Hello, I’m new here. After going through many symptoms and tests I feel like I have no one to talk to who understands what I’m feeling every day. My symptoms are overactive bladder, pins and needles multiple times daily, burning sensations in left thigh and cold feeling in back of legs. I also suffer from muscles spasm and have experienced extreme chest pain that felt like a heart attack. I told this was due to the muscles between my ribs being inflamed however it sounds a lot like what an MS hug is described as.I also have trouble swallowing food. It goes down very slowly and causes a lot of pain in my chest. I had an MRI two weeks ago on my cervical spine and a brain scan. I’m still waiting for the results just wondered how long have people waited for their results and if the symptoms I’m having sound similar to anyone else’s? Having no one around me with the condition is making it hard for anyone to sympathise with me and they don’t seem to be taking seriously because I’m not officially diagnosed yet. Please help, from a mum of 3 suffering daily! X
Hi Katie93
You are having a rough time; it can take several weeks for the results to get to the Neurologist and for them to respond/write to/contact you about them.
I have random bouts of chest pain, that are not related to MS, but are linked to my asthma weirdly. I’ve also had intercostal (muscles between your ribs) pain too, and it is horrible - it can feel like you’re having a heart attack. It often happens after you strain them, although you don’t really notice at the time - the pain kicks in a few hours later usually.
The bladder issues, pins & needles, burning and muscle spasms could be MS related, but there are also a lot of other things that could cause them.
It is extremely difficult when you don’t have a definite diagnosis; a lot of people here have been through that situation as a lot of other conditions, reasons, have to be ruled out before a diagnosis is given, unless it is really, really clear from the MRI results that MS is the culprit. Hang in there, and be kind to yourself.
I’m in a similar position lots of weird symptoms that have been going on for years but only really started looking for answers these past 3 years. I’ve had mris, blood tests alsorts. A different neurologist has been re looking at my scans, and is ringing me tomorrow.
I too feel like no one believes me because nothing is, viable I look OK but I feel awful and the exhaustion floors me.
I’d to wait 3 weeks for mri results to come in.
Good luck how you get answers soon. I’ve started keeping a diary of every symptom I get however odd plus what I was doing prior to it.
Hi Theresa,
Thanks for your reply. Yeah Ive been looking into all my symptoms and trying to rule them out as MS. I have written list of symptoms. I have seen a neurologist she was the one who referred me for the Mri. She did do a physical examination of my legs and mentioned I had increased tones in the left leg. I have no idea what that means I wish I’d asked. Sometimes I have days where my only symptom is pins and needles then think oh maybe the other stuff is in my head but then it comes back and I start worrying again. Feels good to be able to hear from other people and be listened to finally. Thank you for replying means a lot.
I’ve seen the neurologist once she did a physical examination and mentioned increased tones in my legs. I have so many symptoms but never all at once so sometimes I think maybe I’m just imagining it. Then they come back. The waiting is the hardest part I think, my mri was 2 weeks ago so hopefully will have a phone call or letter soon. My neurologist did mention a lumbar puncture too in the future I’m not sure what that’s for either. Feel like I don’t have much knowledge about the tests and what they entail. Hope you get some positive news and thank you for replying x
Increased tone relates to your muscles - in particular when a muscle is engaged more than necessary - for instance. when you lie down and relax, your leg muscles should be relaxed and feel (relatively) soft to the touch - when you stand up, your leg muscles engage and feel firmer to the touch. When you have increased tone - the muscles being looked at will be engaged more than they need to be. It can also be described as a muscle/limb being stiff or tight. I have this in my left leg - in particular my quad (front of thigh) which makes my left leg a bit stiff.
Thank you for that information that’s really helpful as I read it on my appointment report and had no idea what it meant! Mine says it was in my left leg and it’s the back muscle. That muscle has always seemed very firm even when resting so that makes sense. Touching them now I can feel the difference between my right and left whilst sitting down. Do you know if that’s an MS specific symptom or if it can be caused by any other conditions? Sorry for so many questions I’m so knew to it all and there’s still so much I’ve heard but don’t know what it means.