The first MS symptom that I experienced was double vision. In the early 80’s I saw a shadowy outline of all objects in the distance. Sometimes the object separated into two distinct items, one lighter than the other. The shadowy outline seemed to float to the left and up a little. This shadow was similar to shadows that used to appear on TVs when we have poor reception. I mentioned this to my doctor and to my optometrist off and on for a few years and then I stopped, when I realized that they were not as concerned about this as I was.
In the mid 1980’s I was diagnosed with a mood disorder. (Since my MS diagnoses I have discovered that mood disorders can also a symptom of MS.) Late in the 80’s I went to a new optometrist and mentioned my vision difficulty. She immediately tested me with a special instrument and verified that I did indeed see double. She prescribed prisms to be added to my glasses. It was nice to see single objects again. (Double vision and other vision problems can also be a MS symptom.) My double vision comes back, even though I have prisms, when I am tired or when it is hot outside.
In the early 90’s I started to experience strange, disappearing symptoms. These symptoms were well and active at home but hid themselves from my doctor. I did not experience all of the symptoms all of the time, they seemed to rotate.
Some of these disappearing, rotating symptoms were:
fatigue
blurred or double vision (even with the prisms)
eye pain (quick stabbing pains that disappear soon after they arrive)
muscle weakness
muscle spasms
restless leg syndrome
foot drop (one foot drags along the floor when walking causing one to trip, stumble, or fall)
numbness and tingling in my left arm
itching in one spot for no reason
the feeling of bugs crawling along my arms
in-coordination
imbalance
tremors of my left arm and leg
urinary incontinence
slow word recall
forgetfulness
short-term memory loss
other cognitive problems
impaired speech production
sensitivity to environmental heat
In the summer of 1992 the symptoms were more intense and stayed longer. I started to have times where I experienced greater imbalance difficulty. My right foot started to drag as I walked, this is called toe-drop. My left hand and arm developed a tremor. Fatigue started to debilitate me. That summer seemed to be particularly hot. Up to that point in time I had always enjoyed the heat. I had loved hot baths, showers, sauna etc. Not any more!
From 1992 on the heat made me extremely fatigued and dizzy, and also brought on these awful symptoms. I mentioned these problems to my doctor. She had me do the touching my nose thing, hold both my hands out and close my eyes, and she looked into my eyes as I followed her hand up, down, right, left. The day of that appointment it was a good day for me, and I had few symptoms. I received the figurative pat on the head. I mentioned these problems to her off and on, as they appeared and disappeared, for another year or so. I felt ignored. I felt that my concerns were not validated. I felt that she was saying, “This is all in your head, my dear.” I quit mentioning the symptoms to anyone, especially my doctor.
In the spring of 1995 I started to experience intense, sharp, shooting pains in my cheek. These pains always brought unbidden tears to my eyes. These pains moved like lightening bolts from my right temple into an area of my cheek and chin, repeatedly. Soon I had greater problems with imbalance. I started to veer to the right when walking. When I walked with someone I usually bumped into them if they were on my right. If I was walking alone on a sidewalk I would lose my balance when I suddenly found myself teetering on the edge of the sidewalk. I was always able to catch myself before I fell. I did fall in the house, though, and I actually broke a toe twice in attempting to catch myself from falling. I could no longer stand up in the shower.
Then during the heat of that summer many of those old symptoms started to bother me again, plus a few more new ones. My jaw was tingly, the tip of tongue tingled, and I had tremors in both feet and my left arm. I started to know, without a doubt, that I had MS. (Years before I had worked for the MS Society.) I was determined not to tell anyone about my suspicions. I did not want my self-diagnosis verified in any way.
More of my symptoms and diagnosis will appear during the following days.
Bonnie