PistolPete
Member
Hi everyone, Brief intro of myself: 17 y/o Asian basketballer. History of l4-l5 disc bulge and l5-s1 sclerosis (THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MS, it just means bone thickening due to constant pressure implied). So it all begin when i insisted to get an MRI for my lower back 4months ago after i experienced mild pain after gym workout. Quite luckily, the MRI scan revealed that it was only a minor disc bulge in l4-l5 region and mild thickening of l5-s1. So after that, i stopped gyming totally and even stopped basketball training for 6wks. My pain was reduced and almost even completely disappeared. I was so happy until.......My exams ended and i resumed basketball activities. One day when i was reading my book with my legs crossed, i noticed one of my legs started to buzz a little (in less than 1minute). Mild numbness is completely released as soon as i uncross my legs. Since then, i realized this phenomenon is present in all 4 limbs. They start to get numb more easily than before. I learnt to live with it. My low back pain was not an issue at this time. However, my upper back started getting tight. Physiotherapists told me i had tight back muscles and tried releasing these muscle knots. Until one day after practice, i was on my way home and i started to feel my last two fingers of both hands getting numb. They were buzzing alittle. A quick search on google brought up MS. I was stunned. I panicked. Next morning, to my delight, my fingers were fine. However, just like many of you here, i dwelled and dwelled. MS forums were my go-to sites after i come home each day. Then i started developing bodywide muscle twitches. At this point, i was sure i had a problem. I booked a neuro appt that was 3months away. Trust me, for people with anxiety issues, 3months felt like 3 years. Then a week ago, i felt my right ear ringing for 3seconds. *beep*! Another quick google search led me back to MS. I went to the hospital immediately and ordered a brain MRI. CLEARED! Yes yes, i know some of you will say a clean MRI is only provides 95% reassurance. However, i looked back and i realized my symptoms with not indicative of MS at all. Both my neuro assured me that bodywide twitching is not indicative of MS. MS numbness tends to be focal (affects 1 body part at a time) and numbness stays of days/weeks and does not release by the mere act of uncrossing legs. My head MRI showed i had nasal congestion which explained that 3s of high pitched ringing. I had no heat sensitivity, no eye issues, no fatigue, no memory loss. So why was i obsessed with MS? Thanks to my love for Google. I spent more than 2hours on forums daily. Fear got the better of me.Why you dont have MS: Like i've mentioned, MS and bodywide twitching is like Oreo and Coke. THEY SHOULD NOT BE MIXED! 50% of MS diagnosis comes with the first episode of vision problems. Currently, my neuro still does not have an explanation of my symptoms. But I can safely say, no MS no ALS. For the doctors here: I am back to leading my normal life but wouldn't it be great if i can get a diagnosis for my symptoms? The balls of my feet get tingling when i walk for too long a distance [I give that to l5-s1 problems]. 6 wks of bodywide twitching. My neck twitch when i yawn. My neuro says nerve impingement does not cause twitching. But i guess it's hard for me to accept that fact! Thanks a lot, and for everyone here: Let's get back to our normal happy lives!!!!!