1st time entry

[Ferri1c]

Hello everyone this is my first post on this forum.  I just turned 29 yesterday and I'm a male.  I need to write and vent so I apologize in advance.  First of all I have NOT been diagnosed with MS.  I'm so scared that I may have it however.  5 days ago I woke up really dizzy.  Then I started getting tingling sensations everywhere.  I started reading on the Internet and it basically spelled out to me I have MS.  I went to the my GP on Tuesday and told him my concerns.  He took alot of blood and I'm still waiting for the phone call.  I had similar symptons about 8 years ago while I was dealing with Epstein bar virus and many complications with that.  Eventually all symptons went away.  Now they are back:(  I had a shoulder surgery on Nov 29 and they gave me a nerve block.  Not sure if that even matters.  Anyways I made an appointment for an opthomologist tomorrow because my eyes have been hurting.  More so in my left.  I've read many posts on this forum and read about VEP test to diagnose optical neuritis.  My question is will my opthomologist give me a VEP test if I ask for it or do eye doctors have nothing to do with those type of tests? I do not have a neuro doctor.  This has affected me so bad.  The first thing I do when I wake up is feel if I still have tingles and I'm dizzy. All I do is just read about MS all day long.  My parents and girlfriend obviously see how worried I am.  Yesterday was my birthday I couldn't even eat.  I basically had to just put a fake smile on my face just so they all would be happy.  I sit in my room and cry because I'm so afraid of a possible diagnosis.  I know I sound ignorant and please I hope I don't offend anyone on here.  I keep thinking worst case scenario:  let's say I get diagnosed with MS.  I have no job, I got laid off, unemployment runs out in a month.   I live with my parents at 29:( who both are getting older.  Would anyone even want to marry me knowing at such a young age i might be sick. I'm scared I'll be all alone with no money and no one to help me. I FEEL SO ALONE right now.  Would I ever be able to start a family of my own and play with my kids.  IM SO SORRY I'm not trying to depress anyone!! I've kept this to myself and I just need to share my fears with anyone.  I usually go to the gym 6 days a week for 3 hours!  I love lifting weights and doing cardio.  Will I have to give that up?  That's my only hobby I have!  I feel like my mind is my biggest enemy right now.  Anyways not sure if an opthomologist is even worth seeing but I guess it's a step.  GOD BLESS all of you. I really am sorry for sounding so depressed:(

[Ferri1c]

Wow I just want to let all of you know how sweet you are.  That was so kind of all of you to comment on my concerns.  Everything you all said was so ENCOURAGING and CALMING:) Even worst case scenario if i get diagnosed with it it's very comforting knowing I can still one day get married and have kids and enjoy the simple things in life:) Thank you all for welcoming me and providing me with ur input.  

A little update:  

this morning I went to the opthomologist for a check up.  It's been over 15 years since my last one.  They did the normal dilating drop thing and looked inside my eyes and I had to read the letters far away. He said my eyes look great and my vision is perfect. I expressed my concerns to him about my symptons of dizziness, and tingling sensations that just move around all over my body in pure randomness,  and the eye pain.  I told him im scared that I'm having symptons of MS.  

He was very nice and said that in 3 weeks to come back for another type of eye test.  I forgot the name but it's not the VEP. I asked for that but he said I don't need that yet.  He thinks I have a inner ear virus and to give it time to run it's course.  " I'm not a betting man but I'd bet you don't have MS based on what ur telling me".  However we can do an MRI if you'd like if nothing changes or it gets worse.

So there's my update.  Mary yes for my surgery they knocked me out with something in the IV also a nerve block that they stuck deep in my neck witch made me twitch out.  Thank you Mary for the breathing exercise. It helps me out when I get nervous.  When I panic or get scared of a symptom the tingles hit so much harder and intense. Then I take a deep breath and calm down and the tingles get much weaker.

I'm going to try to stay off the Internet as much as possible for the next few weeks except on this forum.  I have been really thirsty lately so I'm drinking more water.  

