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A MyMSTeam Member asked a question 💭
Tampa, FL

Ive been having almost every symptoms of ms for the past year or so. I went to my doctor this summer and after hearing my symptoms, he immediately said it sounds like ms. I was given an MRI with contrast, however it came back normal. Anyone else have this issue?? I have a huge fear of anyone messing with my spine so I'm putting off going to the neurologist for fear a spinal tap would be the next step. Anyone else in the same boat?? (Btw, I'm 36)

November 3, 2019
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A MyMSTeam Member

You can still have it. I'd recommend not just a neurologist but one who specializes in MS. They can start with bloodwork and perhaps adding an MRI of the spine. The tap is not so bad! Have you ever had an epidural? It's no different, just taking some fluid out instead of putting anesthetic in.

November 3, 2019
A MyMSTeam Member

You need to have a MRI of your spine also.

November 3, 2019 (edited)
A MyMSTeam Member

My Dr. always orders mid of brain, with and without contrast, as my lesions are in my brain. She ordered an mri w/o & with contrast back in April, when I thought was having a flare. Results were negative without any new plaques or progression. My symptoms, I perceived, were getting worse. Ever since my Dr. suggested switching DMT, from Tysabri. I switched to Tecfidera with her approval, mainly because I'm so tired of needles. Side effects, at first, were annoying, but it seems to be working, even with worsening symptoms....oh, well.
Point is discuss with your Dr. To get the imaging of your spine, too. @A MyMSTeam Member is right. Good luck!

November 3, 2019 (edited)
A MyMSTeam Member

Smile 123:
My symptoms are
Extreme fatigue,
Sudden tunnel vision as well as blurry vision (this has happened twice since June), one sided hand tremors which lasts about 20 minutes at a time(this has happened 3 times in the past 6 months), urine retention, tripping frequently, losing my balance frequently, sometimes I will find myself not walking straight and will brush up against the wall, depth perception is sometimes off(I'll reach for something that is close 3 to 4 times before I actually make contact), episodes of slurred and/or stuttering speech, periods of insomnia, difficulty concentrating and remembering anything, swallowing incorrectly, numbness and tingling in hands, feet, and face, sudden "anxiety attacks" that I never used to have which make me feel like I'm having a heart attack, etc.. I know there are more but this is a pretty solid list of what I've been experiencing, mainly over the past 6 months to a year.

I should add that these symptoms come and go. I will have little to nothing for dsys to weeks at a time and then I will go through a phase where it feels like I'm falling apart again.

November 3, 2019 (edited)
A MyMSTeam Member

What are your symptoms? MS symptoms can come from a lot of conditions so you may very well have something else. I'm assuming you saw a neurologist for this and not just a regular PCP, right?

It's pretty unlikely that you would have a completely normal MRI and have MS but I have read that it is possible and have heard of other people that have that outcome. I'm surprised you only had a brain MRI and not also an MRI of the spine. I had MRI's of the brain, cervical spine, and thoracic spine when getting diagnosed (also a spinal tap). Did you get your MRI done in a 3 Tesla MRI scanner? Are you sure they followed the MS protocol?

I would look in to MS more but also consider the possibility that you have something else.

November 3, 2019

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