Need more help

[sherry0524]

My mothers sister had either muscular or multiple sclerosis I'm not sure which.
My mom is now 61 and has for the last couple years complained of having leg pain.
It used to come and go but latley she complains all the time and the pain is getting worse.
She has problems walking alot. She has been to the Doctor several times and nothing ever helps.
Is it possible she may have MS and what do we need to do to find out. I have read some of the
information on both and she is always tired and the Doctors put this off to her job and age.
She has bowel trouble and this is always put off as irriratable bowel syndrome .She also has trouble
sallowing sometime she acutally chokes on her food. She has a hilick hernnia so the problems
swallowing is put off on this. Is it possible she is being misdianosed.

[Lulu54]

Ge,
I was just diagnosed at the age of 54.  My neuro on the first visit delayed the dx because of my age and I would imagine the doctor thinks perhaps your mom is too old too.  Please encourage her to be checked by a neurologist - her problems very well could be MS but they also could be something else.  Either way, she needs to be treated and not list with all the problems if possible.

Good luck to you and your mom, Lulu

[ge97511]

She may have MS and she may not.  What I've learn of this disease is that it's sometimes difficult to diagnose because a lot of it's symptoms can be attributed to a ton of other diseases.  Since you're family may have a history of MS maybe you should have her be seen by a neurologis and then they can decide if they need to run tests or if her syptoms are atributed to her other pre-existing conditions.

You asked how MS is diagnosed, right?  Well, it's usually don'te by doing an MRI and/or a lumbar puncture. But even then the diagnosis may not come if those two tests come back inconclusive.  I guess I'm lucky in a small way because atleast I know what's making me sick.  Both my MRI and LP came back positive for MS.

I hope this has helped a little. Be there for your mom and continue to do research.  This Forum has a ton of useful information.  Especially the health pages.

I wish you and your mother the best of luck. I hope she feels better soon.