Is this MS? Desperate for help!

[Lmiller34]

Hello,

I am a 37 year old female, and I have been experiencing alarming symptoms for a few months now.  Let me start by saying that some of these symptoms (the milder, less troublesome ones)  started a couple of years ago, such a slight weakness and muscle twitches.  Gradually, I started experiencing memory problems as well, specifically short term memory.  Over the last several months, I have gotten gradually weaker, and have developed joint and muscle pain.  Most of the time, the pain is severe enough to warrant that I take pain medication.  The joint pain is not universal, mostly it is in my larger joints, but I have experienced it over most of my body, and it comes and goes.  I get headaches daily, most are severe, and most start with muscle pain and tightness in my neck, sometimes this is so severe that I almost feel as though someone has their hands wrapped around my throat, squeezing.  The weakness is getting worse and worse, to the point that I have a difficult time performing daily tasks.  Over the last couple of weeks, I have felt almost as though I have the flu, but I have no fever.  I am weak, and sometimes so much so that I just want to lay down and do nothing.  I have episodes that are usually worse in the evenings during which I just feel bad.  I can't explain it, I just don't want to move or eat or do much of anything, I just feel sick.  Most of the time this is so troublesome that I cry...I feel that bad.  I will list a few other things that have been happening that are not necessarily related, but could possibly be.  I have had moderate breast pain, nausea, diarrhea, all of which have been going on for a long time.  Also, I have a recurring rash on my neck, that no one has been able to diagnose (one doc thought it was shingles, another doc said no...)  at the moment the rash is all over the left side of my neck.  Usually, Nystatin clears this up.  I have been diagnosed with PCOS, IBS, and Fibromyalgia, but I am not so sure I agree with the Fibromyalgia diagnosis.  I agree that I have some symptoms of Fibromyalgia, but I really feel there is something more going on here.  I have had an EMG (normal)  CT scan of brain, neck and abdomen (normal), and various bloodwork.  I am at my wits end here.  My quality of life is declining, and I don't have the strength to do things that most people my age and much older do with no problem.  Please help!

[Lmiller34]

Thank you so much for your post!  I am sorry to hear that you are going through something similar yourself.  It is very scary, and greatly decreases quality of life.  Thank you for the link on Fibro as well.  I have a new family doctor, and he sent me a couple of weeks ago to give blood so he can run some tests.  They took 15 tubes, so it seems like he is being thorough.  My headaches are getting worse and worse, and the only way to relieve them at this point is 3 advil AND 2 excedrin, and that is only mild relief.  I have a scrip for oxycodone, but that doesn't help at all, in fact, it makes the headaches worse sometimes.  Anyway, please keep me posted on your condition, and I will post on here when I find out mine.

Happy Holidays!

[Cajunkorean]

I'm sorry to hear you have been have such a hard time dealing with your pain and getting a good diagnois.  I like to think of myself as a once heathly active person and now I feel like a hypercondriac, or at least I feel like that!!  I was diagnoised with Fibro as well and I've been having a hard time coping with the pain...actually I don't think I even accepted that I have it either, but here's a good website to look into.  You'd be amazed how many symptoms Fibro can actually have!! http://fibrofix.com/Symptoms.html.  Now to really look into MS, you'll have to have an MRI to see if you have any lesions of the brain...I don't know if a cat scan can pick those up and a Lumbar Test is another test they can do (spinal tap).  A Rheumatologists is the one who should have diagnoised you with Fibro and a neurologist will be the one who will diagnois you with MS if you have it.  I am scheduled to see a neurologist in the next couple of weeks to rule out MS.  I have a very good Rheumatologists who actually listens to all my concerns and has gone over all of my medical history.  I wish you the very best I hope this website helps you!!

[Lmiller34]

Thank you so much for posting.  I have not been tested for that yet, I will be sure to mention it to my doctor.  I have had a CBC though, and that was normal, showing no signs of Anemia.  I do have a Vitamin D deficiency, that is treated with 50,000 IU twice a week.

[meniere135]

Have they tested you for celiac disease?  Some people lack the enzymes to digest gluten (in wheat, barley, rye and possibly oats) and this might cause an autoimmune reaction, which can damage the intestines and prevent absorption of many needed nutrients.  Something for you to check into.  Hope this helps.

[Lmiller34]

Also, I have been tested for Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, and Lyme.
A couple of other symptoms that I tried to add, but didn't come through for some reason were lower back pain, accompanied by pain in the back of my legs, this pain gets much better with rest.  Also, when I wake up in the mornings, I am very stiff, and it is painful to move.