MS scare

[Aleksandar21]

Hi, I'm a 21 y/o boy from Serbia and I'm really worried that I have MS. I apologize in advance for the long question but I have no idea what could be important for the answer.

Last December I started feeling nausea, had a low grade fever (37.2 C - 37.5 C) and slightly raised leukocyte levels which is why my doctor said it's probably a stomach flu and sent me home. The fever continued and I randomly started feeling tired, usually when I would come home from outside and get warmed up. The feeling of being tired was really similar to having a high fever, with chills and lack of energy although my muscles were strong as ever and I was quite able to move them rapidly etc.

  They sent me to do a bunch of tests and I developed serious health anxiety, mainly because no one new what the hell is happening considering that blood count went to normal but fever didn't. I was under a lot of stress during December and January and started having fasciculations and noticed my limbs falling asleep in fairly normal positions far more often even though they would get back to normal in 2,3 seconds when I would shake them. Also, I had a weird feeling like the part of my forehead close to my eyes/hose is tense and tired and started having tiny episodes of disorientation/black outs that lasted for a few milliseconds that were just a bother but scared me enough and contributed to the general "unreal" feeling. Also, I got the slight burning sensation in my upper lip but told myself it's probably because they're chapped and stuff.

  All my (stool and blood) tests came out negative and I gradually lost all the starting symptoms which made my doctor conclude that it was probably a virus that ran through my system and that I should go to him if it happens again. The skin at my fingertips started peeling off at the time and he told me to take vitamin supplements (B12 especially) which I did and it stopped. Also, I can't really say if my limbs stopped falling asleep because I really didn't bother with it and tried to relax and not notice it but even if it did happen it stopped being often. My fasciculations, tiredness, and disorientation stopped.

Now, few days ago (I'm writing this on June 18th) I started feeling again a slight burning of my upper lip that would come and go like before but my lips are definitely not chapped or anything which made me anxious and scared. My limbs started falling asleep easily again and the feeling of disorientation and slight dizziness is back. I'm fairly sure that my tingling of the limbs is connected to the level of anxiety that I feel because my limbs fall asleep more easily and tingle a lot more on days when I'm panicking then when I'm not. I'm mostly worried about the recurrence of these neurological symptoms and the disorientation which is similar to being very drunk (I literally experienced closing my eyes and feeling slightly nauseated and like the room is spinning for a few seconds and then it stops). I currently feel disoriented, have (few milliseconds long) blackouts and feel my limbs falling asleep often (they don't go numb, just tingle).

  I can't see my doctor until the 24th of June and I'm supposed to prepare for my exam which is really hard when I'm this anxious, it would mean a lot if someone with MS would tell me if my symptoms resemble theirs or if they think they are caused by anxiety.

[Aleksandar21]

Hey, I decided to respond like this to everyone, thanks a lot, you did help me calm down

I'll post here what my doc thinks when I go see him

[jensequitur]

> I'm mostly worried about the recurrence of these neurological symptoms and the disorientation which is similar to being very drunk (I literally experienced closing my eyes and feeling slightly nauseated and like the room is spinning for a few seconds and then it stops). I currently feel disoriented, have (few milliseconds long) blackouts and feel my limbs falling asleep often (they don't go numb, just tingle.

The sensation of vertigo/dizziness that you're getting can be from a number of different causes. As far as I know it's not a symptom of anxiety, but it can be from vestibular/inner ear problems or from an illness. The disorientation and blackouts are also not something I normally think of as anxiety symptoms.

So I don't think it's MS either, but your vertigo, blackouts and disorientation shouldn't be ignored. Good luck! Let us know what the doctor thinks.

[kwarendorf]

Welcome to the group Aleksandar  -

When I read your post, nothing you describe made me think of MS. Most of what you describe seems to have had a cause and resolved. MS symotms tend not to resolve so quickly and are not so transient.

I would urge you to focus on resolving your anxiety. It can be very power when combined with internet searching of perceived symptoms.

Kyle

[Katya4]

I am not a doc, but to me it doesn't sound anything like MS at all, so I would put my money on anxiety or another cause like a virus.

You mentioned B12, that can cause problems if it is low. Perhaps ask for a blood panel to check vitamin levels? If you haven't already. That's the first thing I did, I got comprehensive blood tests to rule out all the easier fixes like vitamin, endocrine, hormonal, bacterial, ext... The only one I didn't have yet is lyme.
If you have a vitamin deficiency, and stopped taking the B12 that could be the reason for returned symptoms. Vitamin deficiency require life long supplementation from what I have read about them.

Try and relax and not worry about it much till your appointment, its not far.