Hello
I saw a neurologist today for the first time after an urgent referral from gp for suspected ms.
The appointment was brief, was there about 15 minutes. He said he would order a scan to rule things out. In hindsight I wish I had gone in to more detail. Just wondering if this sounds quite standard? I was expecting a more thorough appointment but I might have high expectations.
Many thanks for any feedback
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Almost identical to my experience 17 years ago.
Hello Penny, welcome to the forum.
It sounds as if your neurologist may have squeezed you into an already busy schedule on account of your āurgentā referral; hopefully he will have more time on your next appointment, after the scan.
Meanwhile, it may be useful to keep a symptom diary; the investigations can sometimes take a while to complete and your notes may be useful.
I hope things move along and you get some answers soon.
Ben
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An old-school neurologist would have sat down with you, taken a careful history, checked out your reflexes and so on. Maybe your GP did a good job of covering all that in the referral letter, so the neurologist already had a great basis on which to proceed, and hurrah for that if so. But Iām afraid that just bunging a person in the scanner first and asking questions later is not unusual these days, based on what people report on here. I am sorry that it all felt rushed and unsatisfactory, and I hope that you have a more productive consultation next time.
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Sounds very similar to my experience at the moment I have now had two scans with very little communication except a letter which might as well be writtin in another language! Even my gp is unsure!
Hi, thanks for the feedback. The dr didnāt mention seeing him again so I assume Iāll only see him again if something shows on the scan. I think Iām just really frustrated with myself for not speaking up but canāt change that now
It is frustrating I just kept calling his secretary for feedback heard from him then
Hello,
I have now received the results of mri scan. Says thereās a small number of non specific areas of change in brain. They are going to see me again in clinicāto monitor my progressā. Does this sound familiar to anyone?
My last two MRI scans have shown multiple changes in the brain that are consistent with MS (no actual diagnosis yet). Like you, I had a letter stating this and it may as well have been written in another language. No idea what it all means really but thought I would share so you know you are not alone. Anxiously awaiting follow up with the neurologist. Hope you get some answers soon!
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Yes, poor communication. MS is a serious diagnosis - may well not be yours - but at least an effort should be made to let you know what is going on. A matter of kindness as well as professionalism.
But no, itās not surprising.
The course of action sounds ānormalā to me i.e. if they arenāt sure they monitor.
Iāve found some doctors are very good at pushing appointments through so that you walk out with unanswered questions. Going in with a written list can help, but if youāre given new information it can take time to work out what you want to ask.
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I also share the frustrations I received a letter with gobble-do-gook with MRI results and still have not had a proper explanation of my lumbar puncture (GP and Eye doctor both gave conflicting results). My letter specifically said one lesion looked like an inflammatory disease so itās possible your changes are less clear hence the outcome for your appointment. You may find a follow up MRI will be done before your appointment.
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Hello Penny,
Today I received my MRI result from last month, when coincidentally I was going through another relapse at that time, the letter states:
āI am pleased to report that your recent spinal MRI imaging showed no new lesions.ā
Now whether I have 1 or 100 āoldā lesions on my spine, it does lead me to believe multiple sclerosis diagnosis is somewhat hypothetical?
Best,
JP