Any help greatly appreciated

Hi all I have been looking at the forum for a while and thought I would ask for some advice. I have been having problems with hypersensitive skin, numbness, buzzing, burning, pins and needles and a cold sensation in my face, head and tongue. Also burning in my hands and feet with buzzing in my legs and numbness in one toe but to name a few ‘weird’ sensations that are happening. I have something almost daily but do not have mobility problems. My GP has made me an appointment with the neurologist at the end of October, i think this is because my mum had MS. I went to see the Occupational Health Doctor today and he feels that an appointment with the neuro is not really required and I came out feeling as if it was all in my head (which must happen to a lot of you). I know I am not imagining my symptoms and I am not saying that I have MS but did anyone else start with these symptoms, I don’t suppose for one minute that everyone who has been dx with MS started with just mobility problems. Sorry to drone on but I know these things are happening to me and not imaginary and would appreciate any advice to keep me grounded and stop me from ‘cracking up’. Thanks x

i started with mobility problems, and 9 months later i’ve still only got mobility problems (now with added ms diagnosis). I was diagnosed today, and it wasn’t until i read your post that i understood what the neurologist said to me today, he said “so it wasn’t all in your head”, at the time i didn’t understand the comment because i knew there was a problem, so it never occured to me that someone might think i was making it up, deliberately or otherwise.

boo x

Hello, My first attack started the same as yours. Tingling, weird sensations, burning skin etc. it went on for months and I was made to feel like a hypochondriac, one dr even suggested I was just trying to get a sick note to get out of having to do my uni homework. It was insane. Long story short, it isn’t in your head, but that doesn’t mean to say it is definitely ms. I eventually got into see a nuerologist and they spent a fair amount of time ruling things out before settling on ms. Maybe see if your gp can give you something for nerve pain until you can get in to see you neuro.

Occupational Health are all well and good (I assume this was through your work, and not an NHS thing?), but I don’t think it’s their place to overrule your own GP, and say whether you do or don’t need a neuro.

It’s true that there could be dozens of other explanations, some of which are not at all serious, but given that you do have MS in the family, it seems a sensible precaution to get it checked out.

I think Occupational Therapy should stick to assessing your ability to perform daily activities, and recommending ways to help you with those, if necessary. They’re not qualified to diagnose complex neurological conditions, or to pronounce on whether you do or don’t need to see a specialist.

If they did say anything useful or helpful, I’d take that on board, but disregard the rest. An Occupational Therapist isn’t there to decide what is the root cause of your problems, or whether you need a neuro. I’d just keep the neuro appointment as planned, and 'scuse the French, but b*gger what OT think.

With a bit of luck, it’ll turn out to be something simple and easily treated, such as a vitamin deficiency. But I can’t see any valid reason why you shouldn’t get it properly investigated.

Tina

Hi all Thank you for your comments, they have helped me have a neuro appointment in 6 weeks time and I am going to try try to keep things in perspective. It is easy to ‘freak out’ when you get sensations that you have never had before, which is what I did when my tongue felt strange. This only lasted for about 45 minutes but it felt like hours. I know the Occ health doctor feels that it is stress/anxiety that is causing all of these symptoms and I have had panic attacks in the past and know that the brain can do funny things when you are anxious but I don’t believe that ‘I am creating this problem myself’. I can see why he thought that as I get ‘white coat syndrome’ and look like I am about to have a breakdown and as soon as mentioned that my mum had MS the doctor then presumed I thought I had MS!! (which I don’t but it bound to be on my radar). Like many people on here have said it is a waiting game and I will either get better and the symptoms disappear or they’ll deteriorate. I am going to keep an open mind. I wish you all well and again thank you for your comments. Take care Alison

Neurologists know about neurological problems. Your GP knows about referring people in the right direction when they have strange neurological symptoms that need getting to the bottom of. I am sure the occupational health doctor is not being unhelpful on purpose. He is perhaps making a clumsy attempt to reassure you. But hhe has ended up interfering unhelpfully with the very sensible arrangements already in place. Ignore, I think. Alison x