Early MS Symptoms. First signs of MS. Information you need to know.

Thank you for watching @SaraslivingwithMS. I created this channel for multiple sclerosis awareness and support. In this episode I share my early MS symptoms. Information you need to know to get treatment fast and stop the progression of the disease.

My videos do not provide medical advice and are for informational purposes only. The videos are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please do not disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read or seen in any of my videos.

[shannawallace]

Don't beat yourself up for not going to the doctor sooner. Odds are they would have blown you off anyway and said you're probably just anxious and need to get more sleep. They won't take you seriously until the effects start becoming severe, especially if you're female.

[ronsmith]

My wife's right side showed many signs of disability and her neurologist at the time diagnosed a stroke for the first 8 years. After that she had other growing disabilities and after doing a spinal tap in hospital, the white dots confirmed MS. She had it for 26 years and wasn't able to ambulate (stand or walk) for the last 15 years. She had MS 26 years. Long time. I was her carer for almost all that time. She has now passed and was 82. But she is no longer suffering and was a wonderful person.
The effects on me, the carer, for so long was considerable. I had a heart attack (90% blocked) and pneumonia. I have since recovered, walk 11, 000 steps and day and keep well. I am starting to do some travel which I have never been able to do. All the best. One day hopefully they will find a cure.

[Hayles]

I don't personally have MS, but my mum did... She passed exactly 4 months today.
She told me she had first had symptoms of MS that started with what she called an " MS hug" which she initially though was a heart attack, this happened when I was around a year old. ( I'm 30) This was her first thing that anything was wrong, otherwise she was very healthy, no high BP, no other conditions. By this time she had had 4 children, i was her youngest and I watched it progress as I grew up. She started having issues with walking.. her mobility got less and less, I remember she fell out of the car when i was about 12, because she couldn't feel her leg and it was caught somehow around the seat belt that had dropped too low and the sil of the car door( inside)...

After that her walking got progressively worse. we moved house not long after, because they wanted a house that had a downstairs bedroom as mum by this point was using a stair-lift and couldn't always stand up once she got to the top.

We moved into the new place in around 2007/08 we moved to the new house.. Mum had secondary progressive MS, that she was diagnosed with just before we moved. It took that long for a diagnosis... she was put onto tablets and also injections into the stomach/legs - I used to do them for her every so often. eventually she was struggling to walk so bad, that she would fall almost daily. she couldn't pick her feet up, nor feel where they were. She had a very big fall in the bedroom one night where the carpet was reeved up, she caught it and smashed her self into the floor... even as recently as January 2023, those bruises never fully went. She had many occasions where she fell off/down the side of the toilet. Ambulances were called quite often but mum used to refuse help for what was happening, until Xmas of 2021 - right though the middle of Covid, mum got very ill, we assumed it was an infection as those always made her unwell. She was unable to get up and barely speak - because she kept refusing for my dad to call an ambulance.

That night she was so unwell he told her she was so unwell and she had no choice in the matter, dispite her arguments, Dad called for an ambulance - She was taken into hospital, where it was discovered over the course of 6 and half weeks, she had Sepsis and MRSA. She was incredibly ill and we were told to expect the worst. amazingly, my mum recovered, very well... but not fully.

This had meant she had so much muscle wastage and now she was unable to sit up by herself- down to MS and being in hospital for so long... her MS was severely affecting her memory and sometimes she come across almost, childlike - with no understanding of consequence and what she said. We knew it affected her mentally so we knew she didn't mean what she was saying, but now, She was 100% bed bound. We had a hospital bed put in, my brother and dad became her full time carers around the carers in 4x a day. She went on like this for 2 years, she even caught covid - after she left hospital. she had it for 4 days and it went...

Late January of this year, she showed the same very strange behaviors...confused, unwell.. arguing with dad about being ill/going to hospital.
This time was different, She went in - we believed it was an infection, again. but we caught it quite early.

She went in... It went from infection, to blood clots in the heart and lungs, to seizures caused by the MS - severe flinching and jumping, to sepsis... to organ failure and she passed 4 days later. She was still mentally there... but she could barely lift her arms now...her heart rate had gone to 200 bpm trying to fight infection, fight the failing kidneys, the heart was giving up but trying so hard. my mum had such an insane amount of water retention, they had to stop giving her fluids because she bloated so badly.... i got her to squeeze my hand three times for I love you... that evening was the last I saw her...

