Hi everybody!! Currently undiagnosed after Brain and neck MRI’s, VEP, lumbar puncture and numerous ophthalmologist appointments. Having spinal MRI early June. I think I’m possibly having a relapse. Over the last week I have developed vertical double vision, right cheek is tingling, left arm feels weak and right leg feels restless. My question is, can a relapse affect multiple body parts at once? Thanks in advance Xx
Hi I,m no expert on this only just getting my head round this myself. I started with vertical double vision 5 wks ago , a week after vision problem had pins & needles down entire right hand side of body . Numbness in head, lost sense of taste and had hug around stomach area. Thankfully now seems to be gradually disappearing . Good luck & take care
Relapses can of course of course affect different parts of the body if the nerves for these different areas pass where there is a lesion (inflammation). For example with your symptoms (please remember I’m not a neuro so this is just from what I know), vertical double vision can occur usually if the fourth nerve or third nerve are affected (third nerve you’d have a droopy lid too so it sounds like perhaps your fourth nerve could be affected - thats not to say it’s definitely these things). The facial symptoms could be the fifth nerve . These two nerves originate very closely in an area called the brainstem (this is the bit that joins your brain to your spinal cord). The other symptoms I’m not sure but the brainstem is where a lot of the bodies nerves converge. Thats not to say that you can’t have more than one area of inflammation its just less likely.
There can be non-MS causes of your symptoms of course. Have you contacted your neuro’s secretary, it sounds like you need to tell someone. Hope I’ve kind of made sense - I’m not diagnosed (possible MS but not conclusive evidence) - been in limbo for nearly 2 years.
Good luck
Reemz
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Sound advice from Reemz. I hope the neuro’s secretary can help, but if not, definitely see your GP.
Karen x
Really appreciate all your replies. Went to the GP today and she said exactly what you did Reemz. She thinks my fourth nerve is affected. She’s referring me back to the ophthalmologist. She’s unsure about the facial numbness though. My neuro discharged me in January, it was my GP that requested the spinal MRI. So I suppose I wait to see what happens with that. Double vision seems to have improved today so that’s a positive. Thanks for the advice, I wouldn’t have gone to the GP otherwise! Hope you all have a good long weekend! Xx
Excellent! Glad my thoughts weren’t far off the mark
When you see an Ophthalmologist you should hopefully also be able to see an Orthoptist - they might be able to help by putting a temporary prism (fresnel) onto some glasses for you to join the double vision depending on how far apart it is. You can also try holding your head at different angles as you might find there’s a position things are single if your sturggling with things like reading or writing or tv etc. Worst case scenario if the double is unbareable you could use a patch but there’s plenty of options before you get to that stage and the double vision also might get better too Hope the other symptoms get better - keep us posted on what happens.
Enjoy your long weekend as well.
Reemz
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