Once again thank you so much everyone and MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEARS if I don't talk to anyone before that!  GOD Bless Everyone:)

[Lulu54]

Hi Carlo,
Let me add my welcomes to the batch you already have here.  

Happy belated birthday to you - I almost remember my 20's.  LOL

A favorite site of mine to refer people to to see how complex diagnosis MS can be and how many other things "sound" like ms is this site at the university of Maryland.........

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/multiple-sclerosis-000474.htm

I'm with everyone else here - this doesn't sound like MS to me, but that's easy for me to say since I'm not living your nightmare.  The tingling all over your body pretty much rules it out in my mind.  It does sound like your doctor is taking your concerns seriously, so I hope you can follow his advice, try to enjoy the holidays, and let him know if the symptoms continue or get worse.


Be sure to let us know if you have more questions,
Lulu

[Sparkysarah]

Hi Carlo

Your post felt like an express train running wild! First of all don't worry about having a vent, second, no need to apologise for what you write and third no need to worry that you are depressing andyone as we can only do that for ourselves.

I would agree with all the sensible suggestions posted and I can sense your extreme fear and anxiety but this is fed by some irrational thoughts which are spiralling out of control.I would suggest that you concentrate on what you do know, keep a note of all you symptoms and dates when things happen and try not to put yourself into panic mode. No-one has suggested or even hinted that you have MS and sometimes reading stuff on the internet is not such a good idea. There are many other conditions that mimic MS. If things continue and do not improve then I am sure your dr will makethe appropriate referrals.

I hope that you feel better soon and my advice is to try and enjoy every day and don't let your birthday go by again without enjoying it and live in the moment.  

With best wishes

Sarah

[twopack]

Oh Carlo, you don't sound depressed.  You do sound worried and anxious though.  That's understandable when you don't feel well and you don't know why.  But try to calm down a little because all that anxiety usually only gives a boost to symptoms.  For example:  anxiety >>> fast, shallow breathing >>> hyperventilation >>> increased dizziness and tingling.

Julie is right.  Close your eyes and take some slow deep breaths ........ in through your nose ........ out through your mouth.  Then go get a glass or eight of water.  Your doctor was saying that your blood work indicates you are a little dehydrated ("dried out").  Dehydration may actually contribute to your symptoms by having your electrolytes a little off.  Since you like to work out on a regular basis, you probably already know how important it is to maintain proper hydration.

He might have mentioned specifically that your sedimentation rate was normal because an active inflammatory or immune process in your body would tend to elevate the sed rate.  It's a good thing it's in the normal range.

I know you can't feel really good mentally until you feel really good physically but try to help yourself get to both places.  Now that you have some reassurance from your doctor, have a more low key but celebratory birthday dinner.  Eat something to nourish your stressed body.  Some protein, complex carbs and some fruit on the side.  Kiwi would be great.  Be as active as you can.  If the dizziness starts to go away, see if you can return to some of your cardio routine by starting off slowly on a stationary bike.  Don't forget the water.  Maybe even a vitamin drink booster.

Lastly, don't forget you are only two weeks out from surgery.  Have you been taking pain medication that could have contributed to this?  Did you have other anesthesia along with the nerve block?  It can take longer than you think for the effects of those drugs to completely clear your system, especially when you are "dry".  Any surgery stresses the body.  Follow that with even small changes in diet and activity and you will often see a big impact on multiple body functions.

