has anyone been diagnosed with ms but found it took forever to get results???
359910
The MRI had 7 lesions in the white matter of the brain.  The lumbar puncture was negative. I had a variety of other tests that I can't remember the names of. Neurologist left diagnosis as demylination unspecified, he hinted at MS but didn't want to say  certain. It took two years of tests and ruling out other causes and a new Neurologist when I moved before I had the "Diagnosis".
1109183
My mother had the EXACT same symptoms.  They ran EKG and bloodwork and chest x-ray and also said nothing was wrong.  Two years later, she is being tested for Multiple Sclerosis every 6 months (it can take up to 10 years to show on catscan).  My advise would be to make sure you see a doctor and get a CATSCAN.  Also, it could be acid reflux.  My mom said it felt like a heart attack.  As strange as it sounds, acid reflux can cause these exact symptoms.  She takes prilosec for that.  But now they think it may have been related to muscle spasms caused by MS.  Be firm with doctors and don't give up.
786843
I'm going to take a shot at this one and suggest Social Security Insurance (S.S.I.) a friend just came up with MS she's only 27 and works for a major airline. They wouldn't cover her so...that left her hanging. I've been on S,S.I. for years now. I suggested it.\n   She did as I instructed and went through the phone interview, they started her with a doctor and meds right away. I was even surprised at how fast they went to work. I guess every area is different according to the population.\n\n   Long story short, she's on S.S.I. now and at least eating and paying the rent. Of course she had to change her lifestyle but...?
729508
Why do you need a specialist.  Any qualified neurologist can diagnose MS through testing.  To look for one that has a special interest in MS just check out the docs referernces where it tells what his special intersts are.  If you think you may have it see a neurologist and get tested.
888819
Read about MS and it's exacerbation's here:\n\nhttp://www.nationalmssociety.org/What%20is%20MS.asp
386612
Go to webmd.com and look up the symptoms for Multiple Sclerosis and compare what that says to what you are feeling.  Do you get the shocks when you bend your head down forward?\n\nGood luck  :)
473147
If your pain is related to a muscle that need to be relaxed then Botox would indeed help, b/c that's what it does, it relaxes muscles. Otherwise, you need to keep seeing new Dr's until all the puzzle pieces fit together and you are satisfied with the diagnosis. For instance if they say you have MS and ALL the symptoms fit, then say ok great, what's the next step, if it's an insurance issue, see a new Dr tell him the problem and I bet he/she will have a different plan. New Dr's, New brain's to pick at, don't settle if the puzzle doesn't fit together quite right, trust me, I've been going through the same kind of crap for YEARS!!! nobody knows better about whats going on inside you better than you, if a diagnosis doesn't seem right, get another opinion, and another, and another, until you are satisfied.
914331
It's not hard to diagnose at all.  The symptoms are extreme fatigue,some people have  attacks (the most common type of MS)which can range from mild to severe (during an attack you may loose feeling in a part of your body, loose sight, hearing or not be able to talk, think or recognize people.) After the attack the symptoms usually go away anywhere from a couple of hours the weeks to clear up and sometimes damage remains.  Loss of memory is also a symptom of MS.  Numbness, tingling or pain in the body.  You should see a neurologist right away MS can be diagnosed with an MRI the MRI shows the lesions that are common in people with MS.  There are different type's of MS also some people don't have the attacks but get progressively worst over time.  There is no cure for MS but there are good treatments that slow the progression and can lessen and even stop the attacks of MS...Go right away...Hope this helps
118537
Yes, it is possible to have Multiple Sclerosis without lesions on an MRI. Other objective testing include spinal fluid examination for proteins commonly found in MS and Evoked Potentials of the eye(VER=Visual Evoked Response) and ear(BAER=Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response).
306560
you need to call your doctor and ask him this question..he can prob. give you an estimate from the average time it took his other patients to see results...
621613
Well, you really need a doctor to help you. If you do not like the advice your current doctor is giving, then you should find another who may be able to help with your concerns. But if you have a doctor who thinks s/he knows what is wrong with you, they have prescribed medication to fix it, and you aren't taking it, then you need to address that. Because either the doctor is right and you need to find medication to help (either what has already been prescribed or an alternative), or the doctor is wrong and you need another. Just ignoring the doctor's advice and trying to self-diagnose is a good way to get yourself in trouble.\n\nAs for MS, it could be, but it is really hard to say. There is not really a definitive test for MS; it isn't like they can just give you a blood test and say, "Yup. MS." Unless things have changed since I last had to worry about it, a doctor that suspects MS can find indicators or warning signs, and if they are sufficiently concerned that it might be MS, they'll likely do an MRI to look for nerve damage. An MRI can pretty much confirm such a diagnosis, but can't really rule it out. Pain, numbness, tingling, tremors all could be signs of MS, or lots of other things.
1018129
You sound as if you are lacking calcium, or need to be tested for either MS(multiple Sclerosis)or Lupus-it sounds like you might be in a stage that's progressing. Don't be frightened by what you see on the internet-you could simply have nerve damage like I do from an accident-although I haven't had any broken bones other than my ankles in at least 5 years, I never tested positive for either of the above mentioned.
702692
Hi Meg,\nI live in Wisconsin.  We have a lot of MS cases here. There seems to be a higher prevalance in the Northern colder, damp climates that is probably why your doctor asked.\nMS symptoms are variable, my mother in law was diagnosed in her 20,s.  Today she is in her 70's and bowling.\nGood, also, you are in a much better climate.
