Getting a Handle on BFS Worries

[jessica25zsweetums25]

Hi guys. I've been away for the past couple of days because I felt like I was getting a handle on my BFS and didn't need to read any more questions, as it just makes me question myself.

Now, though... I'm freaking about something else. MS.

As some of you may recall from my first post here, I had some back/left arm problems (tingling, pain) due to scoliosis a couple of months ago. I was sent to physical therapy, and that (along with quitting my job; they had horrible excuses for chairs and desks there) seemed to clear things up.

I temped last week in another office with a similar desk/chair setup. I found myself leaning towards my left the entire time I was there, which is what set the pain off the first time.

Yesterday afternoon, my left arm started hurting REALLY badly. I think the pain would best be described as "deep tissue pain." It hurt all the way to the bone. It hurt all evening and sort of went away this morning, although my left arm is definitely feeling weaker this morning.

I have also noticed off and on for a week that I have had problems with my "s's" when I talk... I don't notice it at work, but I do when I'm on the phone. I may just be hyper-sensitive, though.

I also noticed a "stabbing" pain in my right foot yesterday... right at the heel. Never had that before.

I don't know what made me think of MS, but I went and looked up the symptoms last night (I know, bad!) and freaked myself out. I know there is a lot of info about ALS on this board, but not so much on MS.

Could someone shed some light on this for me? Would I have pain and weakness for one day and then have it disappear? Would MS manifest without eye symptoms? Can I discount MS with all the twitching I've had?

PLEASE HELP ME!!!

 

[Chris2]

Hi scared,

First of all we all need to remember to respect the doctors. If we could all just go online look at symthoms in a frenzied panic and self diagnos ourselves, well then I guess all that schooling, expence and experience that they have was for nothing. I did just that the ms thing the als thing I had it all. The neros get insulted and rightfully so when we tell them what we have. They want and deserve the honor to diagnous us. They need to look at the patient and like one nero so elocantly told me over the phone when i called him and said "i think i have als and I'm losing it" He said " I need to get my hands on you" and that he did. (nothing funny dont worry i dont need a lawyer) But anyhow this isnt to say we dont need second opinions if we need more reassurance. I needed to see six neros before I could except that i was ok. (thankfully i have wonderful innsurance.) But whatever it takes to get the tests and exams you need do. Only come here scaredecat, we are not doctors but we have been there. I'm telling like a "mom" stay off the med sites. You are doing more harm then good. Have faith, please.

regards,

Chris

 

[EyeoftheWild]

OMG Mia, you are back. We healed you child, you are not to come back here with tales of unwellness, begone. Throw your fetching quads over a quad and burn on down the beach, burn some rubber, burn a bridges or two and whoo hoo.

This is no place for the likes of you. You are too young, too beautiful, too full of vim and vigour. You are right, being here makes one ask too many questions. One question gets answered and then we are on to the next one and the next one, until finally we are asking that our lives be smooth sailing, and what the heck is the meaning of life anyway?

At 25 you already know what the meaning of life is, it is to enjoy. It is to dream, to delight in this, and then that. Forget about scaredat25, and be boldat25, or inloveat25. You are commanded by the powers of life to swing the world by its tail...so get swinging by golly.

Basso

 

[jessica25zsweetums25]

Wow, Sue, what a roller coaster ride you've been on! I can't imagine being treated for a condition that I don't have.

When you say "neurological symptoms," what do you mean? Not that I'm looking for any more things to diagnose myself with; just wondering what that encompasses.

Thank you so much for your response. You've really calmed me down considerably. Now I'm going to go out and enjoy the nice day instead of sitting here worrying like I had originally planned.

 

[LisaQ.]

Hi Mia,
I just meant the classic MS symptoms, like numbness, weakness, paralysis, optic neuritis, neurogenic bladder, spasticity, etc.

These symptoms would generally occur in a relapsing/remitting pattern in the early stages of MS. You would have a weak leg, for example, and then weeks or months later, the weakness would subside or lessen considerably. The weakness would be profound, measurable, clinical weakness, not perceived weakness as we have with bfs.

Or, you would go partially or totally blind, in either one or both eyes, and if not treated with high dose IV steroids, this too would eventually subside. This is the classic pattern of MS, and doctors look for that when obtaining your medical history. The symptoms have to be separated by time (relapsing/remitting) and space (different regions of the body.)

In my case, I'd had tingling and bladder symptoms that lasted a few months but went away, and then another time I had weakness in my limbs that later subsided. Mind you, my history really wasn't typical of MS, but the way I described my symptoms to my doctors, I was able to portray myself as having the classic pattern. More savvy neuros (both specialists) were able to elucidate a more accurate and realistic clinical picture from me. Less ambitious ones just referred me to a specialist, shook their heads and said "it sure sounds like MS."

I even had one neuro tell me, in exasperation that I was TOO sick to have MS because I purported to have all of the symptoms, all at once. LOL. Gee, that was comforting.

Anyway, I eventually recognized that bfs was capable of causing all of my symptoms, and once I got that into my thick noggin, I was completely set free from anxiety over MS. In my case, the twitching had been minimal, so it never occured to me to consider bfs as a diagnosis, even though my husband had been dx'ed with it years earlier.

Reading "bfs in a nutshell" stopped me in my tracks, and I read it many times when I first started visiting this site. It fast became my Bible. If I would ever recommend any online reading, it would be that masterpiece. (Thanks again, Alonzo.)

Blessings,
Sue

 

[BandersnatchF]

I'll echo what others have said: MS is characterized by measurable clinical weakness that gets better over time (relapsing / remitting), or by other symptoms such as optical disturbances (blindess, double vision) that persist and then subside.

MS is not an easy disease to diagnose because the symptoms can be so vague. However (and this is important), MS can be treated. There are quite a few medications around today that can slow or (perhaps) stop the demyelination that's the hallmark of MS. I know this because I have two brothers with (confirmed) MS, both of whom had classic symptoms (one-sided weakness in both cases, and it was very noticeable), both of whom are on medication (expensive, but insurance covers it), and both of whom are, for now, free of major physical symptoms. One of my brothers was even in a study at NIH because we lived in the DC area and his identical twin didn't have MS.

Perhaps that's why I've never feared MS (my demon is ALS) even though I'm at a significantly higher risk for it (MS risk is higher if your siblings have it). While I realize it's a nasty disease, it can be treated and it may not even shorten your lifespan significantly any more.

Having said that, you probably don't have MS either—listen to your doctors.

 

[jessica25zsweetums25]

@Sue: "BFS in a Nutshell" has been a great help to me as well. I am so thankful there are people here who genuinely want to set the record straight (you included) and keep others from worrying needlessly. My twitching is minimal too, especially compared to most of the stories I've read here, but it is widespread and random. Just enough to be noticeable, annoying and fear-inducing!

@Basso: You make it sound so easy. I am really going to try to push all this anxiety aside, as you suggested.

@Bandersnatch_F: That's basically the one thing keeping me from freaking out - knowing that MS is not fatal. It also helps to know that one of its main symptoms is clinical weakness - something I definitely do not have.

My main problem is that I don't have a doctor right now - quitting my job left me without insurance. I am in limbo for another job right now, but if that doesn't work out, I'm just going to go get myself a temporary policy. I don't know if I'll actually go to the doctor for my fears or not... I know a lot of it is in my head, and I don't want to waste his time - nor my money - on reassurance of something that I already know.

You all are so awesome. Thank you.