My mum didn't die from the MS... she died from complications of her MS - so if you take anything away from this....Please get checked out as early as possible. My mum was kind soul and a good woman... she raised 3 kids by herself and then raised me with my dad... we had dogs and they taught me well.

I'm aware you can't stop or cure MS, but you can catch it early and slow it down...

[lexs.]

I got diagnosed 2 days ago. My symptoms were my hand and legs numb, tingling. My headaches also. And i lost the ability to write. My arm hurt my legs also. Strange symptoms that i was even told to go see a psychiatrist as i was told i was just stressed. After 10 years of suffering i finally got the right diagnosis.

[rafasimsim]

❤❤❤ For all the people who suffer a disease.

[Machlooper]

Jesus I literally have every single symptom you have. I was told I don’t have MS several years ago (after a brain MRI) but I’ve gotten worse so coincidentally I’m going tomorrow for a full brain and spine scan. Thank you for posting this.
Just to clarify I have an immune disease called MCAS that can mimic MS and I also have brain/CNS damage from being exposed to chemicals in the military so it’s quite complex. However I still push through and exercise every single day and I find resistance training (weights now mainly, I started with bands) has made life much more tolerable. Thank you for posting and look after yourself 🙏

[allielilly]

Thanks for sharing your experience. I started this journey in the 1990s. Like you I didn’t go to the doctor right away. But when I went they didn’t believe what I was saying. This went on for years. I went to many doctors. With No answers. Finally in 2003. I went to a doctor that knew about MS. I sent him all my records before I saw him. Within twenty minutes he told me what I was experiencing was real. And It was MS. I just wanted to know what was happening to me. And it wasn’t in my head. It’s been years now.and I have to say. I have had good days and bad ones. But I can deal with it all. I try to get a lot of rest. Eat healthy foods. And stay away from alcohol. My journey was so hard before I saw my MS doctor. Now just knowing was my saving grace.

[judithwebb]

I was diagnosed with ms 22 years ago when I was 56, my symptoms were different to yours, I felt as if I had cotton wool in my shoes, also found it hard to walk in a straight line, l also had a few falls and my legs felt like jelly. Although I am now 79 I haven’t given in to it. I played bowls up till last year, I still play croquet, and go to art classes twice a week. Still manage to garden though kneeling is very painful. I decided not to take much medication because it always made things worse, I take painkillers also amitriptyline at night. I do have a mobility scooter because I cannot walk far and it gives me some independence. Try not to let ms take over your life, just try to carry on for as long as you can . I refuse to let it beat me.

[staceyann]

I began getting sick in 2014. Absolutely exhausted, bronchitis constantly, and over all super anxious all the time. Went to doctors immediately. Went through 5. Put me on depression meds which I didn't need. Said I was dramatic ( I'm not), looking for attention, and an addict...?addiction...?? An addict? 2015 - 2021 I saw many doctors for leg & foot pain, headaches, not being able to walk right, always being tired, among other things. Started falling summer of 2021. Mri showed ms. I had already had 2 of those. Why didn't someone see it? Now I've done 2 different meds. Failed both. Tried stem cell therapy. Worked alittle at 1st. I am worse now then I was. Doctors don't want me. It's frustrating.

[PatDen]

Thank you for letting everyone know your story.
I'm almost 64 and have been dealing with many different symptoms you listed that started at about 19 with the blind spot in my left eye. I went in right away, my sister even had me see her eye doctor, same thing. They said a capillary lost blood flow and it died and that with time I wouldn't notice.
It seemed like an isolated incident, then years later I had bells palsy when I was admitting my husband into the hospital. The ER said yes you have Bell's palsy but gave me no steroids.
I was diagnosed with shingles because I had a n itchy rash without pain, that developed into a numb spot on my back that sometimes tingles and itches.
I finally have a doctor that is ordering an MRI of my brain.
I'm going to be shocked if I don't have it. So many years of pain and being treated like a drug seeking addict, all the while working.
I pray for us all

[teedub]

My sister has MS and all of these symptoms in hinsight are red flags, it angers me that doctors don't put them all together. 7 years from her first symptoms before they figured it out 😡 but you have to push for the right tests 🙏

[susanheuss]

Sara, what year did you 1st noticed the early MS symptoms? We're you vaccinated for covid? A new W.H.O. study just came out saying there is a correlation of MS to the vaccine. I'm worried for my daughter.

