Hi I have just found this site and would value an honest opinion!
Before I start I would just like to say I am not a neurotic person just extremely frustrated and need some answers.
I have been experiencing symptoms on and off since 2004, so as you can imagine this could be a long story. (I will try and make it short) In 2004 I woke one day with numbness in the left side of my face and left arm. After a number of weeks Drs put it down to a car accident I had in 2002. Symptoms continued on and off. In 2009 the same thing happened, only worse, extreme nerve pain in the left side of my body. MRI neck and head was taken, neck showing some signs of straightening but nothing of any significance and the pain was put down to this. Head shows focal area of high signal in the subcortical white matter of the right frontal region (whatever that means!). Dr asked if I had ever had a head injury which I had not. When I asked him what it could be he said it could be an early sign of MS but not to worry its probably nothing. Over the years the neck pain has continued on and off and I have not thought about it too much until August 2012 when all the symptoms and more came back.
It starts with neck pain and the overwhelming need to sleep. I go to bed and can sleep for 48 hours solid. When I wake up my left side has altered sensation. Half my face and tongue are numb, double vision in my left eye, heavy numb feeling in my left arm with what I can only describe as bussing, pins and needles/electric shock feeling in my hands and fingers, dropping things out of my left hand however I don’t think my grip has altered, twitching/cramp all over my body, cramp in my lower eye that then turns to such a bad twitch people ask what is wrong with it, numb left foot. This can last for 1 to 6 weeks. When all these symptoms go, apart from a slight altered sensation in my face and arm everything resolves. I have seen so many Drs and specialists since August and still not got any answers.
1st Dr (locum) – Pulled muscle in neck
Physio – herniated disc in neck
Optician – Need glasses for reading (when numbness goes vision is fine)
Musculoskeletal Specialist – Herniated disc, MRI neck shows no significant change, needs Neurology referral.
2nd Dr (my own) – discussed all symptoms referred to Neurology.
Neurologist – No real history taken, examined no real deficit on left side other than slight numbness on face and arm on the left, (symptoms had resolved by this time) checked head MRI from 2009 and said healthy however she will do a repeat MRI and ultrasound of the carotids and vertebral arteries but does not expect to find anything. In the event of nothing being found she will put it down to silent migraine!!
It has taken me months to get to this point and I don’t feel the neurologist has taken me seriously. Whatever this is I just need some answers I can then deal with it.
I do understand MS is very difficult to diagnose and just reading some of these posts I see I am not the only one struggling to get answers. I am left feeling frustrated and low in mood!
