Do I have symptoms of MS

[coffs]

Hi,  in January I woke up blind in 1 eye and was diagnosed with N.A.I.O.N an optic nerve disease.   A lot of people with this disease are tested for MS.    I also have had burning back pain since I came off 80mg of steroids I was using to treat N.A.I.O. N.   I have had lots of massages but even panadol at night won't take the symptom away, it usually fixed any pain I have.     I have been very fatigued,  memory loss, and bladder and bowel problems which I put down to having my gall bladder out 2 years ago.   I am 65.   I have trouble walking when I have been sitting down for a while but I put that down to stiffness old age.       I play golf twice a week and then exhausted for a couple of days.  My husband said I sit for too long and should do more exercise but everything seems to take it out of me.    Scared to have M>S> test as its a needle in the spine I think.     What do you think.  Thankyou.

[supermum_ms]

Hi and welcome,

Nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) is the most common form of ischemic optic neuropathy and patients are generally over the age of 50 years with vascular risk factors, average age group 60+. The vast majority of cases of NAION are idiopathic but it is associated with diabetes, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, nocturnal hypotension, hyper cholesterol, smoking, anemia, migraines, optic disc drusen (abnormal deposits of protein-like material in the optic disc) etc

The typical clinical presentation of NAION is a painless swelling of the optic disc accompanied by sudden vision loss, altitudinal visual field defect, colour deficit, optic nerve haemorrhages and pallor, optic disc crowding and exclusion of other causes of optic neuropathy. Some research studies have found over two-thirds of patients notice vision loss upon awakening which suggests that nocturnal arterial hypotension may be critically involved.

Optic neuritis (ON) which is similar but more commonly associated with MS, typically has a different clinical presentation it is a painful loss of vision, mild or no optic disc swelling, usually with central scotoma, colour deficit and improvement at follow-up. Optic Neuritis commonly affects young adults between the ages of eighteen and forty-five years of age, average age group 30...

The lumbar puncture (LP) is only 1 of the tests people suspected of MS usually have but the LP isn't a diagnostically exclusive test, the brain and or spinal MRI with and without contrast is the type of test which produces more suggestive-consistent diagnostic evidence of demyelinating lesions.

The issues you've mentioned wouldn't usually be suggestive of a neurological condition like MS and it's much more likely to be typical for your age group, medical issues and life style....i honestly don't think you're going to find the NAION is going to put neurological conditions like MS on your potential explanations list in your age group but it would be a good idea to ask your doctor if you need any additional tests to rule in or out the medical conditions NAION is commonly associated with so you can be proactive with your health.

I hope that helps.....JJ