@Skiathos21 

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Skiathos21

New here and first post

Hello all. I have stumbled across this and looks very friendly and supportive. I have not yet been diagnosed but am under investigation. I have had to give up work 3 months ago (I was self employed) as I knew I wasn’t firing on all cylinders and something wasn’t quite right. My doctors / neurologist have been fab and I have had lots of tests including CT scans, MRIs, blood tests, memory tests, reflexes etc although I must admit it has been myself who has pushed relentlessly to get these done. My back has always been bad with degenerative discs and having steroid injections and now needing more with nerve root blocks too. I was admitted to A&E twice with numb legs and pins and needles as they thought it was Cauda Equina and I would end up paralysed all from my back, but after more googling from me , I noticed it was all pointing to possible MS. My injections have been put on hold whilst they await diagnosis although they have confirmed these symptoms are now not down to my back. It has been a period of 6 months now where I have experienced the following but all comes and goes. .. Short term memory loss Pins and needles and numbness in both arms and legs Tinnitus Hard to walk on feet in the middle of the night when get up to loo ( this one baffles me why just in night and when I get up I’m ok) Vertigo Feeling cold thru to bones Burning legs Toes and feet seem to have bones that hurt ( this started with one toe and is now all toes and feet apart from both big toes and heels) My vision seems to be ok ( well I wear glasses and lenses lol but no worse) and I haven’t had lumber puncture but I have 2 cysts on my brain that they say are innocuous and 4 white spots all that showed up on my first MRI. My second MRI (3 months later) is on 30 dec and will be with the contrast dye. Can anyone relate to any of these or advise on anything to look out for whilst I am waiting for my diagnosis I have been thru a ‘grief’ period getting used to the idea that I may have this and feel stronger now and do like to be in receipt of all the facts etc but it is still scary about the future. I am Nicky, 50 years old , have 2 daughters 14 and 16 and just got engaged this year to my wonderful boyfriend of 5 years who has been totally supportive, although that worried me what he was getting himself into now having the possibility of this with me as a future and us 3 depending on him presently to earn to pay the bills (also self employed) Thank you all for listening ...x
@Stumbler

Hi @skiathos21 and welcome. We do our best to be friendly........ Anyway, your symptoms do present in MS, but they can also present in various other conditions too. That's the reason why it's not a quick diagnosis. Your Neuro needs to be 100% certain, as once the diagnosis has been given, it can't be "ungiven". I can understand you grieving. But be wary, a diagnosis will still come as a shock, no matter your level of expectation. Hopefully the impending MRI will provide the last piece of the jigsaw. In the meantime, live healthily, eat healthily and avoid stress (not easy when you're Mum to two young ladies!).

@ItsMewithMS

As stated in the previous post MS diagnosis is difficult as there isn't a nice little blood test to diagnosis it. Thankfully like 30 years ago a huge leap forward was made with MRIs available to the Drs for diagnosing tricky things like MS. It is one of the 5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0csvVXatlFo&t=32s There is a lot of information on the internet- some good and some bad as with anything ;-) I have learned a lot from the MS Societies of various countries and Dr Boster's You Tube station. This background helps in my discussions with my Neuro which are never often enough or long enough to get through everything. You will also hear Dr Boster say live "4 for 4"- so take your DMT, get exercise, don't smoke and take Vitamin. There is a lot more than that but those are the 4 he really emphasizes for starters. I would add to eat right, avoid stress (kinda hard!) and get your sleep. Learn all you can...checking here is a good start. People are amazingly helpful and supportive I have found.