Hi everyone,
I have joined here as I don’t know where else to turn. For the last year and a half, I have been experiencing horrible and scary symptoms but my doctors refuse to go any further than a blood test (which came back normal). I have had: vertigo on the ground, (which i never used to have) balance and posture problems, dizziness,tight diapraghm/chest and trouble breathing, slurred speech and trouble finding words, pins and needles, stabbing and burning pains, resting tremors and recently a crushing pain and numbness in my feet. I did have a very stressful job for 7 months of this, so I initially put it down to the effects of stress, but when the symptoms continued I became worried as I am now in a great job and have not been majorly stressed for ages! I’m 23. Can anyone help?
Thankyou!
Hi Jules,
Im pretty new on this forum and don’t know whether I have MS or not yet, as Im still under going tests and due to see my Neuro in July. I really feel for you, I too am suffering many of the symptoms you mention… Its horrible isn’t it! and I too still have a stressful job that I love, I put all my symptoms down to stress but the worse they get the more Im staring to think maybe I do have MS? like my neuro thinks I do.
You need to go back to your GP and tell him your not happy with his diagnosis and that you want a second opinion. He needs to either do other tests - depending on what blood tests he has done or refer you for an MRI scan or direct to the Neurologist. Dont take no for an answer, you deserve to know whats happening to your body!
Good luck, you will find lots of support on here!!!
Chelle x
Hello Jules x I know that stress and anxiety can cause some pretty awful physical symptoms but personally I would want more than a blood test before I accepted that diagnosis - and if turned out that it is stress that is causing those symptoms - I would say its pretty severe - and I would want some decent treatment for it xxx Keep going back to your GP - hopefully they will get the message xxx keep us up to date xxxjenxxxx
The not knowing is not a nice feeling. I’m in the same boat as you, only luckily I have a great GP who referred me to a neuro. I didn’t always have a great GP, though – Before this GP, I had one who was much like yours.
It’s sad to say this, but you really have to be the ‘squeaky wheel’ and bug the daylights out of somebody until they listen to you. Ring them every day if you have to (hopefully it won’t come to that) – but don’t feel guilty about it. This is your body and your health. You are paying the doctors to do a job – so they need to do it properly, and that includes letting you know that you are being listened to when you have a concern.
It’s OK to request a second opinion… You know your own body best. I hope things turn around for you and you find a good doctor who is willing to listen.
I’m in the process of changing to a new GP, so I’m hopeful that they will take me seriously, they come recommended! My problem is I already suffer from depression and anxiety and my doctors have branded me a hypochondriac. Which in all fairness, anxiety can make you a little bit of one, but there is no way I could have imagined any of these symptoms! I also have had recently this weird coldness in my feet, also oddly when in a hot bath! What worries me most, well they all worry me, but mostly, is when I have trouble walking. It seems to go with balance problems, and mainly when I get too hot my legs get really weak, and one time my left leg went from under me as i went up a step. It had been raining and the step was maybe slippery, but I had grippable walking shoes on…ever since then I have to walk slowly downstairs. Also, where I used to walk confidently in the rain, I no longer can. I once walked over the wobbly bridge opposite St Paul’s in London in the rain, holding onto the railing for dear life, no matter what I did, I could not keep my balance 
And sometimes, my legs just will not go. All my symptoms seem to get worse in the heat, which makes me scared for summer. Is this common for MS? Sorry to go on, but I have not had anyone I can reel of a load of fears to who will understand.
Heat sensitivity is one of the symptoms of MS but that’s not to say other things can’t cause these either. I get heat sensitivity when I come out of the bath - I feel like I’m kack handed and it takes a good half hour to hour before I feel like I’m co-ordinating normally. Though I haven’t got any formal diagnosis yet.
A set of blood tests certainly isn’t enough of an investigation by the GP, an MRI and neuro review is certainly warranted considering your symptoms haven’t gone or improved. I would definitely perciviere. A colleague of mine suffered from servere fatigue and other various symptoms - she changed GP’s thrice so a whole rang of specialists and now 8 years on she’s got her diagnosis - she certainly wasn’t making things up. Trust your instincts and your body. ReemzX
Actually it was only one blood test, think she said it was the regular one, she called it, for anaemia, glucose and things like that apparently.She didn’t make a whole lot of sense but my 10 minutes were up so I couldn’t clarify things further. Why is it that doctors appointments are so limited? When I go to my new doctor, i want to be able to explain everything from start to finish and have the time to have options explained back to me. I did give this GP as list of some of the symptoms but she wasn’t bothered really.
Thanks for your replies, it means a lot to find people who will give support! hugs to all.
xx
Keep going to the Dr, or ask to see a different Dr… When I went to my Dr. with the numbness from my feet to my belly (I was pregnant) she told my it was the baby pressing on a nerve… (I was thinking, what?? all of them? Constantly? For 4 weeks? Thats one comfy baby!) Not likely! Then when I went back… she told me it was varicose veins because of pregnancy (not 1 varicose vein to be seen), and she gave me compression stockings!!
Anyway, told midwife who said its not right, and she referred me to the hospital consultant in the antenatal bit… he was confused about my symptoms and phoned another part of the hospital… sent me straight there…
…that Dr was confused about my symptoms (and seeing all was not right as i was wobbly and weak and off balance) and had to call her Senior in…
…the Senior Consultant was also unsure what was going on, and referred me to Neuro and for MRI…
…it was only when i read her referral letter and read ?MS that I came home, read up and it alll made sense!!
So definitely try and see someone different!
Hi
i am so sorry you are going through this at such a young age I am 57 and have been ill for 3 years was an annohying person before first to dance sit down for 2 minutes I want a fraction of my life back but for someone so young I would say insist in every test you know your body and we are all here to help. If LP is mentioned I did not feel a thing the needle is so fine now if you wish to talk you can contact me.
Hugs
Jan
x
Thanks Jan, I don’t know if I should be chatting on the young persons part of this but then not being dx I guess this is the right place. I have just told my Mum I want to change doctors and have started to try and tell her about more of the symptoms but its hard cos she never really knew of them. I was in such denial for the most part, I did everything I could do hide them. She is not dead set against it, but is still kinda wary. I don’t want it to be MS but if it is and there is some help, surely I’m entitled…
hugs
Thanks Claire, I have filled in the forms, so just have to take them back to the new doc on Tues (annoying bank holiday with surgerys shut), apparently i should at least get a health check with a nurse once im registered, so even though i imagine that’s very generalised, its better than nothing.