Best of luck to you keep us posted and you know your body better than anyone else dont forget that!
If they dont find anything with your MRI's that is a good thing! you may have other issues going on..May not be MS...could be so many others MS mimics symptoms of so many other issues...Good luck and dont let anyone tell you your a hypocondriac ect...they are not you!! Its rude and disrespectful epecially when you are not feeling well.

Hi, everything you describe sounds like me except for lack of balance and urinary or stools problems. My lessions is in my spinal cord and Dr says once your lessions are there is very little to be done. I live with the hug, for the first month drove me crazy, now I've come to terms with it. I was " crazy" as many here, for years, until the MRI revealed the source of all those invisible complaints. Your Dr did the right thing and you probably already had blood work done to rule out other illnesses as lupus, etc. It seems like an endless road, but it isn't. When the Dr told me ,,,ms, I was relieved. I know what to do next and what to expect, since my 19 year old daugther also has ms. We recommend you see a Dr when we think is very important, as well as er visits for severe things. Those MRI will tell the tale,,,, maybe he should give you infusions in the mean time, to relieve some of the symptoms, its awful to feel like this, and no one seems to fully understand. I have ms and sometimes its difficult for me to fully understand what my daughter goes thru, and we live together!!! Sometimes she is helping me, sometimes its the opposite. Also tell him to send you to pt , because if what you have is spasticity, exercise will relieve some of the pain. Love Alma

I was dxd with dropped foot syndrome before my MS dx. Since the first radiologist and first neuro could find nothing wrong on my MRIs (they were both wrong), I walked for 1/2 hour before my MRI w/ and w/o contrast so that something would show up when I was fatigued. This was with a new neuro. My MRIs showed lesions; don't know if it was because I walked first, but I wanted something to show up so I could be properly treated.

Funny thing about those lesions, some show up, some may be to small to see over the course of 15 years I went from 3 to 5 to 8 lesions all with no MS DX, my PCP said I had MS and neuro's always made him recant, but in a small 2 year period I went from having 8 lesions to 40 with the Dawsons Finger showing up in the last one,

Saw a neuro last Jan 2010 he gave a wrong DX and got a second opinion in April of 2010 with a MS specialist and he gave me a DX and I had my MRI from 97 and he told me it was clear I had MS way back then, and if they had started treatment in 08 when there was * lesions I probally would have had aanother good 10 years so in 6 months from DX I have already progressed to SPMS,

So if your neuro is'nt a specialist my second opinon would be with one, good luck O hope you can find an answer and pray that it is something that mimic's MS. Is your doc giving you anything for symptom relief like Baclofen for spascity or talked about steroids infusion or predisone? or Gabapentin or one of the other nerve meds to quiet things down for you? I would hope he is doing something for your symptoms no need to be in pain these days. Good luck
Take Care
Dave

I also started to think I was going crazy because it took so long for them to find anything and wondered if people around me felt the same thing. Finding out I have MS was a relief and at the same time hard to take it all in

ahh!!! we do care!! gosh dont ever 4get that!! but me to- i had one neuo ask me if i was on drugs!!!!!!!!- i was scared 2 even say anything after that- there are some - lol- dumb- ones!! cause not much later after that i was diagnoised! i dont no how they still have patients- then was told i had borderline m.s.- humm- yeh they can really make u feel good! not!!! hang in there cause u no you!!! and we 4get- we r paying them!!!! so oh the foot thing- yes i have lost -lol- my body parts before!!!
i try to put humor in there- but i know its not funny- one time my hip wasnt there- thats how it felt, so they couldnt call me thunder thighs 4 a while!! let us no what happens!! hugs!!

No need to apologize - we ALL have our moments. Lord knows I've had more then my fair share where we just feel so overwhelmed and frustrated and have no where to put it.

Anyway, If they don't find MS with the MRI's don't assume you're crazy. There are a million different things out there that act like MS or are similar. These symptoms suck, no one would make them up. If you wanted attention I'm sure you would choose far more common options that other people have and so would understand and sympathise with better (e.g. migranes) then the random crap we're all going through.

Not sure on your symptoms. I don't get the "hug" that often and when I do it's very painful, so I usually curl up in bed. As for the leg, I get a lot of cramps and spasms in my legs, especially my right, and when I'm very fatigued it seems to go almost numb, which may be what you're feeling?

My thoughts are with you, take care!

Hi everyone!

Thanks for your acceptance of my apology....I really do NOT know what got into me that day!!!! .... 8-: J (thats my embarrassed look!). Also I would like to say thanks for all the great sharing and words of advice.

beat~~~Your right. I DO know my body better than anyone else and I am so happy I have you guys to help me remember that! BTW...I used your EXACT WORDS "rude and disrespectful" to my mom last night when she told me that I should not talk about my illness so much because she and everyone else just thought I wanted pity. She actually told me that she and others thought I was CONSCIOUSLY making up symptoms. I really cried and my husband had to take the phone and get her off of it. Thanks so much.

