Anemia or MS?

New diagnosis and before diagnosis
1

Hello everyone,
I’m new here, I’m hoping someone has gone through the same and can give me some advice.

Six years ago I had my carpal tunnel operated. I had numbness, pins and needles as well as shooting pain going from my right hand all the way to my shoulder. The doctors did a test with different needles going in my arm -it was a horrible experience- but the results were inconclusive and I was give a preventative operation.
Two years ago, after having COVID I also had tingles and twitches in my face, but I thought it was covid related and it only lasted a week.
A year ago, I had a sharp pain in my lower back, it felt like I hit a bruise, but I asked my husband if there was any bruising and there was nothing, after a week, I went to the GP and she said it was probably a muscle and to do stretches every morning.
This year in February I started having tingles in left side of the face that spread to my nose. I googled it and it said lack of sleep or too much caffeine, so I went to bed earlier and cut down on caffeine, after a month it didn’t get better so I made an appointment, which as always is 3 weeks away. It got worse, the tingling spread to my right leg and the same arm I had my carpal tunnel done. my legs shook a couple of times and I had to sit down. And I felt like my whole body was buzzing. So I made an emergency appointment with the GP, they saw me the next day and that when the GPS saw that I had considerable weakness on my right side. Took some bloods and she explained that it might be MS and she was referring me to a neurologist. She said the bloods to check if I had a B-something deficiency.
Yesterday I called for the blood results and they told me I had a iron deficiency and I needed folic acid and then the receptionist made a phone appointment with the GP, for three weeks away! I asked her if my referral was cancelled, but it hasn’t. I asked her other questions and she said she didn’t know, she wasn’t a doctor.
The tingling in my legs and arm has gone, now I only have it in my face. But I’m so confused and I wished the doctor left some notes or something. Having to wait three weeks is killing me.

Can anemia cause the same symptoms? If it is, then why mention MS in the beginning and freak me out?
Also, I was asked by the GP if I had any sight problems. I didn’t think to mention that sometimes everything goes dark-ish, because it clears not long after.

Sorry for the long message, but I’m not sure who to talk to.
Any advice would be appreciated.

2

Isn’t anemia when you’re low in iron? It’s a good idea to eat spinach. I think I’ll try to increase my iron intake, if has any positive effects on my MS.

3

One of the standard blood checks is for B12 deficiency because that can cause neurological symptoms and is a lot easier to diagnose and fix than most of the alternatives, so they like to exclude that early. Perhaps that was one of the things you had checked.

I am sorry that you are having a worrying time and I know that the waiting game is no fun, but there’s no helping it I’m afraid. I hope that you get to the bottom of things soon.

4

p.s. if you don’t already, put together a symptom diary before your consultation with the neurologist. Not War and Peace - just a bullet point summary of what was happening when. And include the vision thing.

5

Thanks for your answer, Alison. My B12 is fine. Is only my iron, that’s low. Surely this alone can’t make me feel so weird?
My legs and arm seem fine now.

I know the waiting game can’t be avoided, I’m just being impatient.
Any words of wisdom?

6

Yes, it is. That’s the weird thing. I thought that it was a deficiency on vitamin b12 that had similar symptoms, not lack of iron.
On Friday, my whole body and head were buzzing, it only lasted a couple of minutes, but then the lights deemed. It freaked me out!

7

Hi egking83

If you haven’t already - get your eyes checked out at the opticians to rule out anything going on there.

2 Likes
8

Thanks Teresa,
Yep, had my eyes checked, nothing wrong with my eyesight.
Today I’m feeling really woozy, but I’m also super tired, but that could be the anemia.
The nerve pain/tingles still very much present.
Anyone else had that?

9

Small update.

I’ve been given gabapentine for the pain my face since the pain killers from over the counter don’t work. I had this when I was suspected to have carpal tunnel so at least I know what to expect.
The GP said she wants to have more blood tests, just to see if there’s anything else going on before I see the neurologist.
Ps, even though my iron and folic acid were a bit low, they aren’t low enough to make me anemic.