MRI scheduled But I have Questions bout MS

[HarveysAngelsx3]

I have a couple of questions..
Does anyone have any problems with healing. For example if I get a sore or I get sick It seems to last forever!

Also Does anyone else suffer from Raynaud's Phenomenon? (where your fingers & toes particularly around the nails turn blue?

my first MRI is scheduled for Friday the 10th! I'm so worried because my dr reluctantly scheduled it because he has assured me that even tho he has NO CLUE what is wrong he's CERTAIN it isn't MS. When the only form of tests he has done this far is BLOOD WORK!! In which came back negative for Lupus & RA Only thing it did reveal is Low B12 & Low Vit D levels!

Another Question... Does Stress/Anxiety or Exhaustion Amplify your symptoms?
Do you get completely warn out in the shower? Like when I take a shower it's all I can do to drag myself out of the shower and I use a Shower chair.

Does anyone get the MS HUGS? (in the ribs?)
What about eye, lip or cheek twitching?
Does anyone have Back pain? & is Pain associated? or just weakness?

Im concerned my head MRI will come back not showing anything while if I were to have a full MRI done it would show something in my spine. Is it possible that the majority of my pain starts in my back but not to have head lesions and still have MS?
AM I making any sense?
Anyone have problems with swallowing, like food gets stuck in your throat u feel like u just can't swallow it down and if you drink and try to wash it down you're guaranteed to throw up?

I have so many questions I just can't think right now. My memory is terrible! If I dont' say it immediately when I think it within seconds it's gone and I can't remember what I was going to say to begin with!
Ok so I think I'm done.. ANy & ALL input is appreciated!!!
HERE'S AN MS HUG THAT DON"T HURT!

[yeti]

I'm only going to reply to some of these where they apply to me, or I have something to add.

In which came back negative for Lupus & RA Only thing it did reveal is Low B12 & Low Vit D levels!

Low B12 is one of the MS mimics, but I think both low B12 and low D occur alongside MS sometimes.

Another Question... Does Stress/Anxiety or Exhaustion Amplify your symptoms?

Both of my 2 major attacks were right after a major stress. I'm not sure stress matters, but I have my suspicions. Exhaustion definitely increases my symptoms but doesn't bring on a 'real' attack. Once I rest awhile I'm ok.

Do you get completely warn out in the shower? Like when I take a shower it's all I can do to drag myself out of the shower and I use a Shower chair.

Absolutely. It is the heat. Heat brings my symptoms on like crazy. Now I will turn the shower on hot at first for just a little bit to enjoy the heat, and then I crank it down to lukewarm or even cold for most of the shower. Sometimes I run it at coldest for a minute or two before I get out to cool off.

Does anyone have Back pain? & is Pain associated? or just weakness?

I get back and especially neck pain.

Im concerned my head MRI will come back not showing anything while if I were to have a full MRI done it would show something in my spine. Is it possible that the majority of my pain starts in my back but not to have head lesions and still have MS?

On my last MRIs I had multiple cervical lesions and no brain lesions visible on MRI.

Keep in mind I am only 'probable ms' at this point.

[SallyC]

I had trouble with healing slowly from an injury/illness, until LDN. Now I heal from things a lot faster..(Must be the increased endorphins. My nails and hair grow faster too.

No to Renaulds

Yes to Stress and Anxiety making symptoms worse. Physical or mental stress can also bring on an MS exacerbation.

MS Hugs...yes when I was RRMS. Not now, that I am SPMS.

As for MRIs, I've had both head and spine/with & w.o contrast.

I hope you get the answers you need, soon.

[KittyLady]

Ok, here's my input. No to RP, I never heard of that one. I do heal slower than I use, but I dont put too much thought into why.

I have had brain, neck, spine, etc MRI's and my brain has the lesions but none showing on the spine but alot of my problems are in my legs. Doc says just because the MRI doesnt show them, doesnt mean they are not there.

Low B12 and vit D are big things when testing for MS. They are big mimics of MS. There are at least 100 illness' that mimic MS.

As far as anxiety, stress and heat... HUGE impact on MS. Stress can actually induce a flare. Heat can give you a psuedo flare. Thats why its real important to stay cool. I use to take such hot showers I would come out with red skin. I cant do that anymore. I too use a shower chair, and cooler water now. The chair has really helped me with my energy level while showering.

I experienced the hug for the first time in December 2011. Baclofen became my new best friend when dealing with that. As for swallowing, yes I have problems with it, I just use a straw to drink, if I dont, I do choke. I cut up food in smaller pieces now, and its working so far.

Finally, yes I do have the twitches. In my eyes, cheeks, etc. I just had a bad bought of my eye twitching so bad I couldnt open it. For a full 24 hours and my baclofen didnt help it relax at all.

I do have back pain, but I was in nursing for 20 yrs so I contribute the pain to that back breaking work. Not everything is MS related

[HarveysAngelsx3]

On my last MRIs I had multiple cervical lesions and no brain lesions visible on MRI.

Keep in mind I am only 'probable ms' at this point.

Let me ask u this. do u have memory problems & motor skills problems like coordination, thought processing trouble remembering things you did even just 2 hours ago?

[yeti]

Originally Posted by HarveysAngelsx3

Let me ask u this. do u have memory problems & motor skills problems like coordination, thought processing trouble remembering things you did even just 2 hours ago?

Coordination problems? Oh ya. Every single day it seems I walk into a wall or doorway. It was worse during my last attack where I couldn't even write or use a fork with my right hand, but thankfully that has mostly improved.

As for cognitive problems, I definitely have them. My memory is fine thankfully, but I have serious concentration problems and sometimes I feel like I'm thinking through molasses. Very, very slow to think things through. I can still come to the right answer, but it is horribly slow sometimes. These have all been worse since my last attack, and worse when fatigued.

These cognitive problems honestly scare me a WHOLE lot because they're seriously interfering with my job right now. I write software, so thinking is kind of crucial for me.