Exploring ALS vs MS Possibilities

Can someone clarify for me why ALS is the focus but we tend to ignore the possibility of MS ?This post is not to alarm anybody at all. We are all experiencing this together. So Im right here with you guys. But I must be missing something related to MS which makes it almost never even thought about on this web site. With ALS at least we know that muscle spasms and twitching almost never come before weakness and atrophy. We have a solid reason *not* to assume its ALS. The symptoms just don't match up in very important ways. And many here get EMG tests which come back clean, so even more reason to relax.Is that also the case with MS? Is there something we have symptom-wise that is almost 99.999% definitive as "not possible" with MS?The MS folks tell me "no".The reason i ask is this: My neurologist did the reflex testing, vision tests, and even the vibrating fork on the foot test. These, as far as I was aware, are MS related tests. I told him I had some aching and numbness in my foot (minor) with heat temperature sensitivity on the skin there. After performing these and the strength tests, he seemed to give me an "Okay". But he wanted to run an EMG. SO even with the Neurologist, no MRI was suggested or even mentioned, to rule out MS. I am wondering why?I ended up with a positive Lyme antibody test. So he referred me out to an Infectious Disease specialist. This doctor immediately dismissed the Lyme, and got a confirmatory Western Blot test saying "Negative". Lyme was therefore off the table. However, based on the symptoms I had told him, he felt an MRI of my brain and a CT scan of my spine to rule out Multiple Sclerosis, was warranted. This confused me. I had been coming to this site and reading nothing about MS concerns at all. Everyone is worried about ALS. But i began joining MS support sites and chats and finding out very quickly that muscle twitching and spasms, were very much a part of MS patients difficulties. I had heard the very opposite here many times. Also the condition called Spasicity is a hallmark of MS - which as I understand it, is muscle twitching/spasms resulting in tight, hardened, cramped up muscle groups. It flexes them, and holds them, and doesnt let go for extended periods of time. I had this very thing happen to me in my calf yesterday. All night and through the next day until 9pm where it simply "released" the muscle finally. My first cramp i guess.I'm not posting this to alarm anybody. Just to ask the tough questions. I have been upset and terrified about MS all weekend. ALS isnt even entering my mind anymore. So I am confused why its the very opposite here.They say MS is not a motor neuron disease primarily. And that's true. But central nervous system damage directly affects peripheral/motor neuron messages. That is what the MS folks told me. 90% of their disability relates to leg pain/disability/cramping/twitching/muscle spasm. This is why they end up in wheelchairs. Because of discussions with MS patients, my life has been consumed with this fear for the last several days. Just wondering why both ALS and MS are not equally on the table... DISCLAIMER: My understanding is that a clean MRI clears you of MS ..... so this may be the answer to my question. Has everyone here had a clear MRI ?

Kevin the reason not too many here are concerned of this is because according to many neurologists, fasciculations are a symptom that appear much later in the disease. Many ms patients don't experience them for years after their diagnosis. Some never at all. Ms has just about every symptom known to mankind and fasciculations just happen to be one of them. Also, take into consideration that while MS is a horrible thing to be afflicted with, ALS is worse. Another thing to note is that I have read threads here where a member explained that he went to an ms board and they were all afraid of having ALS due to the fasciculations they had developed YEARS after their ms diagnosis.

