This is my first (or maybe second as I think I posted it incorrectly!) post. In 1987 (I know ages ago) I had surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome. Had the left hand done first and as it did not work and the numbness persisted did not go back for the right hand to be done. Then in 2006 visited GP with what he said was an infection of the intercostal muscles. It felt like a bear hug, hurt to breathe and lasted several days. Then couple of years later went back to GP with numbness in both arms and wrist weakness. By this time had sprained ankles several times due to ankles just buckling under me. The GP suggested I see a chiropractor which I did. Took a few weeks and several visits but seemed to help or so I thought. Then 3 weeks ago lost colour vision in right eye and part of the vision was pixelated. Went to GP, this time new one as old one retired. It took 2 weeks to get appointment by which time eyesight had returned although eye was watering constantly. She sent me to optician. Off I went, he could not find anything wrong except that my eyesight had worsened and I would now need specs for driving as well as reading. He said he thought I had had a stroke. Asked him how he came to this diagnosis and he said it was because I had said I had numbness in my arms. Funny how the doctor would not comment on my eyes but optician felt able to diagnose a stroke! GP has now booked blood tests for end of the week and will see me again next week when the results are through. Friend suggested I ask forum members for any suggestions, tips or advice on what may be wrong and what to ask the doctor next week. I am constantly tired and the poor old dogs are not getting the exercise they deserve. I work part time but seem now to spend the whole of sunday sofa surfing to get the energy to face work the following week. Over to you knowledgeable folks now.
Hi,
I was in a similar(ish) situation until my diagnosis in March. Last November I contracted an ear infection, it was quite severe and affected my ability to walk. Any time I got up I was sick and needed help moving around. I went to see a doctor at my local walk-in-centre and she advised it was just a cold. My symptoms worsened so I booked an appointment with my own GP, she referred me straight to hospital, where I waited for hours for them to tell me I had an ear infection and I was given anti-sickness tablets to stop the nausea.
Two days later I was back at the hospital as the left side of my face had dropped, like it would after a stroke, and my left eye stopped moving completely so anything I could see was blurred. I was diagnosed with Bell’s Palsy and advised it would go away naturally. I went back to my own GP and he was concerned over the fact that my eye was affected, as Bell’s Palsy does not affect your eye, other than stopping the lid fully closing, which may cause tired and dry eyes. I was referred to the Eye Hospital and to a neurologist, he seemed concerned that the nerves control my ear, eye and face muscles had all seemingly been infected at the same time. I was sent for an MRI scan in February.
Before I got the results of the scan I experienced a numbess that started in my lips and then spread to the entire left side of my body. I could not use my left arm, as I was unable to grip anything, and my left leg struggled to walk properly as it was like having a constant “dead leg”. They advised that the results of my original MRI had come back abnormal but did not want to speculate until they had carried out further tests. I had another scan on my brain and spine and then finally a lumber puncture, the test results confirmed that I had relapsing-remitting MS.
If you have concerns I would ask your GP to refer you for an MS scan as they would be able to see the lesions or plaques synonymous with MS, and if necessary they can then refer you for a lumber puncture to confirm.
Hope this helped.
Leigh
thanks Leigh. I am just beginning to put things together and maybe the surgery in 1987 was unnecessary but we are all wise with hindsight. Will have a chat with the new GP once the blood tests are back. not sure how much blood they want but the test request sheets ran into several pages! Thank you for taking the time to respond, it is much appreciated.
Dinks
First let me say it is totally against any unwritten rules that anyone could possible indicate what you have; but you have been given the run around for so long by doctors who should know better.
First the squeezing of your ribs; unable to breath sounds like the MS Hug. Sorry but having this does not mean you have MS; see http://www.ms-uk.org/index.cfm/symptoms I have highlighted both the Hug and Optic Neuritis that could explain your symptoms.
Ask for referral to a Neurologist; someone who knows what they’re talking about.
Good luck
George
This is the correct way http://www.mult-sclerosis.org/diagnosingms.html
Thanks for the advice. Will ask for referral if Dr does not offer it first. Just really want someone to take it seriously and stop referring me to costly opticians/chiropractors and the like. Have faith in the new GP (I think) she has taken more interest in one visit than the old one did in 30 odd years of me being registered with him. Time will tell.
Hello and welcome 
A visit to a neurologist appears to be long overdue to me 
What I suggest you do is make a list of the events you’ve told us about here (approximate date, symptom, treatment if any, outcome) and make sure that the GP considers all of them, and your blood test results, in deciding what to do next. It’s a no brainer to (unqualified!) me - you need a referral to a neurologist.
A referral to an ophthalmologist would be a sensible move too. Opticians do not have the equipment or training to be able to know for sure what happened to your vision. It may have already recovered, but a neuro may find an ophthalmologist’s opinion useful. Your GP can do you a referral to a local walk-in clinic.
Karen x
Thanks Karen. All replies recommend a visit to neurologist so I do not feel I am overeacting by asking for one now. I hate wasting other people’s time but feel I now wish an answer of some description although of course I may not get it!
Dinks.