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@suewy 

Last reply

suewy

Advice on symptoms, awaiting diagnosis

Hi everyone, I am Sue, This is my first post. In am looking for some advice please. I have been treated for a herniated disc with nerve compression for over a year. After a repeat MRI scan I was told there is no longer any disc bulge. I do however have leg numbness, spacticity in knee and back of my thigh. This is now moving into my other leg. I have a terrible burning pain in my back. Cramps and jumpy legs and massive nerve twitches all night. For years I have had an unexplained flashing blue light in my line of vision and can smell burning or cooking smells all the time. I have dizzy spells, fall over my own feet or fresh air and feel my memory and concentration is going down hill rapidly. I get up in the night to pee at least 3 times if not more and have constipation. I also keep buying my tongue and lips when I eat, which really hurts! My GP has done bloods to rule out any thing else and has now referred me to see a neurologist. From what I have read everyone's symptoms are different but can anyone relate to this long list of ailments, I've not seen any comments on people biting themselves! Thanks in advance and sorry for the long post! Sue.
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@Stumbler
@Stumbler
 

Hi @suewy and welcome. The symptoms of MS are wide and varied, https://www.mstrust.org.uk/understanding-ms/ms-symptoms-and-treatments/symptoms . These are relative to the exact location of the MS damage on our Central Nervous System (CNS), covering our brain and spine. The only advice we can offer is to make a list of these possible symptoms. This should be useful when the Neuro builds up your clinical history. Otherwise, there's not much you can do until this appointment. Just try and manage your stress levels, as stress is very damaging to us.

@sigmadelta
@sigmadelta
 

Hi Sue, You don't actually say if you have been diagnosed with MS? Or do you just suspect? As stumbler says the symptoms of MS are indeed wide and varied. I would go as far as to say you would be hard pressed to find two identical cases. If you have already had spinal nerve damage this would indeed mimic many symptoms of MS. It should be remembered that the term 'Multiple Sclerosis' simply means ' A Lot (Multiple) of Damage(Sclerosis)' lol. Put another way...your symptoms could have many causes, and its only when they rule out what it isn't, that they apply this term. I.E. " We have no idea what then problem is". Umm... so it's MS. Which again, only describes the symptoms....cause as yet unknown. Every sensation you have goes through your spinal cord, so if there has been some damage in the past it may well heal. I have SPMS and I bit my tongue and lip frequently when I ate, so I now use more caution..haha. It changes day to day, so I don't worry too much. I have massive nerve twitches at night, and I find that a pillow under the knees can help. Also try and do a full stretch of your legs to their full extent in bed, before you settle. We all tend to adopt the 'Foetal' position in bed, which is not a good idea as the muscles like to contract and stay that way when you come to! Don't worry too much about going to the loo 3 or 4 times a night, I've been doing that for 3 years now, as have many. Just try not to drink after 9pm. Constipation? Well, that was a worry for a long time, and the more you worry the worse it gets. Your mental concern transfers to your bowels... sounds daft but it's true. It's down to a basic "Fight or Flee" reaction when we feel threatened. In times of stress your bowels will do one of two things, seize up, or let go. And...When you get frightened your buttocks clench. I started eating one small bowl of ''All Bran" a day and generally watched my diet for fibre content and I have been OK. Nothing to do with MS, but it gets rid of one small niggle I can do without. Your memory lapses and concentration levels are simply because your mind is pre-occupied with worrying. Your subconscious fears are taking over. In short Sue, you have to try and relax a bit... you aren't about to die yet! Don't let your fears and anxieties make things seem worse. You will focus on all sorts of things which you would normally have not given a second thought to, and assume they are symptomatic, and they are not. Just try and keep your mind off the negative..xx Sean.