First off Kevin, you aren't the first person here to have a positive Lyme test but then turn out not to have Lyme. Lyme tests are notorious for their false positives. Sadly like you said you are probably right here in the boat with the rest of us.As for me personally (and my history with MS fear), I asked my regular doctor and my neuro about MS at the very start of my symptoms and they both looked at me like I was crazy. My regular doctor told me that her father just died from MS about six months ago, and that my symptoms looked nothing like what her father had. She even sent me for a brain MRI just to humor me and of course it came back normal. She told me MS wasn't what I had, but she couldn't tell me what I did have.With my neuro we got a little more in depth. We talked about my MRI and he told me that with the amount of technology we have today, he couldn't even fathom how a person could have a normal brain MRI and still have MS. He said you would definitely find -something- going on if it was really MS. He said to remove that thought from my mind because it wasn't even in the ballpark.But I didn't believe him. I started reading up on MS attacks and how they can show up intermittently, and it sounded a lot like BFS waxing and waning. So I went back and I brought it up again. I said, "How do I know this isn't an MS attack? What would be the difference?" He looked at me and sighed and said "Mario, an MS attack would be something like "Doctor, I haven't been able to feel my legs for the past six months." And I was like, oh. Well yeah okay that's not what I have. I followed up by asking my aunt Kathy, who has had MS for about 20 years. We talked about it for a long time and she agreed that nothing I had was anything like what she has. In fact she told me she believed BFS sounded worse than MS because BFS sounds like it just messes with your head. She actually came out of the conversation feeling bad for -me-, which made me laugh.Long story short, if you read about symptoms and diseases and case studies too much, you will just wind up thinking you have everything. That is classic Medical Student Syndrome. So that was the last time I thought about MS (nearly 5 years ago) and these days I couldn't even tell you what the symptoms of MS are anymore. I just don't care because it doesn't affect me. And from hanging around the board for a while, I know it has never really affected anyone else on this board either. IMO going down that path is as mentally foolish as going down the ALS path. All it can do is mess with your head.-MarioP.S. Like I said, I really don't know anything about MS because how I cope with health anxiety is I intentionally don't read up or learn how diseases work. So I just don't know all that much about it (nor do I care to know.) But if you really want the ins and outs of what MS is and why it is different than what we have, you should get in touch with LisaLM. She is a nurse in real life and she once self diagnosed herself with MS too. She has written a lot about this topic.

This question has been addressed several times in the past as well. There's a search function in the top right for assistance in finding past threads for those who want more feedback. At any one point in time only a handful of vets check/answer posts, so the searching past threads can be very helpful.

Hey, check your pm's. The reason we don't worry about MS is because MS has a classic relapsing remitting pattern, and as Mario mentioned, it's not just the subtle; "I'm symptomatic now...but after a few benzos and beers, I'm a bit better," it's more like, "Geez, why is my foot bleeding? OMG! How did the three-inch nail get in there, and why didn't I feel that? Come to think of it, I did the same thing last week..." (And the latter example was sans alcohol, just to be clear. With MS, you will most likely have a sudden onset of a pretty severe and obvious symptom, such as blindness. Paralysis. Total and complete numbness of one limb. This lasts from days, to weeks, to months, or, if you get on board with some high-dose steroids, it may improve more quickly. Then, weeks, months or even years later, you'll have a different symptom, or perhaps worsening of the same symptom. Eventually, the lesions of MS leave scar tissue, and the remissions aren't as likely to reverse the symptoms entirely. There may be residual damage, but this is a process that could take years and years. With MS, there has to be a passage of time and space, and definitive findings on MRI. Not just a lesion, here or there because lots of stuff can cause lesions. MS lesions light up an MRI like a Xmas tree and can be clinically correlated with an obvious pattern of relapsing-remitting symptoms. Without the pattern it is highly improbable that you have MS. The only MS that doesn't follow this pattern is the non-remitting type, and if you had that type, you would be instantly disabled with no recovery at all. A few benign fasciculations are not disabling, and fasciculations are not the same as spasms or cramps. Muscle spasms have an entirely different etiology than cramps. If you are a non-clinical person trying to sort through highly clinical information, it is easy to confuse one symptom for another and misdiagnose yourself with something like MS. But this is why neurologists go to school for many years and do a complete physical examination including MRI's, emg's, lumbar punctures, blood tests, etc, in order to arrive at a conclusive diagnosis. MS forums are no place for those who do not have a formal diagnosis of MS. The only thing that can possibly come of visiting those boards is hysteria, anxiety, and misunderstanding. Trust me, I went that route and actually WAS dx'ed and treated for MS, because after my own participation in those forums, I was pretty convincing in my presentation of symptoms. The mind is exceedingly powerful, and, being a nurse, I've seen what end-stage MS looks like. Many of the participants convinced me that I had MS, too. Well-intentioned, kind and compassionate people though they were, their input proved more harmful than helpful and cost me several months of my life. Now I only wish I could have spared them the energy and time they invested in me, much to my shame. Because I now have the blessing of NOT having MS, while they are still stuck with it. If anyone should have been edifying and building someone up, it should have been ME doing so for THEM. I hope this has been helpful. Blessings, Sue

I think we should sticky LisaLM's post because it is something all the newbie's should see. I do not think there are any sticky's for MS and unless you are an expert it is difficult to get across to people just how different the disorders are. Also after ALS, MS (combined with Parkinson's) is probably the most common disorder that people on this site are fearful of. I was actually more afraid that I had MS than ALS in the early going.

