Numbness in left side of body...MS?

[tmmontgomery]

Hello all,

I have been having some miserable symptoms for over a month now, and I just don't know what to do. I wake up every day and feel miserable, most of the time worse than the day before. I have been to a neurologist who took basically an entire MRI body scan (minus my legs) to check for MS or anything else that might be causing my symptoms. Got the results back Wednesday and everything came back normal. Did a CT scan a few weeks back at the ER (went because I was feeling so awful) and came back completely normal.

Symptoms are as follows:

-Generalized weakness (feeling like I have no energy at all)
-Weakness on left side of body. Does not interfere with walking or movement, but my internal medicine doctor said my grip was slightly less on my left side than right, and my left eye, when looking all the way to the left, seems very slightly shaky.
-Heaviness in left side of body, mostly in leg. Again, this does not have an affect on my walking or balance.
-Vibrating sensation in body. Mostly in foot. Sometimes in abdomen and chest. Comes and goes it seems, or maybe I'm just not noticing it at certain times.
-Sometimes tingling in my left foot. It seems to only to do it when I'm sitting criss cross apple sauce... it might just be my foot going to sleep, I am not sure.
-Feeling that I'm in a dream. Things don't seem as real or solid as they used to. When I do a task, I have to reassure myself that I'm actually doing it. When I wake up, I have to make sure I tell myself who I am (even though I already know and never forget.) I feel sometimes like my body is foreign, my hands move but I don't know how they're moving. or I walk and I know I'm walking, but it just feels like I am on autopilot. Almost like I am loosing my mind.
-Shakiness, especially in hands. Not pronounced, but it's noticeable.
-Feeling of fullness in left side of abdomen.
-Trouble swallowing sometimes. It comes and goes. It almost seems if I think about swallowing, that's when it seems to get harder to.
-Tired, bloodshot eyes (feel like I have been looking at a computer screen all day, even though I haven't.)
-I don't feel as sharp as I usually am. Sometimes I have to read something more than one time to really get it, and I've noticed when I talk, sometimes I trip over some words. Here lately though my speech has seemed pretty much okay.

There are more symptoms, but I don't want to confuse anybody or start listing too much, as I know sometimes that can make it hard to see what's going on. As I said, my neurologist said that I checked out fine physically when he did my exam. Said there was nothing out of the ordinary, no signs of Optic Neuritis, no trouble with balance or anything like that, so I was pretty confident it was not MS at that time. His office said my MRI looked completely normal, no lesions. I was reading elsewhere in the forum about the whole no lesion MRI thing. I haven't done any type of nerve testing, and I am thinking that that would be the next step because of the heavyness and sometimes tingling. My nuero is wanting to do a tilt table test to I guess check for dysautonomia? Because I told him sometimes I feel like I'm going to pass out (MISTAKEEEE!!) even though I know I'm not really going to pass out... it's just that feeling I get. It's almost like a rush of adrenaline. Not really sure how to describe it.

I saw a very good internal medicine MD just a few days ago who said that there were tons of things that could be causing the symptoms that I'm having. I have been through a significant amount of stress lately, so he prescribed Wellbutrin 75 MG once a day to see if that would help with the brain fog/dreamy feeling. I have been on it for three days, with no affect being seen yet. I realize these types of medicines take a little while to work.

So what could this all mean??? I wake up every day feeling worse and worse, it has caused me to basically stop my life and stay at home with my mom. I want to get back to normal so bad!!! It is very frustrating because I don't feel like my normal self. I haven't driven in three weeks. It's even hard for me to ride in a car without feeling very freaky.

I have really thought about it being MS... but from what I can understand, most of the time MS isn't really debilitating in it's first stages right?. It's more just annoying. Like I said, the thing that has got me really unable to do anything is the feeling of dreamyness. I can deal with the physical symptoms all day, but when it comes to my mind and not feeling like myself, like I'm a zombie almost, it's very scary.

thanks for any type of light anyone can shed on my problem. very desperate for answers. I love the internal medicine doc, but you can't see your doctor every day so in between I'm TRYING to find anything to help.

-taylor

[AngelRmz]

Hey!  Man, reading this stuff is kinda freaky as I'm dealing with some of the same things...Here's my prognosis (from my experience). Psychologically speaking, we're becoming hyperchondriacs because of all this. We listen to our bodies in a way that is not normal. Yes, it's anxiety but it's also something else.  It just all feels too real.  Also, look into something called a NEUROCARDIOGENIC SYNCOPE.  I was dianosed years back thanks to the Tilt Table Test.  Maybe you're is a syncope of sorts. I'm gonna follow your lead and check out my spleen, check for mono, and maybe MS.  
Any updates on your end?
~Angel

[tmmontgomery]

Hi gang!
Just thought that I would give you an update on how I am doing. Wow, when I wrote that first post would I have ever thought that I would be sitting here in early August writing about how I am still mo better. It's either gotten worse or no better.

Long story short, internist still sticking with mono diagnoses. My spleen is still enlarged, I can feel it and see it but hasn't got any bigger or any more uncomfortable. The fullness feeling actually isn't here most days. bloodwork came back normal. I've had another CBC since my last post and it was normal as well. I had so so so much bloodwork done, even a HIV test.

Derealization/depersonalization is still here. I finally broke down and saw a psychologist and a psychiatrist as well (they are both in the same firm) and it has seemed to help a little but not extremely. Ativan and Lunesta are still the most helpful drugs for me right now. I am very ansy and the other night I believe I had s full blown panic attack. It was very scary. At least that's what I think it was.

I am having main trouble with the DR/DP feeling, anxiety as well as a feeling as though I'm going to tip over, or just fall over. Even when sitting I feel it sometimes. It's very weird!!!

I have had to stop school for this semester, I'm taking one online class but that's it. My job, thank god, is still working with me. But it is a struggle every single day to just make it through. Things like goIng to the fridge to get some water or just walking through the house are a struggle. Sigh.

I got so frustrated because I was looking out the window at the sky, and the world, the world that I can't participate in because I feel like this. I just gritted my teeth so hard and stared off into the distance. It is so frustrating. I can't say it enough. I'm not a weak person, but this whatever-I-have has made me feel weak. I've told my mom several times that I feel like I'm dying. It's so scary.

If anybody else has any thoughts on what else could be going on, PLEASE share them!! :)

Thanks for your support Deb and everybody, please keep the questions and thoughts coming so I have something to do! :)

[Deb61]

Sounds like they're closer to figuring out what is wrong.  Did your bloodwork reveal anything?

[tmmontgomery]

That is actually really interesting. I have never even thought about that. I went and did some reading on it and from what I found it can play a role in autoimmune disorders. Very very interesting!! I only have one amalgram filling so I guess there probably wouldn't be too much mercury leaking out but it is still very very interesting. Thanks for the info!!

I am going for bloodwork today, so here we go again.

[loverofpuppies]

oops i didnt see your last post :) sounds like you may have a good start as to whats causing you to feel so bad, good luck and keep us updated :)

[loverofpuppies]

Just throwing a random idea out there but do you have any silver (amalgram) fillings? Half of the silver fillings in your teeth have mercury in them and just 1 of those fillings carry as much mercury as a thermometer! If you look up /mercury poisening it can cause a lot of symptoms and people that have been having a hard time finding answers to their health problems have found this playing a role in it. Anytime you chew on those fillings it releases some mercury. Have you had any fillings chip? Or do you have a lot of fillings? I would consider getting them removed (if you do) and do a charcoal/clay detox to rid your body of any metals and it may make you feel somewhat better if not completely?