Three years and still no diagnosis

Question:
Hi! I am a 49 year old male and 3 years ago I was tested for MS. I had a weird episode that lasted a month. Started like alot of MS patients with numbness and tingling and tremors mostly on my right side. I felt electric shock down spine and then all resolved. Went to emergency room and saw MS specialist and he did lots of tests. All blood work fine and MRI fine. He said there was low possibility of MS. For 3 years I have walked with my legs feeling like bricks as muscles feel like I have done a huge work out. I have a hard time occasionally swallowing large foods. I'm very tired and numbness comes and goes. My brain feels weird...only thing I can describe is it is like I had some attack that effected my brain. My GP after and year and half did only Brain MRI and again it was normal? Fast forward 2 years later and I still have the same symptoms other then I had pain in right eye for a long time. Now it feels like it's very sensitive to touch and feels like something is behind it. So Do I have MS? Am I crazy thinking maybe it's older onset to MS? Is there anything close to MS that we need to look at? We did a Lyme Disease test and vitamin b12 and lupus 3 years ago and all good. I live in Canada and it takes forever to see a specialist. Thank you for reading this story.

Answer:
You probably do not have MS. Normal repeat imaging after 3 years of symptoms makes this diagnosis unlikely. You should be evaluated at least one more time by an experienced neurologist. This is far more important than any repeat testing. Most of our diagnoses are based on a careful, detailed history and examination. Keep an open mind to the possibilities and a good neurologist should be able to help. Good luck.

Revere (Rip) Kinkel MD
Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Program
Professor of Clinical Neurosciences
University of California San Diego