Thanks to everyone who gave helpful responses.As for Johnny's response - i searched for a day and a half before posting anything. Searched these phrases:Multiple Sclerosis (to find any discussion on the topic)Clear MRI (to find individuals with BFS who also had a clean MRI)Clean MRI MS Neuropathy, etc...Unfortunately the search function only takes you to other peoples conversations. Many times it doesn't address the specific question the individual has. I agree that this thread would be good to sticky. Or at least a rewrite of the explanation as a separate unique stickied post.

Thank you so much bfsburger!! I was wondering the same for several days and was always using the search function to find some reassurance on Ms (but Ms is a too short word for the search engine).Also thank you so much for the reassuring answers from the vets.For me a sticky would have been helpful

Thanks a lot Mario and LisaLM for the explanation. Because of the pain I am having since July, I was starting to worry about MS... It is hard to find past discussions about MS in the forum because the search engine needs at least 4 characters.

Well my doctor still thinks its MS. Because I also get some pretty bad fatigue sometimes with chills/crawling sensations along with generalized weakness (not strength weakness, just generalized fatigue weakness).This was my only symptom for the last 7 months. Would just get super tired, beat down on a dime, and get these flowing tingles everywhere.The massive bodywide little muscle spasms just started 20 days ago.I had my brain and spine MRI today.I'll know tomorrow or thursday what my future holds.

Its been a fun adventure to say the least. When I say "my doctor" that's used loosely. I first saw a Neurologist who only did a strength test that a 2 year old could have passed. He then gave me the vibrating fork test, checked my eyes, my balance, etc. Through that, despite my symptom list, he seemed to dismiss MS and didn't even raise it as a possibility. He did however schedule me for an EMG on Thursday. Then my Lyme Antibody test came back positive, and he immediately referred me out to an Infectious Disease specialist.The Infectious Disease specialist said "hogwash" to the Lyme diagnosis and made the statement: "Im going to order an MRI. It will make you feel better, and Lyme looks a lot like MS on an MRI". Needless to say that statement has been running around in my head for 6 days causing a lot of confusion. The MRI will make me feel better, because Lyme looks like MS? What is he implying? Needless to say I took that as his indicator that he thinks its MS.Confirmation of that came today when I saw the MRI order he put in, with the title: "Rule out Demyelinating Disease". I then was asked by the MRI tech whether I wanted the "MS Protocol" used on the MRI. I said i think the doc is thinking MS, so yes. He called the Radiologist and came back and said "Yes, we are going to use the MS Protocol". DD can be MS and numerous other things. But the doc did mention MS by name. And im still not sure how that was supposed to make me feel better LOL !! Anyways ... as of tonight, purely for mental self preservation, I've resigned myself to accepting that I have MS, and will get the final word on Thursday. Sorry for hijacking this thread with my own story. Still think we should extract your post and make a sticky with it. Even with some more elaboration on it though to cover all the possible questions/bases. Ill be honest, im still not convinced that MS isn't a possibility with some BFSers. Clean MRI would rule it out though.Do people get bouts of fatigue and chills even though theyre not cold? Crawling sensations?

Here is an example of a statement on how people first present with MS, which I have seen over, and over and over on reputable web sites.How can we combine this information with the information presented above, as there seems to be some contradiction:"Most patients diagnosed with MS present with, or retrospectively recall, symptoms or signs consistent with an optic neuritis... with loss of central vision, pain on eye movement... a brain stem syndrome (eg, internuclear opthalmoplegia)...or a spinal cord syndrome with partial transverse myelitis.... with ascending numbness and/or paresthesia... hyperreflexia, tight bandlike sensations localizing to the affected cord segment, with motor, bowel, or bladder involvement. Other suggestive features for MS include trigeminal neuralgia, Lhermitte phenomenon, spasticity, tremor, and ataxia."For instance, I read a story this morning (not sure how I'd find it again because it depressed me so much and I closed it) of a lady whose first symptom was her calf muscle knotting up and staying that way for some period of time. The exact same thing that happened to me 3 days ago. That's the spasticity. Edit: found it -