809011
MS is a very serious neurological disease and can not be readily diagnosed... MRI to look for lesions, Evoked Potentials to determine to what extent the demylinating disease has on the extremities. there is numbness, pain... every patient is different - that's why it is so difficult to narrow down.\n\nSymptoms of MS are unpredictable and vary from person to person and from time to time in the same person. For example, one person may experience abnormal fatigue, while another might have severe vision problems. A person with MS could have loss of balance and muscle coordination making walking difficult; another person with MS could have slurred speech, tremors, stiffness, and bladder problems. While some symptoms will come and go over the course of the disease, others may be more lasting.
391776
Symptoms of MS are unpredictable and vary from person to person and from time to time in the same person. For example, one person may experience abnormal fatigue, while another might have severe vision problems. A person with MS could have loss of balance and muscle coordination making walking difficult; another person with MS could have slurred speech, tremors, stiffness, and bladder problems. While some symptoms will come and go over the course of the disease, others may be more lasting.\n\nAs a result of the inflammatory, demyelinating process in the central nervous system, people with MS can experience a wide variety of symptoms. The most common symptoms of MS include:\n\nFatigue (also called MS lassitude to differentiate it from tiredness resulting from other causes)\n\nProblems with walking\n\nBowel and or bladder disturbances\n\nVisual problems\n\nChanges in cognitive function, including problems with memory, attention, and problem-solving\n\nAbnormal sensations such as numbness or "pins and needles"\n\nChanges in sexual function\n\nPain\n\nDepression and/or mood swings\n\nLess common symptoms include:\n\nTremor\n\nIncoordination\n\nSpeech and swallowing problems\n\nImpaired hearing\n\nAll of these are considered primary symptoms of MS because they are a direct result of demyelination, the destruction of myelin—the fatty sheath that surrounds and insulates nerve fibers in the central nervous system—and of damage to the nerve fibers themselves. Demyelination and neuronal damage impair transmission of nerve impulses to muscles and other organs, resulting in impaired function. Many of these symptoms can be managed effectively with medication, rehabilitation, and other management strategies. \n\nIn addition to the primary symptoms caused by demyelination, there are other types of problems or complications that can occur as indirect results of the primary symptoms or the experience of having a chronic illness:\n\nSecondary symptoms of MS are complications that can arise as a result of the primary symptoms. For example, bladder dysfunction can cause repeated urinary tract infections. Inactivity can result in loss of muscle tone and disuse weakness (not related to demyelination), poor postural alignment and trunk control, decreased bone density (and resulting increased risk of fracture), and shallow, inefficient breathing. Immobility can lead to pressure sores. While secondary symptoms can be treated, the optimal goal is to avoid them by treating the primary symptoms.\n\n\nTertiary symptoms of MS are the social, vocational and emotional complications associated with the primary and secondary symptoms. The diagnosis of a chronic illness can be damaging to self-esteem and self-image. A person who becomes unable to walk or drive may lose his or her livelihood. The strain of dealing with a chronic neurologic illness may disrupt personal relationships. People with MS frequently experience emotional changes as well, but it is important to note that mood swings and depression can occur as primary, secondary, or tertiary symptoms of the disease. Professional assistance from psychologists, social workers, physical and occupational therapists, and public health agencies is indicated for managing many of these psychosocial and vocational issues.\n\nIt is important to remember that not every person with MS experiences all of these symptoms. Some people may experience only one or two of them over the course of the disease, while others experience quite a few. Symptoms can come and go quite unpredictably, and no two people experience them in exactly the same way. Most of the symptoms of MS can be effectively managed, and complications avoided, with regular care by a neurologist and allied health professionals.\nMS is thought to be an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system (CNS). The CNS consists of the brain, spinal cord, and the optic nerves. Surrounding and protecting the nerve fibers of the CNS is a fatt
162028
Hi wolflover. The best place to find information on MS is here\nhttp://www.nmss.org/\n\nthere are many sites online that offer useful information and one that I pay attention to is\nhttp://mayo.mondosearch.com/cgi-bin/MsmFind.exe?QUERY_ENCODING=UTF-8&CFGNAME=MssFind.cfg&AND_ON=Y&ALLCATS=X&NO_DL=X&query=ms\n which is mayo clinic\n I hope if this is you looking for information for yourself that you find what you need. If you would like I can edit this later and add my email for a short time for you to contact me. I myself have MS so I have alot of information and other sites you could try. Good Luck and Be Well\nhttp://www.healthtalk.com/multiplesclerosis/programs/10_462/index.cfm\nThis is a site that offers a call in show approx. once a month usually dealing with some aspect of MS\nAnother good site is
578859
Althought many doctors are still skeptical and there is no definitive test, the symptoms and the fact that your doctor says its post viral indicate he may think it is Chronic Fatigue Syndrom, also known as ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis), PVFS (Post Viral Fatigue Syndrome) or CFIDS (Chronic Fatigue Imune Dysfunction Syndrome).  Go back to your doctor, get clarification, if this is what you have, you are lucky you got diagnosed early.  You will need to mainly do your own research and find a doctor who is sympathetic rather than skeptical.  You will have to learn to pace yourself and limit yourself to what you can do before you get tired.  There is still so much unknown about this.  Ihave had it at least 12 years, the last 8 so severely I am often bedbound, but was only diagnosed last year.  I have a friend who had it mild to moderately and has made a full recovery, though it took her four years.  If your doctor says rest, he aint kidding.  Ask him to refer you to a specialist in this condition, not just a neurologist.