Could I Lyme's Disease and not MS?

I had 8 months ago what the doctors thought was a stroke. But come to find out they said it was a MS attack. Double vision, delayed speech, paralysis on one side. Most of symtpoms gone, but still have some unusal problems. Waking up with numb pinky and hand, leg not working all the time, and after having an active day, not being able to walk for 1 to 2 day after. Have had 2 lesions, no knew ones. Someone told me I should get a blood test for Lyme Disease. Could these be symtpoms. Has anyone been missed diagnosed with MS.

The lesions and problems you have are all typical for MS. Since you have recovered so well from the attack 8 months ago, it sounds as if you have relapsing-remitting MS. Are you taking MS medications? If not, you will have to talk to your neurologist about which one will be the best for you to start on. The sooner you start treatment, the better your overall prognosis will be.

Also, although after 8 months it is not that likely that the remaining problems will disappear, a specialized physio-therapist might be able to recommend some exercises for your leg. You will also need to learn how not to overdo it, so that you won't be bedridden for 1-2 days after an active day.

As for the Lyme disease - yes, the symptoms can be quite similar, which is why you should already have been tested (through a blood test) for Lyme's Disease before getting an MS diagnosis. I would ask your neurologist about it. Most likely you have been tested, but wasn't informed about it.

my mom was recently diagnosed with Ms and has 3 leisons. she suffered the same numbness ahd so forth, it will happen with MS. you will experience numbness and tingling and blurred vision or paralising or pins and needles at random times, its going to be random but not permanent, just hard to deal , my mom is also a LPN so she understands whats happening to her. i n rare cases, multiple sclerosis (MS) is life-threatening. If your condition worsens considerably, you may want to consider making a living will, which allows your wishes to be carried out if you are not able to make decisions for yourself. Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and nonmedical treatment done at home can help you manage symptoms and adjust to living and working situations. For more information, see: rehabilitation for MS..Treatment Overview

Treatment can make living with multiple sclerosis (MS) easier. Your type of treatment will depend on the severity of your symptoms and whether your disease is active or in remission.
Key points

* While there is no cure for MS, medications can reduce the number, frequency, and severity of relapses and may slow the progression of the disease. Starting treatment as soon as MS is diagnosed can prevent or delay permanent damage to the nervous system.
* Medications can cause uncomfortable, but usually temporary, side effects such as flulike symptoms. However, after a few months of treatment, most people no longer have side effects from the medications.
* Rehabilitation that includes physical, occupational, speech, and cognitive retraining can help you manage symptoms and adjust to living and working situations.
* Alternative and complementary therapies for MS are being studied, but so far, none have been proven effective and, in fact, some may cause more harm than good.

If you've had an MRI which showed lesions, MS is probably accurate. However, there is nothing that says you can't have both. Or even another rheumatoid, autoimmune, or nerve issue. Numbness, joint pain, and fatigue are all symptoms of many different things. I would go to a rheumatologist and ask to be tested for anything that your symptoms could be. I hope that you feel better soon!!

Yes, you could have had Lyme disease and antibodies to this would still be in the blood. If this is so, then the doc can give you a round of antibiotics and the symptoms can be reversed if it is done soon enough or at least lessened alot. Cindy RN

I was diagnosed with MS 8 years ago,and at that time was also tested for Lyme's Disease. Your neurologist should have done this first. Maybe he did and didn't make you aware of it. It could be done with a routine blood-draw. Ask them to check your chart and see if it was done. If not, go to someone who will test you.

As for my diagnosis, although no doctor will ever admit to it, I feel it was a misdiagnosis. I had many of the same symptoms you describe above for 2-3 years prior to diagnosis, sometimes being so severe I couldnt' talk or walk . Overheating was always the worst condition for symtoms to exascerbate
I started out with 6 legions on my brain and cervical spinal cord, all detected in an MRI that, together with a spinal tap, confirmed the diagnosis after my first child in 1999. My doctor put me on some very expensive injections, for which I'm sure the pharmaceutical company kicked back a nice incentive package, and I got SOOO sick from them. I never had any more new symptoms, and 2 years later I went off the drug to get pregnant. I had another baby that same year (2001) and stayed off the injections after she was born. I got pregnant right away with baby #3....And 6 mos after he was born (2002) I tried 2 different injectibles at my doctor's insistence. I chose to stop them both within 4 months because the side effects were HORRIBLE.

I have been 7 years off the drug therapy with no symptoms whatsoever, and an MRI 3 years ago showed no progression of the disease. I do not credit any of the drugs for this, but rather a complete change in my diet!!

If you drink/eat ANYTHING with ASPARTAME (nutra-sweet)...STOP NOW!! It has been noted by many MS patients to cause/exascerbate MS-like symptoms, and many who have noted experiences just like mine feel it has contributed to a false diagnosis. NO MORE SPLENDA(sucralose),ASPARTAME, or Saccharine! They are neurological nightmares and a doctor will never tell you this!
Try sticking as much as possible to an all-natural diet and no artificial sweeteners of any kind. It made a world of difference in my situation.

Yes, it might be Lyme disease and not MS. Or, it could be Lyme-induced MS. Definitely worth getting evaluated by someone who understands the tricky overlap of symptoms between these two diseases. It's also important for you to understand as much about Lyme as you can--it's a complicated, complicated disease. I suggest you join the forums at www.lymenet.org. There are others there who have struggled with the MS vs. Lyme conundrum. They could better point you towards helpful resources. But here are some websites to get you started:

Good sources of info about Lyme disease:
http://www.canlyme.com
http://www.lymenet.com
http://www.lymeinfo.net
http://www.lymediseaseassociation.org
http://www.ilads.org
http://www.betterhealthguy.com
http://www.publichealthalert.com
http://www.freewebs.com/teenswithlyme
http://www.lymetimes.org

I don't suspect Lyme here- based on all you said.
But you can/ should have a complete Western Blot test run by a better lab to check on the possibility of Lyme being "involved". But as was mentioned earlier, that may've already been done. Good luck w/ the meds!

Hi Bellaboo:

I had very similar symptoms during a Lyme exacerbation. There are some Lyme physicians that feel all MS or some MS is Lyme actually (since there has been research showing a spirochete link to MS). I've heard a physician talk about this who treats MS like Lyme (depending on the history probably) and sometimes the lesions actually clear up. In the one case this particular physician was discussing almost all the numbness/paralysis cleared up. My symptoms are greatly helped with Lyme treatment. Hope this helps. I've heard of one other person's lesions clearing up with Lyme treatment also. I've heard lesions on the brain are harder to clear up than on the spinal cord.