Sorry for the long post here but I also think you should not rule out anxiety. This is a list of all of the symptoms (from the Anxiety Centre) that can be caused by anxiety. It is quite extensive and maybe if you get good results from your MRI you will consider that his might be your problem:Body (anxiety symptoms commonly associated with the body in general): Allergy problems, increase in allergies (number, sensitivity, reactions, lengthier reactions)Back pain, stiffness, tension, pressure, soreness, spasms, immobility in the back or back muscles Blanching (looking pale, loss of color in the face or skin) Blushing, turning red, flushed face, flushed skin, blushing, red face or skin Body aches, parts of or your entire body feels sore and achy, feels like your body and muscles are bruised Body jolts, body zaps, electric jolt feeling in body, intense body tremor or “body shake” Body temperature increase or decrease, change in body temperature Burning skin, itchy, “crawly,” prickly or other skin sensations, skin sensitivity, numbness on the skin Burning skin sensation on the face, neck, ears, scalp, or shoulders Buzzing sensation in the feet, toes, hands, fingers, arms, legs Chest pain, chest tightness Choking Chronic Fatigue, exhaustion, super tired, worn out Clumsiness, feeling clumsy, co-ordination problems with the limbs or body Cold chills, feeling cold Craving sugar, sweets, chocolate, usual craving for sugar and sweets Difficulty speaking, moving mouth, talking, co-ordination problems with the mouth or tongue Dizziness, feeling lightheaded Dizzy, feeling dizzy Electric shock feeling, body zaps Excess of energy, you feel you can’t relax Falling sensation, feel like your are falling or dropping even though you aren't Feel like you are going to pass out or faint Feeling cold or chilled Feel wrong, different, foreign, odd, or strange Flu-like symptoms, general malaise, feel ill, like you are coming down with a flu Flushed face, red face, flushed skin Frequent urination Hair loss, hair is thinning, or clumps of hair are falling out Head Zaps Heart palpitations, racing heart Hyperactivity, excess energy, nervous energy Increased or decreased sex drive Infection - increased infections, persistent infection Mouth or throat clicking or grating sound/noise when you move your mouth or jaw, such as when talking Muscles that vibrate, jitter, tremor, or shake when used Muscle twitching Nausea Nausea vomitingNeck, back, shoulder pain, tightness/stiffness Night sweats, waking up in a sweat, profusely sweating at night No energy, feeling lethargic, tired Numbness Numbness tingling, numbness and tingling Numbness and tingling, and other skin sensations on hands, feet, face, head, or any other places on the body Persistent muscle tension, stiffness Pounding heart, heart feels like it is beating too hard Pulsing or throbbing muscles. Pulsing or throbbing sensation. Red skin, skin looks like or is turning red Rib or rib cage tightness, pressure, or feeling like a tight band around the rib cage Sexual Dysfunction, sexual uninterest Shooting pains, stabbing pains, and odd pressures in the neck, head, or face Shooting pains in the face Shooting pains in the scalp or head Skipped heart beats Sore or tight scalp or back of the neck Startle easily Sweating, uncontrollable profuse sweating The floor feels like it is moving either down or up for no reason Tightness in the ribs or rib cage area, may also feel like a tight band around the ribs or rib cage area. Tingling sensations, anywhere on the body, including the hands, feet, legs, arms, head, mouth, chest, groin area Throat or mouth clicking or grating sound/noise when you move your mouth or jaw, such as when talking TMJ Trembling, shaking, tremors Twitching Unsteadiness, dizziness, feeling dizzy or lightheaded Urgency to urinate, frequent urination, sudden urge to go to the washroom (similar to urinary tract or prostate infection symptoms) Warm spells Weak - feel weak, weakness, low energy, light, soft, like you may faint Weak legs, arms, or muscles Weight loss, weight gain Chest (anxiety symptoms commonly associated with the chest area): Chest tremors, trembling in the chest, chest feels like it is vibrating Chest pain or discomfort Concern about the heart Feel like you have to force yourself to breath Find it hard to breath, feeling smothered, shortness of breath Frequent yawning to try and catch your breath Heart Palpitations – beating hard or too fast, rapid heartbeat Heart - Irregular heart rhythms, flutters or ‘skipped’ beats, tickle in the chest that makes you cough Pounding heart, heart feels like it is beating too hard Rib or rib cage tightness, pressure, or feeling like a tight band around the rib cage Emotions (see mood) (anxiety symptoms commonly associated with emotions, mood, and feelings)Fears (anxiety symptoms commonly associated with fear):A heightened fear of what people think of you Afraid of being trapped in a place with no exits Constant feeling of being overwhelmed. Fear of being in public Fear of dying Fear of losing control Fear of impending doom Fear of making mistakes or making a fool of yourself to others Fear of passing out Fear that you are losing your mind Fears about irrational things, objects, circumstances, or situations Fears of going crazy, of dying, of impending doom, of normal things, unusual feelings and emotions, unusually frightening thoughts or feelings Heightened self awareness, or self-consciousness Need to find nearest washrooms before you can feel comfortable Need to seat near exits Head (anxiety symptoms commonly associated with the head): Brain fog Burning, itchy, tight scalp Dizziness Dizzy Dizziness or light-headedness Frequent headaches, migraine headaches Feeling like there is a tight band around your head, pressure, tightness Hair loss, hair is