Scared because my neurologist thinks I might have a demyelinating disease (like MS)

[Guest guest]

Hi all.

I saw my neurologist, Dr. B, again this morning. I requested an MRI of my whole

spine to look for a herniated disc, so he ordered one of my cervical only

(because herniated discs in the thoracic spine are rare, and he already did one

of my lumbar back in February, which showed no herniations).

I also asked him for an MRI of my brain to check for a brain tumor, because of

the extremely severe headache/migraine that I have been having since April 10th

or 11th. He ordered the MRI, but the reason for ordering it that he put on the

order form to send to radiology--i.e., what he is looking for--was not anything

related to brain tumors. Instead, he put that he is looking for a " demyelinating

disease " and " vasculitis " .

Now, I did some research and found out that the most common demyelinating

disease is multiple sclerosis (MS), and that there are about (or over) a dozen

different forms of vasculitis affecting different portions of the body. I found

that the only head-related vasculitis is called giant cell arteritis and

usually/only occurs in people over 50 years old--so I probably don't have

vasculitis, and I am not so worried about that. What really worries me is that I

might have MS.

I have wondered, and been very concerned, in the past (within the past 4 years

or so) that I might have MS. I checked out the symptoms and presentation today

at http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1146199-clinical and found that I do

have about a third of the symptoms. The cognitive difficulties (sort of--mainly

I just dissociate a lot, but that could be due to possibly being

over-medicated); the nerve pain and parasthaesias (mostly in my legs, but newly

beginning in my hands and arms); the heat intolerance

(began last summer, a year ago; I got heat exhaustion almost regularly by the

end of the summer); the stupid HEADACHE(s) that won't go away; muscle

cramping/spasticity (in my back and neck, also related to my severe misalignment

of my spine; which causes which, though? it seems like a chicken and egg

situation); balance/gait problems (associated with the nerve damage in my legs);

episodes of acute, severe vertigo and dizziness (and occasional near-fainting);

and vision changes.

Needless to say, I am really worried--although, I do realize that he did have to

just " put something down " as a reason in order to request an MRI, because you

can't just request expensive tests without a good reason--so, he may have just

put that down because it is more likely than a brain tumor, and thus more likely

to be approved by my insurance. Then, on the other hand, because it is even

possible in the first place, I am again terrified.

I don't know. My MRI is next Wednesday, May 25th. I guess I will just wait and

see. In the mean time, does anyone on the list have MS or know someone with MS

who can maybe provide me with reassurance that I probably DON'T have it?

That is all for now. Thanks for any and all support, feedback, advice, and (but

please don't give me " instructions " on what to do; those should be coming from

my doctor).

Thanks.

e.h.