Hope you feel better soon and can get on with enjoying the last of your 20's.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
Mary

[jujuminx]

Carlo-
  No one can dx you here but we can offer advice.  Continue with the testing please.  Idk if you have MS or not but it sounds like you need to rule it out.  MS cannot be dx with a blood test (I have MS and had an excellent blood panel for instance).  
  MS or not, you need to find out what is going on with your body. I had intermittant symptoms (every 8-10  yrs) for 20 yrs and just this Aug got dx with MS.  My life is pretty normal.  And although I had my first symptom before I had kids, now that they are teens, I have no disabilities or impairments. So, if it turns out that you do have it, it is NOT the end of the world. Personally it was a relief to finally know what I had and get meds for it.
I would also encourage you to stop reading so much about MS, after all you might not have it and the information you are reading is obviously making you fixated on it.  My Neuro recommended I NOT read anything on the internet on it except from official MS sites.  He also gave me quite a bit of info on it himself. But at this point, you don't even know if you have it. The mind is a powerful thing.
  Take some deep breaths, keep exercising, eat well, get plenty of rest, live in the present (instead of projecting your life decades ahead) and seek the advice of doctors.  Good luck to you.
Julie

[Sumanadevii]

Carlo, it doesn't sound like MS to me either...especially with it being all over your body.  However, each patient with MS has their own story and it is best to allow our doctors to make those decisions.  I just want to say, MS is not a life sentence.  There are many many MSers that still work, play, and take care of their families.  Yes some have periods when they need to rest more and watch how they spend their energy.  You are a young man and I think it works in your favor.  If in fact you have MS, you would be put on a DMD early thus preventing serious damage.  And no,I don't think because you are young it gives you an automatic ticket to an easier time with MS.  We have young people on this board that do have serious problems.....Just saying it may run in your favor.

[Ferri1c]

Thank you Bob for responding.  My doctor left a message on my voice mail saying all my blood work came back great. However I'm a little "dried out" whatever that means.  He said no vitamin deficiencies, thyroid is good, and something about a sedimentation rate test was good as well.  He said to give it a couple weeks and if I don't feel better then to call back and he'll tell me what to do next.  To clear up something the tingling is mostly in my head and face. But it goes everywhere when it wants. Back, legs, feet, hands, etc.  Last night the tingles turned into itches and now it's just back to tingles.  My sister said that after she had an epidermal that she had many similar symptons.  They ruled out MS and said it was the needle hitting a nerve.  She told me to calm down and since I just had surgery 2 weeks ago it's possible when they gave me a nerve block they also hit a nerve.  I don't know I'm just trying to think of all possibilities.  Like I said I had this similar feeling 8 or 9 years ago when I was really sick with Epstein bar virus.  Sometimes I get a little relapse.  I guess I'll see what the opthomologist says tomorrow morning and then I will wait and see how my body feels for the next 2 weeks before calling back my GP.   I need to stop obsessing about this it's just so hard to stop thinking about it.  Thanks for hearing me out Bob.
Sincerely
Carlo

[COBOB]

Welcome.  Now calm down and and slow down trying to diagnose yourself on the internet.  The diagnosis of MS is one of exclusion.  There are a lot of things that need to be ruled out first.  In MS, it would be very rare to have a tingling sensation everywhere.  There are also a lot of things that can cause dizziness.  

If you are going to an Ophthalmologist (not an optometrist,) he/she can order a VEP if they think you need one.  Since your GP is an MD or DO, they could also order a VEP. They can also refer you to a Neurologist,  Optic Neuritis very rarely hits both eyes at the same time so that is another reason to calm down.

First, calm down and stop trying to diagnose yourself.  Second,  trust your GP and let him get your test results back.  Third, go to you eye exam.  Even if you do have optic neuritis (ON,)  not everyone who gets ON goes on to get MS.  Once you start to have some results from the lab work and the Ophthalmologist, then talk with you GP and ask if you should be referred to a Neurologist.  Dizziness can be an ENT  issue with the inner ears.

What you have described so far could be several things.  To be truthful, if you just said your eyes hurt, you were dizzy and tingling and it happened at your home and nowhere else, I'd tell you to make sure your Carbon Monoxide detector was working and had fresh batteries.  Like I said, there can be many things going on with just three symptoms.

Work with your doctors.  Ask us questions (some of us have MS, but not everyone.)  And try and calm down.  

Bob

Bob