Is there a medical test used to confirm it?
Try these links
personal experience.. it was several different symptoms that happened over time. headaches, memory loss, fatigue, and feeling like a cartoon that was being erased when I'd walk. Brain MRI confirmed lesions (demylenation)… done each year to determine changes.
Keeping in mind that MS is a very diverse condition and not all patients will have the same signs/symptoms..my hubby's first was what is known as Optic Neuritis. this is usually the most common first sign of MS. He was seen by an optometrist and the diagnosis of Optic neuritis was made. He was sent to his primary health care provider where he was diagnosed with MS after and MRI of Brain/Spinal Cord among other lab work.
I hope this was of some help to you.
my very first symptom was a few months after my first son was born. he put his hand on my left knee and i could not feel it. i had no sensation in that area of my leg. the first neurologist i saw dismissed it as mental problems and reffered me to a psychologist. i was pregnant again soon after so i guess my symptoms went into remission. it wasnt until after the birth of my twins that i started having problems again. i found a new neurologist who took me seriously and the diagnosis was made because i had white matter lesions (shown by MRI) on my brain and also cervical spine (also shown on MRI). feel free to send me a message for more info, i know how almost impossible it can be to get a diagnosis. there really isnt one single test to to confirm it, but many tests used to rule it out.
GREETINGS!! I'll do better – I'll give you both personal experiences, professional and personal resources!!!
First of all, here are my qualifications for providing you with this answer:
1) I've successfully managed the symptoms of MS for over 45 years.
2) I was an HR Executive for over 30+ years, and combined my professional and personal expertise in creating a website dedicated to assisting folks with "chronic disease symptoms" better document, communicate, corroborate, and manage their symptoms and the resulting impairments to become expert patients; chronic disease self-managers; and, partner with their doctors to practice patient-centered health care.
disabilitykey.com
My website contains tons of information in 2 blogs, downloadable free articles and self-help ebooklets, and the Disabilitykey Workbook which contains over 100 pages of how to processes and actual forms – blank and completed examples – to assist folks. this workbook is available for a very small price (under $10).
My first symptom – way back 45 years ago – 3 first three fingers of my right hand would go numb – during class in the summer in California!! My GP – at the time – said I had "poor circulation" – to keep my hand in motion!!
My next symptom – a decade latter – my vision developed a "big black hole"!! very scared, I had a friend take me to see an eye Dr. after many tests he told me that I was having a "visual migraine" and to be happy that I didn't have a headache to go with it!!
3 decades later, having suffered repeated symptoms all mis-diagnosed, the technological resources FINALLY caught up with me!! I learned that the numbness – now in both feet and legs as well as hand – were MS symptoms of spasticity, paroxysmal itching, and spasticity!!! Verified by a spinal tap and MRI's. And my vision problems were and are optic neuritis, verified by an Opthamologist's tests.
Here's a blog that I did that discusses not only the top 22 MS symptoms, but what – at least a year ago – were the top medications used to help you better manage those symptoms. The reason that I like this list of symptoms and their associated "management aids" is that precisely because MS has so many symptoms, you may need to take some time to do some "introspection" to figure out which TYPE of symptom do you haave!! for example: do you have "plain vanilla" depression, or do you have depression coupled with either pain or fatigue? The management aids for the 3 different "types" of depression are different; so, the more precise and specific you can become shen documenting both your symptoms and how they impair you so that you can better inform your doctor, the better your doctor can assist you with symptom management!!
So, your Doctor tells you that you have a disease. You know that you have symptoms that impair you in your every day life, but you want your Doctor to give you something to make the pain/symptom go away!
What is the best medication for your symptoms, for your illness? Remember, only your Doctor can help you. however, the better informed that you are about what is out there, the better you can discuss alternatives with your Doctor(s).
The following information comes from the National MS Society website. now, most disease medication lists start with the brand name first, with the SYMPTOM that it is to address almost as an after thought. BUT, we, the patients, start with the symptom first, so that's how I have decided to sort the medications. here goes. Products available without a prescription are so indicated (+).
Once again, this will provide you with information to discuss with your Doctor. By having options of medications for a symptom, you and your Doctor can discuss which treatment would be best for you, given your other symptoms, your specific condition, and any other factors that only your Doctor can know. And, if you do not know what the symptom means (I'm not sure that I know what "Paroxysmal itching" is) you can ask your Doctor, and learn something new!
Fatigue: Amantadine; Cylert; Provigil
Spasticity: Baclofen; Dantrium; Intrathecal Baclofen (ITB Therapy); Valium (muscle spasms); Zanaflex
Constipation: Mineral oil (+); Colace (Docusate (+)); Dulcolax (Bisacodyl (+)); Enemeez Mini Enema (Docusate stool softener laxative (+)); Fleet Enema (Sodium phosphate (+)); Metamucil (Psyllium hydrophilic mucilloid (+)); Phillips' Milk of Magnesia (Magnesium hydroxide (+)); Sani-Supp suppository (US) (Glycerin (+))
Erectile dysfunction: Papaverine; Cialis; Levitra; MUSE; Prostin VR; Viagra
Nausea; Vomiting; Dizziness: Antivert (US), Bonamine (Can)
Paroxysmal itching: Atarax
Disease-modifying agent: Avonex; Betaseron; Copaxone; Novantrone; Rebif;
Urinary tract infections: Bactrim; Septra; Cipro; Macrodantin
Urinary tract infections: (preventative) Hiprex, Mandelamine (US); Hip-rex, Mandelamine (Can)
Urinary tract infections (symptom relief): Pyridium
Urinary frequency: DDAVP Nasal Spray; DDAVP Tablets
Bladder dysfunction: Detrol (US); Ditropan; Ditropan XL; Oxytrol (Oxybutynin Transdermal System); Pro-Banthine; Sanctura; Vesicare (US)
Bladder dysfunction; Pain: Tofranil
Depression: Effexor; Paxil; Wellbutrin; Zoloft
Depression, Pain (neuropathic): Cymbalta
Depression; Fatigue: Prozac
Tremor: Laniazid; Nydrazid
Tremor; Pain; Spasticity: Klonopin (US), Rivotril (Can)
Acute exacerbations: Decadron; Deltasone; H.P. Acthar Gel; Solu-Medrol
Pain (dyesthesias): Dilantin; Neurontin
Pain (paresthesias): Elavil; Pamelor (US), Aventyl (Can)
Pain (trigeminal neuralgia): Tegretol
Now that you have read all 22 categories of Multiple Sclerosis symptoms that HAVE a medication that might mitigate it, and know of many others that have no associated medication, I'll bet that you are asking yourself how do I make the link between knowing that I have one or more of these, and explaining how this symptom impairs me? if you have these questions, please check out our website at disabilitykey.com.
Also, please feel free to email me by clicking on my Yahoo name.
Finally, here are some suggestions:
1) Document your symptoms and their impairments.
2) use any Internet search engine and plug in the words "MS symptoms". Then you can see if you have any or all of them.
3) Then, go to see your doctor, better prepared to partner with him/her in getting you a diagnosis not only for your "condition", but for medications and/or other suggestions for "managing" your symptoms.
Finally, please feel free to contact me by clicking onto my Yahoo name and email me or im me with additional questions along your process of discovery.
Best wishes.