Advice needed

Hi, diagnosed with fibromyalgia ( approx 5 years ago), chronic fatigue (still waiting confirmation) small vessel disease, thyroid, also diagnosed with chronic migraine, spinal problems, bladder problems, swallow problems, clumsiness, neuralgia, and more recently experiencing severe fatigue, memory problems, dizziness, confusion. I was reading about small vessel disease and ME and realised that the symptoms of MS are very close to what I am experiencing although many of my symptoms have started years ago and continue to worsen… I am looking for advice really as I think my GP is not looking at the whole picture. I have only been at this surgery for two years.

I realize that MS is a complicated diagnosis path . I already have a small vessel disease diagnosis which I understand is similar to MS lesion diagnosis…?

Any advice gratefully received :relaxed:

Hello

I suppose the only thing you can do is write a list, or maybe a timeline of your various symptoms and see your GP again. This time ask for a referral to a neurologist. With chronic migraine as well as cognitive issues and nerve pain / neuralgia, it seems only reasonable that a neurological examination would help you.

I personally wouldn’t mention your thoughts about MS to either the GP or neurologist. Just saying that you feel many of your problems seem like they have a neurological cause is enough to get a referral.

And as you are already aware, having all these other diagnoses, so many symptoms typical of MS are also found in other disorders. So it’s not necessarily a good idea to go at this with the idea of ruling MS in or out, merely seeing if there’s something that could have an overarching cause of all your problems.

Best of luck.

Sue

Hi Sue’s right if you have been looking at dr Google you could look at the symptoms and say I have that, now I know I have this, the problem is that you could think you have MS but there are lots of illnesses that have to be ruled out first. The MRI looks at demyelinating disease legions if you don’t have any it is a good sign that you may not have MS they also look on your spine with an MRI. I have only had a brain one. The doctors don’t like you to diagnose yourself so don’t say anything, they do ask you have you been on the internet looking for symptoms, they do say not to do it but it is human nature to just do that. Hopefully you have a quick appointment with the neurologist he will take a health history and any illnesses that you may have, also they can ask for diagnosing tests to eliminate other illness which have similar symptoms one of them is a MRI, blood test and a lumber puncture. All this can take time. I got my second appointment with the neurologist in December and it’s for April my first one was in October time I think. So I am in the middle of all the testing. I hope you get an appointment soon. Kay

Thank you

About 3years ago I was diagnosed with drug induced Parkinsonism and recovered after withdrawal of stopping taking the drug but prior to that I did think that my symptoms were similar to ms? I did mention this to my gp who laughed but Sent me to a rumatolagist who diagnosed me with fibromyalgia. Ever since I haven’t felt well at all but recently I suffered a terrible stroke like attack where my right leg went numb, I sat down and suddenly felt numb all the way down my body. After a few minutes extreme vertigo set in then my body went into violent tremors. My hubby called an ambulance and after a 50 minute wait the paramedics said they didn’t think it was a stroke but would take me to a&e. On trying to get up I couldn’t feel my right leg? It just gave way so they lifted me into a chair, I was still shaking badly too. My speech was all wrong, I knew what I needed to say but it was coming out all gobbledegook?? After checking all my vitals they said I was probably having a bad panic attack!!(I have had panic attack before and I knew the difference) anyway after a 9 hour wait and morphine fir the extreme pain after all my symptoms subsided I was sent home and told to just go to a neurologist appointment and the results of my mri that I had had 2 weeks prior for ongoing neck pain. I felt so poorly so spent the next 2 days in bed My weakness and tremor continued so I booked a gp appointment who on seeing my tremor suspected my Parkinsonism had returned so tried to fast track my neurologist appointment. After 6 weeks 1 cancelled appointment I was then sent to see a neurosurgeon!! I explained that I needed to see neurologist but he examined me and said he suspected a stroke. It was a late Saturday afternoon appointment so as most departments had closed he sent me home with advice to take aspirin daily and he would book another mri and referred me to neurologist as my previous mri was ok just showing some small vessel disease. The following day I had another bad attack but without the vertigo just double vision, extreme tremor, weakness and numbness in my body and right hand side of my face. Again I was checked over and had a ct scan which fortunately was clear. Since then I have repeatedly getting double vision. My tremor hasn’t stopped at all in my leg and arm, I also have an internal tremor? Tonight I got up to go the loo and my right leg was numb again I felt the need to have a bowel movement so I used my peristeen device ( I have used since I had CES) I couldn’t get back to sleep so I am now having a hot chocolate and writing this post as I really think my symptoms are more ms than Parkinsonism although I know that they are very similar?

I’ve had test after test all coming back clear so suspected migraine?

oh dear the list is endless!I have written a post but reading yours I find many similarities,

i too have spinal problems (3 surgeries) vertigo, fibromyalgia etc.

Recently having bouts of nausea lasting up to 24 hours.

i have had another mri done on Monday so now awaiting neurologist appointment to see what is going on but on reading I understand it is going to be a long slow process.

Fingers crossed for a good outcome x