Yes, I'm experienced in this disease; dx'd in 2000. Symptoms started in my early 20's, now 45.

You're right on track. Documentation is the best thing you take with you.

Also keep a journal of when these episodes happen; location of body part(s); length of time it lasts and if doing a certain activity will make it worse or make it better or no change.

Your symptoms do appear to be MS.

Don't be discouraged if MS is not ruled out or confirmed in a short amount of time.

There are other diseases that mimic MS and visa-versa.

Your neurologist will want to know your history, family history (gather this info as well).

One of the first things that they will want to do is an MRI of your brain and spine with and without contrast.

Spinal tap may come later ... however I would not recommend a spinal unless it was to rule out other diseases.

Not knowing what it is can be bothersome; hang in there....

I knew that mine was MS before I was told...actually relieved as I finally had a name to it and how to tame the rascal...well, tame as much as MS can be tamed.

Best wishes and hope all turns out well.

~Zig

Thank you so much for your help. I have 1 last question if you don't mind.

I always read about people having episodes. What is an episode exactly? I'm guessing that on May 5th when I experienced Vertigo for 24 hours, that was an episode?

I've heard people say they last weeks. Is it just something significant happening that then makes everything else kind of crumble down for the next few days or weeks?

If you have any questions I will try to help.

MS attack / episode is generally considered when it lasts for at least 24 hours and leaves when it decides to go.

I recall one time my leg felt like I was carrying around 100 pound weight on that one leg, lasted about 7 days and hasn't been back since.

If I got too hot outside my legs would give way but once I cooled down they worked perfectly. That lasted for a couple of years. Now I can work outside and get hot and legs are strong as ever. They may never give out again in heat then again it just might. They get a weak feeling at times regardless of temperature but don't give out. Strange...

~Zig

Hi!

Couple more questions for you or whomever can answer.

Is it common to only feel numbness and tingling on one side? For me, it's just my left hand and arm.

Also, just starting this morning I have been experiencing major pain in my jaw (right side). When I open my mouth and when I bite down. From what I've been reading, MS and it's symptoms are all over the place however I can't find anywhere that it say's joint pain. Is the jaw even a joint? LOL!

Just wondering if this is something entirely different and annoying or possibly related to MS?

Tingling and numbness can happen in one or more locations one or both sides.

Google TMJ for your jaw and bite pain. Just a guess on my part but it wouldn't hurt to check it out.

Last night I was reminded of another possible MS symptom that I have. I was having pain in both legs. The best way I could describe it is it feels like shin splints, but it was from my ankles all the way up into my thighs.

It started at about 9pm and I was finally able to fall asleep around 11pm and there was still pain. After it started, I remembered that I have had this kind of pain before. And it only seems to happen at night.

My appt was moved up to 8:30am on the 27th so we'll see. I know they have to schedule the MRI through the hospital, hopefully I can get it soon after the 27th. The waiting it killer.

without MRI and possibly a lumbar puncture it's all speculation. An MS diagnosis is a hard decisions by any doctor. It may take many visits to determine if you have ms or not. There are just so many variables in this disease and it affects everyone different. Just be patient and pray you don't have it.

Let me give you some solid advice. If you don't have long term and short term disability, get it now and life insurance too because once you get the dx of ms, your never going to be able to get it again. trust me on this one. Been there done that.

We're military and I work from home. I believe I have life insurance already but I'll confirm with the hubs. Will also check on the disability. Thank you for the advice.

This may sound horrible but with all the hallucinations (along with other symptoms) I have, I'm thinking I must have something. I almost prefer MS over a tumor or something that will kill me. I don't know.

I know little about MS but I know with everything I'm experiencing now, I can handle it. Things getting worse (which I know they do), I fear it. I'm not in any way trying to say MS is easy. Not at all. I'm just saying that right now in this exact moment, I'm hoping it's not something worse.

My #1 fear right now is them saying, "We have no idea what you have." That will not sit well with me.

don't even wait until after your visit, the insurance companies will and can turn you down if they see that you have been visiting a neurologist. My initial dx was transverse myelitis and was turned down for long term disability after that.