Help, Please!?!?!? Is Vertigo common with MS?

[thester6474]

For the last three years I have been living with multiple symptoms, with multiple diagnoses, some that I question more and more on a daily basis.  

My symptoms include:
a burning pain in muscles, numbness in extremities, loss of sensation in parts of bodies, stiffness, major fatigue, depression, major headaches, spasticity, spasms, myoclonus, restless leg, tingling in head and extremities, vibration sensations, buzzing sensations when moving head from time to time, anxiety, major cognitive dysfunction, sleeping dysfunctions, inability to feel and recognize touches unless they are visual, muscle weakness – especially in extremities, extra tension in arms and legs with usage, chronic indigestion, walking (I have a gait), constant state of tiredness – inability to complete most tasks – moving or lifting items, exercising, walking, carrying grocery, brushing hair, etc.

To make the situation worse on October 28th I woke up and the room was spinning and has been since.  As soon as my Neurologist's office opened I called and informed them of the fact that I was unable to walk with out running into items or falling completely down.  The nurse told me to lie down immediately and to do nothing until she called back.  When she called back, she told me to either go straight to the ER or come there.  I was told that I was suffering from Vertigo.  Unfortunately he has refused to do any testing, just take me off of medication the last few months, which has not helped.

My Rheumatologist last month looked in my ear and noticed that my eardrum was swollen remarkably on the right side so decided to send me to my ENT.  He also decided before the appointment to prescribe two weeks of high dose prednisone 4 5mg tablets in the am, and 4 at night as well as two 600 mg antibiotics daily for two weeks.  This helped the eardrum go down as well as the apparent ear infection I had at the time.  The ENT said that it could have made the Vertigo worse, but was not the main cause, and in turn sent me for an MRI with and w/o contrast and well as Vestibular PT.  I had already done the Vestibular PT eval just 6 weeks in advance.

This time the results were much worse she said, she didn't give me the results from the first time.  This time though when she scored me standing still and doing a few different exercises I scored only 13 out of 24.  When she scored me for gait it was 8 out of 24, so both are pretty poor.  She said that she hasn't seen it get that bad that quickly.

I do have my a copy of my MRI results and just had a question as to, should there be any white areas on the scan?  I do see several white spots on the back lobe upper area, as well as the middle lower area.  I see a few others, what scares me is the last time I had scans two years ago I had no white ares.  What are some causes of white ares on MRIs?  What are some causes of Vertigo?  Could it get to the point where I no longer have any balance?

[supermum_ms]

I'm a strong believer in brain plasticity, MS wasn't even on the radar when i first started loosing my balance, i cant even remember when it started, simply years and years ago but it always went away.

2009 had me walking like a string puppet, vertigo and a hoast of other unfriendly things, i used walls, furniture, my children, anything to guide me whilst offering support, sometimes i even crawled. My brother got me a folding walking stick, but i still needed something, a wall or a person on the other side because the vertigo kept me off balance, a stick did help but i really needed a walker. I needed help with mobility and a walker was something i was looking into, what colour, a triangle type or square and then the vertigo suddenly stopped, and i was left with just the string puppet walking and things didn't seem so bad. It wasnt long before that started getting better and i didn't need more than the walls and furniture again, eventually i needed no help.

April to August I had mobility issues, i just kept on moving because with brain plasticity if your brain can rewire it will if you keep simulating the process, if you dont move it you loose it type of thinking. I tend to look at things as temperary, and do what ever needs doing to keep on moving.

Cheers.......JJ

[jensequitur]

I had vertigo for six months, but I never used an assistive device - I just hung onto the walls if I was having trouble.  A cane was useful if I was outside, so I could use it as a third leg.

The good news is that if it is MS, then you probably won't have vertigo for your entire life!  On average it takes three months for neurological damage to heal, and more if it's severe.

[Lulu54]

You are so young to be dealing with this and can certainly understand your tremendous sense of grief.

I saw your post on the neurology forum and suggested you post this here - be sure and check out the health page link I posted on acceptance.  It talks a lot about grief, too.

With the type of vertigo you have experienced the use of a  cane or walker would be a very good idea to keep you upright.

I have not had vertigo but my mother has it. I feel so sorry for her when it hits.  

Can anyone else with vertigo give thester advice on coping and getting by?

feel better,
Lulu

[thester6474]

Anyone with Vertigo need the use of assistive devices such as a walker or wheelchair?  My physical therapist just ordered a walker for me, and I feel as though my world has been turned upside down.  If so how did you deal with the grief?  And has it been a permanent change or was it just temporary?

[thester6474]

No, I haven't been diagnosed with MS yet, I have been in limbo land for a total of three whole years.

[Lulu54]

Yes  vertigo is a common symptom of MS patients.  Have you been diagnosed with MS or are you still in limbo?  

White spots on the brain are usually something that the neurologist is going to look at and tell you what they are caused by............. lesions are a common thought if they are considering MS.  Did you get a copy of the radiologist's report?  You should have that to refer to when you look at your pictures.

good luck with your journey - it sure doesn't get easier, does it?

my best,
Lulu