Awaiting diagnosis of suspected MS

Hi everyone - I have read a lot of posts on this thread but my symptoms are a bit different and hoping someone can shed some light on things for me! Last june I got first bout of Vertigo episodes (no trigger or warning but would get very dizzy and followed by vomiting and then fall asleep) in june I put it down to food poisoning and next occurrence was September which I thought it may be the same! I awoke next morning each time and was fine! Continued to work as normal!I then had another episode in mid October end of November and start of january only one of which required me to take time off work (1 day) and had dizziness that persisted past sleeping! None of these episodes had symptoms other than tiredness and stiffness/discomfort in back of skull than lasted longer than 12 hours! Tiredness and discomfort lasted few days but I was able to work with it! Not serious fatigue! My GP referred me to neurologist who diagnosed me with vestibular migraines but wanted to send me for an MRI to be sure! I got phone call from neurologist today to meet next Thursday at my scan is abnormal for someone my age (30) and that ms is now a significant concern! I am wondering if anyone else has had similar situation besides vertigo outlined above I have no other heath issues or symptoms! It may seem like I am over reacting but I do not think neurologist would have mentioned it if not a serious concern and although I am lucky to meet him so soon i do not think i will receive a quick diagnosis and would be grateful for any insight members could share from their experiences! I know I’m lucky to have no pain or motion affected issues but that does little to ease my anxiety at the moment! Thank you for any insights ye could share!

Hi karen, sorry to read of your problems and possible MS diagnosis.

Your symptoms arent common for MS, but you never know what can happen!

My symptoms were drop foot, bowel/bladder issues, stiffness in limbs and serious fatigue.

Hope the neuro can help.

Boudsx

Thanks Bouds for your reply! There is nearly too much information on internet- my head is spinning from reading it all! It’s such a shock to get as the MRI was being done more as a formality from beginning as neurologist said he would ring me with results as he didnt suspect there to be anything on it so have to wait and see what he says! I have read pages of symptoms and the only one I have is the vertigo which never lasts more than a hour and then I fall asleep for 2 to 3 hours but outside of that I never suffer from fatigue! Hopefully I will get more answers on thursday but based on post here diagnosis doesn’t seem to be a quick process!

I hope you get some answers on Thursday. You’re right though, the road to diagnosis often takes some time. For me it was 3 years from my first MRI to rule out a stroke which came back showing lesions, to my latest scan which unfortunately showed new lesions and resulted in a diagnosis on MS just a few days ago.

Luckily my symptoms have on the whole been pretty ‘mild’. Headaches, dizziness, numbness and tingling. But you may have read that everyone’s experience of MS and symptoms is different.

There is a lot of information out there and you can quickly drive yourself crazy with googling. But this forum is great for asking questions and getting support while you wait for answers.

Sending positive thoughts and well wishes your way.

Hi Karen, I just thought I would add to this conversation.
My first symptoms were numbness and pins and needles in my legs which lasted a few weeks, then just passed. I was 30. Was put on steroids but wasn’t told why. Just forgot about it as my 2 girls were ages 6 and 7 so no time to worry.

came back again over years and a couple of test with no answers!
It wasn’t till I had a relapse age 50 where I had a bad limp. I was told it could be tendinitis or restless leg syndrome! Didn’t recover so they put me in for MRI , when I was diagnosed with MS.

I will say that I am glad I didn’t know in all that time as I just lived life as normal,still playing netball age 40.I am now 62 and I am controlling the pain with prescribed medication. Also a lot of fatigue like everyone on this site.I was relieved with results as I was worried it could be something worse!

Im sorry to hear you’ve been unwell! I would say don’t worry too much and carry on as normal try not to dwell on it.

On reflection from time to time,before I was diagnosed, I suffered with vertigo and migraines too. I didn’t connect the two!

Hi Karen

I actually doubt that a neurologist would suggest that MS might be the cause unless they really believed it was. Having had an MRI, the neurologist would have an idea as to what lesions they can see and whether MS could be the cause of the vertigo/vestibular migraines.

Certainly vertigo can be an MS system, it’s perhaps less likely as the only symptom, but it’s possible.

As you are well aware, you may have the appointment on Thursday and find you don’t have a diagnosis, but are left with the possibility of more tests at such time as they can be done. I’d anticipate a lumbar puncture, maybe nerve conduction studies and / or visual evoked potentials.

It was very different for me, not only because the NHS was in a completely different state (!) but also because it was 24 years ago. Testing has changed, drugs have massively altered, there is a point to being diagnosed quickly (ie disease modifying drugs) which didn’t exist then. So my actual experience is irrelevant to yours.

I wish you the best of luck for Thursday. Let us know what happens.

Sue

Vertigo is one of my main and worst symptoms of my MS.It depends where on the brain the MS lesions are,mine were on my brain stem and that’s why i have severe vertigo.Hope you get some answers on Thursday.