by uber on April 13th, 2003, 4:56 am
Hi, Im sorry im having to do this, but just looking from support from people like yourselves is something I need right now..lemme tell my story
About 2 month ago, I have a headcold, the headcold goes away but im having pains around my left eye, sometimes pain feels around the eye, on the eye or behind the eye. I get concerned and goto my optician, who after every optical test she can do on me, tells me my eyes are fine and that there is no problem, and suggests possible sinuisitis, due to the after effects of the cold. I go see my doctor who prescribes me anti biotics, i finish the course and the symptoms persist. I continue to get worried and goto my local eye hospital, they also give me the all clear on the eye. 2 weeks have passed now and this problem in my left eye is still RANDOMLY coming and going. Sometimes its days before it comes and when it comes it might only last an hour or 2 but its still there. I then read an article on MS, and see its early symptoms..1 beeing Optic Neuritis, and that was the start of a nightmare 2 month for me. I have a long history of depression problems, im only 23, but for the last 2 years ive had depression, I know ive always been easily worked up by things and overly worry. This is when problem number 2 starts.....Sometimes, when I was typing at my computer or lying in bed on a night time, my left index finger would feel like it had an elastic band around it, it wouldnt go numb, but just this feeling of a band around the base of my finger. When I would wake up in the morning the finger would feel stiff and ache a little until I stood up and kinda shook my hand around a little. Id been about a week without the eye problem, then im sitting at my computer and bang, it flares up again, its not even a bad pain or anything, more like an annoyance, as if you have something in your eye. I go straight back to my optician who I suggest all these other symptoms, and my worry of MS. She tests me for optic neuritis, detached retina, brain tumour etc but still tells me I am not displaying any symptoms of those problems as my vision is perfect, my pupils are reacting perfectly etc.
Now things progress more, my left leg is where the problem starts, mainly in 1 of my toes, I felt like something was trying to push under the nail on 1 of my toes, then it spread on to 2 toes, it felt like something was trying to push the 2 toes together, but when id look at my toes, they were perfectly normal. I then start to feel twitching in my left leg, its not a bad twitch, it felt more like a very mild electric shock going from my back down my leg into my toe. But it is hard to detect it from my back to my knee, and felt more like it was coming from the knee down. When I watch my leg, the actual twitch is only evident in my toes but I can feel it going down my leg. The twitching ranges in severity throughout the day and seems to get better when im out walking, I dont notice it as much, but when I do walk, my left leg feels different to my right, I dunno how to describe it...kinda like its heavier or something. So I go back to my doctor, he gives me reflex tests and sensory tests on my skin and foot which all come back fine, he also gives me blood tests which all come back fine. The twitches in my leg persist, its almost a 24hr problem now and is starting to cause a mild ache in my calf, I always feel the need to stretch my leg or try putting it in a different position to relieve the twitching, its a constant annoyance. I also notice recnelty my right leg is starting to twitch too, I suppose perhaps worsened by my anxiety and it isnt as consistant like in my left leg but I suppose in a few weeks time it could be as bad as my left leg, which makes me think this problem is starting to spread. Other problems have been, on SOME days, Im slightly fatigued in the afternoons, its not anything I cant deal with...just that feeling you cant be bothered and want to lay down, it usually goes away after a few hours and its never bad enough to make me feel weak in any way, wether this is related to my twitching problem or my anxiety remains to be seen. My doctor has reffered me to a neurologist and has told me after his tests and opticians tests and due to the fact im displaying no sensory symptoms, i.e numbness, pins and needles etc, that I dont have MS. He is more concerned that this all started from a head cold and then the after effects all seemed to start in my left eye then went on to effect my left arm, left leg. He feels my anxiety is contributing to it massively, but I cannot shake it, I know im not making this up and no matter how hard I try and relax the twitch in my left leg persists, although it is worth pointing out that this is not causing any great problems, my balance on my left leg is a little off too right now, i find myself slouching on my right leg when im standing still, so my posture is all off. Ive read up about MS and these twitching problems are not really an initial symptom, and as im not getting any other symptoms of MS, im starting to feel more relieved that I can rule that out. However the cruel world of internet self diagnoses has introduced me to ALS, once again im not totally convinced I have any realy symptoms of ALS right now, my motor abilities in my left leg and arm are fine, this twitching though could be an initial sign. All this time I still feel like I still have this head cold a bit....Im not all congested as I was when I had the cold, but my sinuses still feel congested, my nose is always blocked.
What do these problems sound like to you guys??? im in a total mess, if I hadn't read that *beep* article on MS, none of this would of happened, this would merely of been some problem in my leg, that I wouldn't of bothered with. I dont see this neurologist for 8 weeks or so, but ive already had to put up with this for 8 weeks, and its making my life a wreck.....please help!