back at some of those symptoms some may appear to be isolated and very random. But thought i would mention them anyway.

Most of what i experience now is mostly very sensitive areas of skin that sore to touch lightly, muscle twitches etc, fatigue and eye issues. and over the past couple of days have been having a pushing/squeezing feeling around the top of my back that takes my breath away…Only last a few seconds and does not happen that often.

4

Hi Andy, a loooooooong list of symptoms! I think you should ask your GP to refer you to a neuro. You’d probably be asked to undergo various tests before a diagnosis might be given. MS mimics many other complaints, it’s often a long road to a diagnosis.

Good luck

Rosina x

5

Thanks Rosina, i know it looks a long list and some of them are not really that important but they are the ones that i remember.

Remember though that’s been over 8 years roughly. Some of the things like sleep problems i think are contributed to anxiety and some other things not so serious things that overlap.

Its only recently (past year or so) that i have been getting symptoms that have prompted me to annoy my GP to get some tests done.

The pains i get within my neck and arm are nerve problems mostly when i move my head. Like a thump on the back shock type sensation. with the corresponding pain shooting into my arms.

My initial nerve problems in my arm started as a scratch feeling and the following days i had a shooting electric shock type pains in my arm that lasted months i was told because i work on a computer that it is contributed to that and it may be carpal tunnel syndrome.

I then got the same nerve pain on the same arm but on a different nerve and lasted the same amount of time.

This is all accompanied with Flashes in my eyes that have calmed down and peripheral vision loss in my right eye which is still present.

I remember a time that i was in a restaurant some months ago and i reached over to grab something and it was as if someone hit my back with a bat and the shock went right down my shoulder and into my back since then i get them but quite mild shocks mostly in my back, arms and neck.

Over the past couple of weeks i have extremely sensitive areas of skin first one was on my Hip and that resolved within 2 days and the exact same symptom appeared on my arm… all on top of my fatigue and numbness in my pink and middle finger.

Apart from that i feel Great and carry on as normal and try not to think about it too much.

Sorry for long list.

i have to watch what i say to my GP they possibly only know half of what i have written down, they seem to lose interest when i start rhyming off lists of symptoms.

Good to get the lot off my chest and start concentrating on telling them the symptoms that is important to try and get some sort of diagnosis.

I dont really complain about the pains or anything and try to limit the amount i see the doctors now…as it is starting to look like i am some sort of hypochondriac. But deep down i know there is some sort of problem and would prefer to know.

I commend anyone going through this diagnostic phase its a long road that make you doubt if its all in your head.

Many Thanks

Andy.