Unsure of problems and worried about MS

I am 34 years old, very obese at 26 stone, and I have had problems since I was 19. I have had 2 MRIs, one 10 years ago and another 3 years ago, of both spine and head, no contrast. None have shown any lesions.

I am very worried though as something crazy is going on with my legs, and I am unsure if it is just weight related or neurological in some way, I have always been concerned over having MS, but I know it mimics a lot of other neurological problems, even anxiety. I wondered if anyone can answer my below questions ? I will understand if everyone is too busy, I know it must be annoying having a undiagnosed person asking questions.

  1. When you have MS, can it be better after waking or does it not relate to time of day ? When my legs are going crazy I find when I wake up (after sleeping over 5 hours) they are almost perfect (except the new problem mentioned below at number 3), but as soon as I move or get out of bed the sensation is really strong again. I was wondering if MS, because of being lesions in the brain and spine, is unrelated to posture and time of day, or if it is relevant ?

  2. When I have a shower my legs go crazy afterwards, I feel blood shooting around in them, I get prickly and pinchy feelings all over them, they tingle, and I get muscle cramps in my feet when I sit or lie down and my legs feel like I have run a 20 mile marathon. This terrified me as I instantly thought MS. Can there be anything else that can cause this ? I now use luke warm water and fragrence free soap, but it can still happen. It happens when I have a bath too. I now flannel wash as much as possible as the after effect feeling from the shower can last days and weeks, although when I wake up it is often very good, until I move my body. I get a very similar problem after walking for 15 minutes or more, which is making my weight loss atempts very difficult as I find it hard to cope with the after effects of a walk, I always call it a fireworks factor having been set off in my legs, they feel like they are going crazy.

  3. On Friday I started having a vibration feeling in my left foot, underneath it although it is hard to pinpoint exactly, which I still have now and am booking a doctors appointment for. I woke up with it. It is a cross between a mobile phone style vibration and a cat purring, right now, for instance, it is happening every 2 to 3 seconds, like clock work, so for 1 second it purrs, then stops, 2 to 3 seconds later starts again, and so on. This happens all the time, even when I wake up and don’t move (unlike the above). I have a lot of dark spider veins on my left foot, which I don’t have on my right foot, but it isn’t swollen and I can’t see anything twitch or move when the sensation happens, and no matter how much I grab and manipulate my foot the sensation is the same.

Number 3 above is brand new, and I have not been to the doctors about it yet, but am booking an appointment for it. For the other one I did see a nurologist and he stuck pins in my legs but just said it is something that just happens and he can’t explain why, which was really annoying to hear, but I forced a MRI. This came back clear other than thoracic scoliosis. But I did not have the tingling problems when the scan happened, in hindsight I should of had a shower the same day as the scan as my legs felt okay during it.

I can usually avoid a walk or shower (as I say, I can wash via flannel and nursing wipes) so the problems from that are not my biggest worry, it is number 3 that is as I can’t stop it, 24/7 I am getting this vibration/purring feeling, which isn’t a nice feeling. As I am obese I thought about compression when sitting, but it happens when I lie down and stand too. An even worse thought is a brain tumour, but I know I can get carried away and that won’t do me any favours, I am praying that it is due to my weight in some way.

Does anyone have any ideas ? Does it sound classic MS ?

Thanks everyone !!

It doesn’t sound like MS to me. Some symptoms vary during the day - e.g. fatigue - but I have never had a situation where my legs feel better in the morning then get worse. If anything they are worse on waking because of not being moved overnight.

You have had two MRI scans and you will also have had general neurological tests [checking reflexes, visual issues etc].

To me it sounds more vascular, probably made worse by your weight but that should be checked out via your doctor.

I am only an expert when it comes to my own symptoms.

Liz

I hope you get sorted soon. I feel like you, worried about asking. I have seen a neurologist and when I was asked to do toe to heel walking, I couldn’t without her holding me. I’m now waiting to see a neurosurgeon for a diagnosis. Everything I’ve read appears to be like me, except the bowel/bladder thing. I’m sure you will get answers soon.x