MS?

[SeanCR]

Hello all,

I've had strange symptoms for sometime now, and doctors still cannot find any answers. In 2009, at the age of 15,  I developed monocular double vision in each eye, along with muscle twitching that occurs almost anywhere on my body. The double vision isn't quite true double vision, being that I don't truly see dual images, my eyes just don't focus, and I experience slight vertical ghosting. At this time, in 2009, I was also experiencing mild to severe headaches. In addition, I found lymph nodes in a few locations around my body, the biggest one being about 8mm in my right armpit, with the one in my left armpit Unnoticeable (I know the size because I had an ultrasound done). I only mention the lymph nodes because there may be some possibility that they are connected to my other symptoms, I have no idea. I saw a neuro, and an opthamologist. I believe the neuro ran an EKG, which came back normal. I also had an MRI done, which came back clean. At this point, doctors didn't feel much else could be done, and I've been living with the twitches, lymph nodes and double vision since, all of which are just minor annoyances. Fast forward to fall 2014, all original symptoms remain unchanged over the years, lymph nodes are the same size, and I've experienced some strange new symptoms. Some days I experience random pain in random parts of my body that I don't quite know how to describe. Maybe pins and needles? I also have been experiencing fleeting joint pain. Pain comes and goes, but doesn't last very long. I also have had problems with indigestion, a lot of burping after I eat almost anything. My left arm felt extremely fatigued for a day, but I felt no loss in strength, and a few days later I was lifting weights with no issue. I've also awaken a few nights feeling numbness in my hand that goes away after shaking. I've noticed that tingling also can occur in arms and legs depending on how I am sitting or positioned, and it goes away if I move. One night I jerked awake several times as I was falling asleep. On top of this I feel lightheaded at times during the day, I say at times because it is not a constant feeling, it'll come on for a few minutes and then go away. The muscle twitching has been more frequent, with a lot of eyelid twitching, and I feel as if my double vision has gotten slightly worse. Blood tests have come back normal. I've visited an opthamologist again who after extensive testing believes my eye problem is a higher order aberration. I do not feel that these symptoms are completely unrelated though. Does this sound like MS? Can MS cause permanent monocular double vision, with muscle twitching? Do my current symptoms sound like an "attack"? Do I need to get another brain MRI done, maybe the one done in 2009 missed something? Any responses are appreciated. I have been extremely anxious about all of this.

[HVAC]

You could have several things going on. Lymph nodes mean infection usually. Do you by chance have sinus problems. That can also lead to Migaines it does with me.My Cancer doctor told me my enlarged lymph nodes are from low grade allergies and sinus problems. The joint pain would be something else. Did the Neurolost do an EEG it is a long test with electrodes to the brain and ekg is fast it is they put leads on your heart? It might have been and EKG but that is strange for a neurologist. For the double vision you might try a Neuro Opthalmologist. My indigestion happen when I eat anything with sugar on an empty stomach or lying down to close to eating.

You might still have a neurological problem on top of the rest hopefully the neurologist can figure it out.

Alex

[supermum_ms]

Hi and welcome,

I honestly think the majority of what you've mentioned, sounds too inconsistent for it to be something like MS and some things you mention are actually normal........

Recent 2014:
"Some days I experience random pain in random parts of my body that I don't quite know how to describe. Maybe pins and needles?"  
**The way MS basically works, it can't cause any symptom to happen in random parts or to move around from one place to another or to happen in all peripheral limbs, all over etc.

"joint pain"
**Multiple Joint issues are not associated with MS but if an MSer has gate issues, and there is abnormal strain placed on a specific joint in order for them to walk , that joint can become an additional issue but technically joint problems are not a sx of MS.

"problems with indigestion, a lot of burping after I eat almost anything"
**Gas is a very common dietary and behavioural gastric issue but generally it's not a sx that's suggestive of MS.

"left arm felt extremely fatigued for a day, but I felt no loss in strength, and a few days later I was lifting weights with no issue"
**MS does cause muscle fatigue but for it to be 'fatigue' there needs to be 'loss of strength' otherwise the muscle isn't actually fatigued, if your arm was still functioning normally but you perceived your arm to be fatigued, that doesn't sound like what happen's if it were caused by MS.

"awaken a few nights feeling numbness in my hand that goes away after shaking.
**MS numbness doesn't resolve with shaking, no matter what you do nothing changes the sensation and sensory testing is usually abnormal. What you describe sounds like what is normally expected to happen, when circulation is cut off whilst sleeping and returns to normal when blood flow is returned, it's not actually abnormal.

"tingling also can occur in arms and legs depending on how I am sitting or positioned, and it goes away if I move."
**MS associated tingling- pin's and needles doesn't happen in all peripheral limb's depending on the positioning of your body and resolve when you move. This is not actually abnormal either, it again sounds like what is normally expected to happen, when circulation is cut off and returns to normal when blood flow is returned.

"One night I jerked awake several times as I was falling asleep."
**This is called sleep starts, and whilst it can be quite startling, it's not actually abnormal to experience this.    

Cheers.......JJ

  

[SeanCR]

The double vision and muscle twitching lead me to google, which lead me to ms. Like you said, I'm not entirely sure it's ms, I'm really just looking for some kind of answers. Thanks for taking the time to respond. God bless.

[LadySaja]

Hello,
Sorry you are having these symptoms. MS shares so many symptoms with countless other diseases and conditions. For instance, double vision can be caused by a number of things, swollen glands normally indicate infection and are not a "sign" of MS. The pins and needles and numbness in your hand are things that can and often happen with MS, but again, they can happen with a ton of other things as well. It's not uncommon for a hand, or foot to fall asleep while we are sleeping and possibly have laid on it or had it pinned. Numbness that comes on in your arms and legs while sitting and goes away when you move is not a sign of MS. It's a sign that the circulation is being cut off and you need to move, as you do. The numbness in MS does not go away by changing position as it is due to nerve damage. What was it that caused you to suspect MS? I'm not saying that you cannot have MS, because at this point nothing has been ruled out for you.
If you feel something is going on with your body then you should absolutely continue to seek answers. Just please keep an open mind and do not get your head set on one particular disease and hope and pray that it is NOT MS. Best of luck to you! I hope that you get your answers soon. Wondering and worrying is not good for you.

Below is a link to a site with a lot of very helpful information on MS.

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/