Thursday, August 27, 2009 anaimoli44 asks

Q: Do I have MS symptoms?

I am 23 years old and had optic neuritis a coupe years ago. Recently my MRI in my brain showed 2 lesions. My neurologist says it is no big deal and he does not want to do any further testing. I am also experiencing terrible headaches and neck pain. Tingling in my right arm and weakness in that same arm; I sometimes become extremely emotional and cry over everything. I always run into someone or a wall at work and I have been dropping a ton of things and missing tables. When I get out of a hot shower sometimes I become extremely fatigues and need to lay down and I have dizziness. Should I get a second opinion, or is it really not a big deal?

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Answers (4)

Vicki, Health Guide

8/28/09 7:17am

Hi anaimoli44,

Yes, that sounds as if it could be MS, but it could be something else as well. I agree with HollyK the second opinion is a good idea.

Optic neuritis is often the first symptom leaving to MS. Lesions are not always present in a standard MRI. Your other symptoms are telling you there is something, and further tests may be able to pinpoint what it is.

Please realize that an MS diagnosis is not quick or easy. Many here at Health Central are living in "limbo" waiting for a definite diagnosis. However, their doctors do not simply dismiss the possibility. It is important for you to feel comfortable with your neurologist while you are waiting a diagnosis whatever it may be.

Good luck. Please let us know. I hope you feel better while you're going through this.

Hollyk

8/27/09 4:53pm

Get a second opinion. It is never "no big deal" to have lesions, especially as young as you are. Optic Neuritis is usually a symptom that they can use to diagnose MS. However, I am not a doctor and there could be other things going on. That said; I would not take what one neurologist says as the "end all". I've had several neurologists who've all said something different. Don't give up, you know your body better than anyone else.

mswife327

8/28/09 3:39pm

I would have to agree with Hollyk and Vicki. You can never go wrong in getting a 2nd opinion. We did in my husbands case. He was dx with a pinched nerve and we were treating appropriately but it wasn't getting better. He went on disability. When we felt that there wasn't enough being done we got that second opinion. It led to his dx of RRMS and he was immediately put on RRMS meds. Its been much better for him since beginning the meds. He is back to work and we are taking it one day at a time. If we hadn't pushed and sought that 2nd opinion we could still be treating a pinched nerve and would have lost all the time we would have been treating the RRMS.

Lisa Emrich, Health Guide

8/31/09 4:19pm

I agree with everybody else. It's always OK to get a 2nd opinion, even a 3rd opinion. It is your body and your health at stake. You already know that you've had optic neuritis. You are experiencing tingling and weakness in your arm which could come from lesions in your neck (which was the case with me, not necessarily the only cause of those symptoms).

Your body is speaking to you and it sounds like you are listening. Each one of us needs to find a doctor with whom we are comfortable and who listens to us.

It is possible that it is not MS which is causing your symptoms. But in any case, you want to investigate what is going on. Good luck.

Q: Do I have MS symptoms?

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