[SapphireLyric]

Thanks for the information. I've been recently diagnosed with Lupus and now my primary thinks I may have MS. She noticed a tremor in my hands. I realized something was wrong with my bladder last summer when I had to rush to the restroom to keep from urinating on myself. Then extreme muscle fatigue (worse than my lupus fatigue) to the point where my doctor admitted me to the hospital because she thought I had a stroke. Recently my new symptoms are extreme vertigo and dizziness. I feel like I'm in a water bed or on a boat rocking back and forth all day and I feel like my body is being pulled to the left side. My gait is off and I'm having a hard time walking. I've was at the hospital for two weeks with my husband and I kept dropping things. When woke up a few times and I couldn't focus my eyes to see anything and it lasted for several minutes. For years I've dealt with body aches and pains and numbness in my extremities. If I turn my head too far left or too far right I feel like I'm going to pass out. I've had lupus symptoms for years but these things I'm feeling are different for me and I'm terrified because I'm also having cognitive issues where it's getting hard for me to read, write, type and spell simple words. My husband and I were talking about something unrelated to food and I went to Google to search and for some reason I ended up typing banana into the search bar! I have no idea where that came from. We kind of laughed it off but now it's happening more frequently to the point that sometimes I can't remember our kids names. I'm having a difficult time remembering simple and important things and I struggle to find words when I'm speaking. I don't know if this is MS, parkinson's, or something else I'm not aware of. I just know something is wrong with my body I really want to know what's going on. I'm still waiting on my neurology and rheumatology appointments. Do you have any of the these symptoms I've named? How long did it take you to get an official diagnosis? (Please excuse any grammatical errors. I reread this about 20 times and it looks right to me but I'm not sure) 😔 TIA

[Sally-ihls]

I went to the doc with all little symptoms, they just brushed it off as stress, or I was crazy…took 2 years to get proper diagnosis as they had to rule everything out, was very frustrating

[sgs]

Thank you for sharing. I had Tingly hands and feet for over a year before they figured it out. Peripheral Neuropathy and/or diabetes seem to mimic MS to me. When in doubt, get an MRI!

[Wewillbeokay]

I recently saw my doctor because of having issues remembering things, forgetting words mid sentence, and feeling like I can’t concentrate. After some testing she diagnosed me with ADHD. But I don’t think that’s it. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia years ago, I get intense pain all over. A lot in my back. My ankle often hurts very bad and that makes walking difficult. Every night while I’m sleeping I awaken to my arms being numb and tingling. Now that’s happening during the day as well, just completely random. My legs will fall asleep too when I sit in certain chairs. I got really dizzy in the store a few months ago and had to sit on the floor until it passed. I have bouts of stomach issues almost daily. I’m completely exhausted no matter how much sleep I get. I also suffer with depression. It’s like everything is starting to make sense. I’m going to call my doctor tomorrow.

[famasmaster]

I was just diagnosed with MS at 49 yrs old. What a trip. I cant believe that this is my life now. I know I have no way to change it but I got myself on the Wahls diet and it has been wonderful. I have lost a ton of weight which is the upside I guess. Right now I have drop foot which is causing the most immobility. You are in my prayers 🙏 Don't stop fighting, much love to you and success

[hummingbird]

I started getting symptoms in 2001 when I was 37. It started when my right hand felt kind of numb and I kept shaking it to wake it up. I also felt lightheaded like I was drunk. It lasted for about a month. Then my right foot went kind of numb. I was never diagnosed until I was 53 when I had a brain MRI for a different condition. I've developed other symptoms over the years but I'm doing really well. I've had problems with being tired ever since I was 13 when I had Mononucleosis. I'm 59 now.

[naturallydope]

At the age of 43 I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis March 22nd of this year. I am at the peak of my career started a new job and this happened😢 I'm gonna fight this disease as much as I can because I don't want to took bring me down I have so much to live for and I have so much to do for this world that God has gave me a platform and I want to continue to live my life took a fullest.

[Magnocalabro]

I have Long Covid and many of the symptoms are 100% like those of MS.