41/2 years ago I had the similar symptoms to yours, numbness and
tingling in feet that moved up to my waist. I didn't have the pain that
you described or as much upper body involvement. My neuro was a jerk
but after about 2 months of telling me that this is nothing serious he
said, he really thought it was MS. He sent me for a cervical MRI which
showed a significant hernated disk at C5-C6 (causing spinal cord
compression) and some swelling of the cord in that location. My
diagnosis? Probably not MS, but as my jerky Neuro put it "it doesn't
mean you won't develop MS in the future". Talk about liability
protection. Anyhow I had to have the disk removed surgically by a
neurosurgeon and my vertebrae fused. The intention was to stop the
progressin of my symptoms, not necessarily reverse them. They did get
better, however, but every once in a while I have a flare up of my
numbness or tingling and this whole issue of MS? comes up again. I'm
going to see a new neuro who apparently is very good to see if he thinkd
there is any reason to investigate the MS possibilty or not. Unless
there is something they can do to help me if it is MS, I'm not
interested in having any more tests. From what I understand, however,
there are some new drugs that reduce the symptoms of MS and help slow
the progression (Avonex, Beta-interferon).
Anyhow, it seems too coincidental that my herniation was at the same
spot as my spinal cord lesion. What are the chances of having a
herniation causing compression and having a totally unrelated scar at
the same spot?
Please feel free to email me at anytime if I can help you. I'm happy to
chat. Just to let you know, my goal once the problems and unceratinties
were forced upon me was to get ME into a comfortable state of mind so
that I could get on with life and stop feling sorry for myself.
Remember, everyone will be struck with something at sometime. I feel
fortunate that this isn't life threatening. After my surgery my wife
and I had a child. Number 2 is on the way and life is pretty good.
Sure, we're not naive kids anymore, but I think that's a good thing. I
didn't develop this philosophy until I had agonized over the situation
for quite a while. I started taking the Clomipramine and it helped me
stop worrying and start living.
As a side note, I also took small doses of Clonazepam when I had anxiety
attacks. It really helped and it reduced my symptoms. Apparently it
calms the spinal cord down. Maybe this would help your pain and other
symptoms.
Peter
> ----------
> From: MTripimcca[SMTP:MTripimcca(AT)aol.com]
> Sent: May 16, 1998 2:00 AM
> To: tmic-list(AT)eskimo.com
> Subject: Need Info, new to this!
>
> Hello Al,
> First I would like to thank Pat so very much for responding to me
> personally.
> Pat you offered me an awful lot. I felt quite relieved to know that
> the
> symptoms I am experiencing are somewhat similar to yours. For a while
> I
> thought it was all in my head. Not to mention the fact that I was
> scared.
> Although I am still somewhat scared, I do know that it feels good to
> know I am
> not alone and that I can share and learn with you all. I have so many
> questions and have been doing a lot of research now that I can type
> again. I
> first starting getting "symptoms" last summer. Numbness in my legs
> and arms
> and face. Then after about 2 months, I had pain under my right arm.
> I also
> had a toothache, and thought it was swollen lymph nodes. So I didn't
> pay it
> much mind. Then the pain progressively got worse and lasted all the
> time. By
> January, I decided to see my GP, because my neuro kept telling me it
> was the
> meds and either switched meds or lowered dosages. You see, I also
> have
> epilepsy, so he could see no further than that. The GP originally
> thought it
> was a tumor under my arm, and when those results proved negative, he
> thought
> it was lymph nodes also. He put me on some antibiotic and some other
> med,
> like an anti-inflammatory, and I developed this rash on my arms, that
> were
> like chicken pox. My skin burned from the inside out. Went to the ER
> and
> they thought it was an allergic reaction to one of the meds. Gave me
> steroids
> thru an IV and sent me home. 2 days later, I contacted the worst "flu"
> I had
> ever had. At least that is what the GP thought. The whole time my
> neuro was
> informed by me of all these symptoms, but yet did not see past the
> epilepsy.
> Went back to GP and he performed some neuro tests on me and kept me in
> his
> office for 2 hours. Boy did I know there was something wrong. Sent
> me to the
> Dent clinic here and failed the same neuro tests as well. An MRI
> showed no
> lesions, yet he labeled it TM and had to have a spinal. Still waiting
> for
> results, will take 5-6 weeks they say because they sent them to the
> Mayo
> Clinic. He thinks it is MS. Today, I am in pain but I can walk again
> with a
> stable gait, and that makes me very happy. Hoping that my arms and
> hands will
> catch up to were they used to be. The Neuro said it was between 5&6,
> whatever
> that means. I have a herniated disk there. He told me it is not on a
> nerve,
> nor is it hitting my cord. Hence, he does not believe that is the
> cause. I
> have had back probs all my life. Slight curvature of my spine,
> fractured
> coccyx, and the disk prob. I am looking to learn what could have
> caused this,
> as well as what tests I should be getting. I want all test done, from
> GP, GYN
> and Neuro. Is there other tests I should know about? My knew neuro
> tells me
> he has been practicing for over 20 years, and says he can count on one
> hand
> how many cases he has seen of TM. So of course I am leary and also
> want the
> best treatment available. Is the a clinic that specifically treats
> TM? Are
> there things I can do homeopathically? And I would like more info on
> the
> magnets I am reading about. Are they surgically implanted? Am
> currently
> taking amitryptilyne for about 3 weeks now, but does not seem to help
> with the
> pain, unless of course it would be worse without it. Did a stint with
> steroids, but again did not work? Could it because I only had to take
> it for
> 6 days? And the three biggest thing on my mind are, will I eventually
> be
> paralyzed, does it affect my life span, and is it hereditary? Well,
> that is
> all I can bombard you all with for now. Thanks so much for taking the
> time to
> read this and I know a positive mental attitude will greatly help us
> all.
> God Bless,
> Maria
>