thinning, or clumps of hair are falling out Head, neck or shoulder pain, tightness/stiffness Head zaps, head tremors Giddiness Numbness Numbness tingling, numbness and tingling Shooting pains, stabbing pains, and odd pressures in the neck, head, or face Shooting pains in the face Shooting pains in the scalp or head When you close your eyes you feel like are beginning to, or will, float upwards Sore jaw that feels like a tooth ache TMJ (Temporo-Mandibular Joint) - clenching of the jaw or grinding of the teeth Hearing/Ear(s) (anxiety symptoms commonly associated with hearing): Feel like there is something stuck in your ear, that your ear canal it plugged or blocked, that there is a pebble in your ear that you can't get out Low rumbling sounds Reduced hearing, frequent or intermittent reduced hearing or deafness in one or both ears Ringing in the ears, noises in the ears, noises in the head Pulsing in the ears, throbbing sound in the ear(s) Tickle or itch in your ear that you can't seem to get at Mind (anxiety symptoms commonly associated with the mind and thinking):Afraid of everything Altered state of reality, consciousness, or universe feeling Brain Fog Deja Vu, a feeling like you've done or experienced something before Depersonalization Derealization Desensitization Difficulty concentrating, short-term memory loss Difficulty thinking, speaking, forming thoughts, following conversations Disorientation Fear of going crazy Fear of losing control Fear of impending doom Feelings of unreality Frequent feeling of being overwhelmed, or that there is just too much to handle or do Having difficulty concentrating Nightmares, bad dreams Obsession about sensations or getting better Repetitive thinking or incessant ‘mind chatter’ Short-term learning impairment, have a hard time learning new information Short-term memory impairment, can't remember what I did a few days, hours, or moments ago Spaced out feelings, feeling spaced out "Stuck" thoughts; thoughts, mental images, concepts, songs, or melodies that "stick" in your mind and replay over and over again. Trapped in your mind feeling Underlying anxiety, apprehension, or fear You often feel you are carrying the world on your shoulders Mood / Emotions (anxiety symptoms commonly associated with mood, emotions, and feelings): Always feeling angry and lack of patience Depersonalization Depression Dramatic mood swings (emotional flipping) Emotionally blunted, flat, or numb Emotional "flipping" (dramatic mood swings) Emotions feel wrong Everything is scary, frightening Feeling down in the dumps Feeling like things are unreal or dreamlike Frequently being on edge or 'grouchy' Feel like crying for no apparent reason Have no feelings about things you used to Not feeling like yourself, detached from loved ones, emotionally numb Underlying anxiety, apprehension, or fear You feel like you are under pressure all the time Mouth/Stomach (anxiety symptoms commonly associated with the mouth and stomach):A ‘tinny’, ‘metallic’ or ‘ammonia’, or unusual smell or taste Aerophagia (swallowing too much air, stomach distention, belching) Burning mouth, feeling like the inside of your mouth is burning, or tingling, or like pins and needles, or all of these together or at different times Burning tongue, feeling like your tongue is burning, or tingling, or like pins and needles, or all of these, or all of these together or at different times Choking Constant craving for sugar or sweets Constipation Diarrhea Difficulty swallowing Difficulty talking, pronouncing certain letters or sounds, mouth feels like it isn't moving right, slurred speech Dry mouth Feeling like you can’t swallow properly or that something will get caught in your throat Feeling like your tongue is swollen IBS Lack of appetite or taste Lump in the throat, tight throat, something stuck in your throat Mouth muscles twitching/jumping Mouth or throat clicking or grating sound/noise when you move your mouth or jaw, such as when talking Nausea Nausea vomiting Nausea or abdominal stress Numbness Numbness tingling, numbness and tingling Stomach upset, gas, belching, bloating Teeth grinding The thought of eating makes you nauseous Tight throat, lump in throat Throat or mouth clicking or grating sound/noise when you move your mouth or jaw, such as when talking Tongue symptoms - Tingly, “stretched,” numb, frozen, itchy, “crawly,” burning, twitching, “jumpy,” aching, sore, or swollen tongue (when it isn’t). Urgency to urinate, frequent urination, sudden urge to go to the washroom Vomiting Skin (anxiety symptoms commonly associated with the skin): Burning skin sensations, skin sensitivity Numbness Numbness tingling, numbness and tingling Skin problems, infections, rashes Sleep (anxiety symptoms commonly associated with sleep): Difficulty falling or staying asleep Frequent bad, bizarre, or crazy dreams Hearing sounds in your head that jolt you awake Insomnia, or waking up ill in the middle of the night Jolting awake Waking up in a panic attack You feel worse in the mornings Sight (anxiety symptoms commonly associated with sight): Distorted, foggy, or blurred vision Dry, watery or itchy eyes Eye tricks, seeing things our of the corner of your eye that isn’t there, stars, flashes Eyes sensitive to light Spots in the vision Flashing lights when eyes are closed Your depth perception feels wrong Touch (anxiety symptoms commonly associated with touch): Burning skin sensations, skin sensitivity Feeling cold or chilled Numbness Numbness tingling, numbness and tingling Pain Tingling, pins and needles feelings Other anxiety symptoms are described as:Being like a hypochondriac, muscle twinges, worry all the time, tingles, gagging, tightness in the chest, tongue twitches, shaky, breath lump, heart beat problems, head tingles, itchy tingling in arms and legs, and so many more.