Alma~~~You mention that your lessions are in your spinal cord? I am having my MRI's on Tuesday and she asked me to tell her what was on the referral. I told her it said "Brain, MS Protocol" and "spine, Ms protocol" and she said "OK so that will be about an hour because they do the brain and then they do the neck area." I told her "no, they are supposed to do my whole spine because my spine is really messed up anyway, even if there are no lessions" She said that it will only be the "cervical" spine. ??? I am so sorry that both you and your 19 yo daughter have to suffer this. At least your daughter should be happy that she has you there for her. I know it must be hard for you at times though. I will keep you and your daughter in my prayers. Thanks for the great advice about infusions and pt..... :-) .... Irish

Hi hmmbird! I love hummingbirds! We get so many where we live and I am always looking for the husband and wives cuz of the color differences! Your pic is beautiful! You know what? I really really really LOVE your idea! I am going to do the exact same thing. I am going to show up at the place early by about 30 mins. They have one of those new patient walking trails that features a waterfall and a bridge and I have always wanted to walk it and this is the perfect opportunity! Plus maybe it will help me keep still when Im in that tube....I always feel like my ear is itching....:-).....Love ya! Irish

Hey Dave! Man I am so sorry that you had to go through all that to finally get your dx! My first MRI is with my internist who is my GP and he said he dx'ed a woman who was 50 not to long ago. I am 45 but I have been having these symptoms for about 8 years. So I was definitely in the right time frame. Anyway, I will demand to look at the MRI pix with him and if I see anything pecuilar that he has not addressed I will seek a second opinion. As far as the MS specialist I already have one lined up. He knows who I am as he has alreaady reviewed my case. He just needs me to get an MRI first. He did say I definitely have something wrong neurologically as I described the MS hug with such clarity. Meds? My GP doesnt believe in putting extra stuff in your body if you dont absolutely have to. So I have Gabapentin at this time and its ok but I used to take Prednisone and that stuff really worked wonders! I actually had energy with that and energy to me is more priceless than gold! Thanks for your advice, your sharing and your empathy....means a whole lot!....Irish

Zomby! So are you REALLY a Zomby chick? Have you read World War Z and the World War Z bible and survival book? You need to check them out if you are into zombies. Its very realistic stuff. My 14 yo who is on a college reading level absolutely loved them. Anyway, thank you for commenting. It is really comforting to know that other people have been through what I have. I do believe that I would have the exact same feelings you described....relief and a sense of uncertainty or unreality. Would DEFINITELY be a good time to come bury my face under the covers with a really good book!....Love ya girl! ..... Irish

tickey!!....Love your sweet puppy!!! I think humor is a really fine thing to use for things like this. I have bipolar and, its strange, but I always know another bipolar in a crowd and they always seem to find me. Then we laugh and cut up over all the silly goofy things we have done in the name of bipolar and everyone else just stares at us in horror like we should be ashamed of even mentioning the "dreaded horrible mental illness" in front of their sensitive virgin ears...LOL!!!! So you know what if you and I met up it would be fun to joke about how we are so skinny and svelte cuz we just dont feel the "fat" and we could talk about it in front of those "sensitive virgin ears" people and they would be freaking out!!! Wouldnt that be just toooo much fun!!!! Ohhhh the joys of having MS! No its not always funny but if anyone is going to make fun of it it should be those who have it and their closest carers. Kinda like black people call each other the "N" word but would knock us silly if we used it. I understand that perfectly well cuz of the bipolar. Yet, I became best friends with a black girl and before I knew we were calling each other (and the men in our lives and THAT was duragatory!!!) the "N" word all the time! We would call each other up and say "Hey "N" what it?" Ahhhhh.... fun times....too bad she moved. Thanks for understanding about my emotional breakdown the other day also. Luv ya much!.....Irish

Hi Shel! Thanks so much for your understanding! I just felt so bad because here I was providing comic relief to so many on the board and then one day I just break down and think none of you are my friends. It was ridiculous when you think how my own mom thinks I deliberately make up my symptoms so that I can "get pity" - her words. I asked her "what about that time my blood pressure was so high that I literally had to stay in bed for 6 weeks until they found drugs that worked and I had to undergo that vein procedure?" and she answered with, "well there is no way to fake a blood pressure reading." I guess she thinks it is fun that my eyes wont open in the AM sometimes for like 5 hours and it really sux to not be able to read or take my kids to school. I guess she thinks its fun that there are many days when I feel so bad, so much pain, and so exhausted that I am in bed most of the day. I wish I had HER life. She is 64 and is constantly on the go. Running here and running there. Then she gets home in time to start a really good dinner for my dad and then jump on the riding mower in 97 degree weather and mow their acre lot. She comes in, takes a shower, finishes dinner, washes dishes, and then does other stuff before she finally stops at 9:00 pm for the night. I have NEVER been able to keep up with her and I think it really pisses her off. Too much like my real dad who was very easy going...."A simple kind of man" just like the song says.
*******I hope to God I do not have MS, just another bad notch on my belt for not getting hired somewhere. I really need money for my family. You know how it is nowadays with prospective employers. They check EVERYTHING about you! I did not get a job with Home Depot (mind you I have a AA degree, A BS degree in criminal justice with honors, I am certified to Teach EC-4th grade in Texas, and I am now a Nationally Registered and Certified Medical Assistant) and they did not hire me because they do MAJOR credit checks and well my credit leaves a lot to be desired. They also go to the internet and put in your name and all kinds of stuff comes up about you. It can lead them to social networks (which I quit doing because of that) and it can lead them here. Anyway, enough of that. Yeah, my leg did feel "numb" I guess. Last year when I fell out of bed because I could not feel my leg, it was like it was asleep and would not wake up. I had to use a cane for several hours before the feeling came back. When it did it was not "pins and needles" like when something falls asleep but just muscle achiness. Kinda weird I guess. Thanks again friend! Luv ya much!......Irish