Jerry - maybe my words arent translating well ... but in no way am I saying anything derogatory about the Neurologist. When I made a similar comment in the past, about a 2 year old being able to pass the strength test, I wasn't commenting on the neurologist then either. My comments are related to the test itself. I already explained this in the other thread. I'll say it again: As per much reading, the strength test should be adjusted for the athletic status of the individual being tested. Weakness for a guy with ALS who recently was benching 245lbs will not look the same as weakness in a 75 year old lady with ALS. That's all. Case in point, today I had an appointment with another neurologist. A larger man and his strength tests were significantly different. Much more force applied, and resistance as well. That strength test was an appropriate one for a guy of my stature. There is no way i would ever speak badly about these neurologists. I admire what they do, and am humbled by their intelligence which I am sure far surpasses mine.My MRI of brain, neck and spine came back today with no indication of MS lesions or any lesions of any kind. I am thanking God. So Multiple Sclerosis is off the table. Tomorrow is the EMG.The new (second) neurologist stated that he feels I have "Myokymia".He told me it is benign and to ignore the muscle spasms because they will eventually just go away. Hm. That raised a few more questions. First off, the web states that Myokymia is of a specific single group of muscles. That differs from what I am experiencing. Secondly, wikipedia says it resolves spontaneously and can "last up to 3 weeks". I am currently at 20 days, so I guess it will be gone tomorrow? I am not so sure he was giving me an actual diagnosis, as much as he was giving me a diagnosis that would make me stop worrying about things. I am not a fan of such methods, but i understand his good motives. Thanking God today that Multiple Sclerosis is off the shelf.For any future "Searchers" ..... yes .... you can have muscle twitching all over your body .... sensory issues ... tingling and fatigue .... exercise intolerance ... even numbness and temperature sensitivity in hands and feet .... and still have a 100% clean clear normal brain MRI. With no multiple sclerosis.

If you would have ALS you would stop lifting 245 pounds very quicky I guess in a matter of days or weeks. With 245 pounds lifting you would immediately deteriorate to the 200 etc. That is what I am trying to say to you.Have you thought maybe this weight lifting is causing some problems, I know another guy who weight lifts and is twitching. Just an idea.Myokimia lasts 20 days? Mine in the eyes is 1 year now! Don't read the Wiki too much

Oh Jerry - i see what you mean now about derogatory with the doctor reference. When i said "using the term my doctor loosely" i just meant that I've seen about 4 doctors in the last month for various reasons, so I can't call any of them really "my doctor" at this point. Im new to this city and dont even have a primary care physician yet.

BFS,If i can make a suggestion I would get a primary care physician and only go to a specialist if the primary care recommends it. That is something I did because I was going to a host of different doctors: neurologist, even a neurosurgeon, a psychologist who specializes in pain management, allergist/ immunologist, gastro-enterologist, cardiologist, nutritionist (lol this was the biggest waste of a hundred dollars in my life) and finally a primary care physician. Finally, I found a doctor I liked and put my faith in her. She understands what I am going through, keeps an eye on different blood panels, does the neuro tests and will let me know if I should go on further. I think that doctor shopping was a huge generator of anxiety for me. Hell, I'm almost afraid to go see any doctors anymore because they were such a huge part of a terrible chapter in my life. In addition, I am sure you have heard it before but stay off google. NOTHING good will come out of obsessing over your symptoms for hours a day on a computer! I and probably every veteran on this site will tell you that will do you know good! Finally, focus on the stuff that might actually helpe you feel better in the long run. Practice relaxation techniques, getting enough sleep, HAVING FUN, focus on your family and friends, hot baths/ heating pads, etc. That is the thing that will get you better.

Hi everyone.. Just want to check with you all about this...I was diagnosed with BFS in August this year. My story started pretty much the same as everyone here.. Stress--> cold water sensations on my shin --> stress even more --> muscle twitching all over --> google --> MS and ALS. --> near meltdown. I did go to the neuro and got a clean EMG.. Physical test all normal... Doc says all are ok. But I came back to read that just doing an EmG can't rule out MS... I have less twitching now... The senory stuff have all but gone away.. The perceived weakness is still here sometimes but much less already.. The thing that bugs me that MS is still not ruled out completely... Once that is not out, I still can't get my peace of mind.. Recently i got this blur vision thing that comes and goes... i will blink and then part of my vision will b off focus.. but after blinking somemore it will be ok again... I know the blurred vision thing is one of the first symptoms of MS.. along with fatigue, weakness, loss of balance etc.. This has gotten me paranoid again... have been tested positive for yeast overgrowth and I know blurry vision is one of it vast symptoms too...but I just can't get the idea of MS out of my mind. I just booked an appt with my neuro again (some time next Mar) to ask him more questions and perhaps get a mRI to settle it once and for all..So.. Do you all think I going overboard? Thanks all for your kind advice.

Usually blurred vision accociated with blinking is a sign that you have some slight inflammation of conjunctiva. It is usually secretions blurring your vision when you are blink. Optical neuritis never lasts for a blink, it is usually more lasting - for days and even weeks.Moreover, transient bllured vision lasting for minutes and hours also could be a sign of migraine. But that one lasting for a blink is most properly caused by what i said above. You dont need to have full size conjunctivitis with bloody pain and inability to open the inflamated eye - it is just mild case. Especially if you are prone to rub your eyes or if they are dried due to too many hours in front of PC.People in BFS often have pains in the eyeball, optical migraines, etc. If you have any concern, it is always better to see ophtalmologist, because they can practically see your optical nerve and assess its conditions easliy.

I do have itchy eyes these few days... And I heard that eye infection is a common symptom of yeast infection too.. Maybe I should see an eye doc first.