my partner said last night that when he looks down it goes all fuzzy and feels like a vibration in his back???can this happen?? he has been back at work for 2 weeks and is totally exhausted, i said he needs to go and see his gp again as his nxt mri is not till weds and then have to wait 3-6 weeks to see the consultant.but he said his gp cant do anything ,im sure this is not the case,but if u have read my previous posts you will know hes in denial,i just dont know what too do anymore,and his moodswings are taking their toll,i know its so hard for him im trying to be understanding and patient but with 3 kids and 1 a 6month old things are hard for me too,im sorry for ranting i just dont have anyone i can talk too
Yes, this is (probably!) a common symptom of MS and is called L’Hermitte’s sign.
It’s usually associated with a lesion in the cervical spine (i.e. neck part). It’s not dangerous, but useful evidence to mention, as it is classically associated with MS.
I’m not really sure his GP can do anything. Some symptoms, like spasticity (muscle stiffness) and fatigue are potentially treatable by a GP, even without a diagnosis.
But I’m not sure whether there is any treatment for L’Hermitte’s, specifically. Many MSers are on things like gabapentin or pregabalin for nerve pain generally. I’ve never tried those, nor have I ever had L’Hermitte’s, so I don’t know whether they do much for that.
Might be worth a try, but many GPs are reluctant to prescribe, in the absence of a diagnosis, and mine still was, even after a diagnosis! Some of them don’t want to take responsibility, and just want to bounce it all back to the hospital all the time, which can be frustrating.
Could be worth trying a different GP, if the current one isn’t very proactive about treating symptoms, but it still won’t lead to a diagnosis any faster, as this will definitely (at minimum) require the MRI and the follow-up with the consultant. Consultant will very likely order some other tests, too, like blood tests and a lumbar puncture, if your partner hasn’t already had these (Sorry, there is no way to search people’s previous posts, so I can’t catch up on history to date.)
Thanks for your advice,his gp is fantastic with him, too cut a long story short partner has had probs for many years dr ordered a mri, had 2 c consultant on the 8th dec following mri,dr said it showed nerve endings uncoiling (like a choc bar losing its wrapping) he has had blood tests done 8 pots taken,next mri on weds then lumberpuntare and something to do with his nerves in his eyes,consultant said it def looks like ms but obv can not officaliy diagnosis this intill all test results are back but from previous medical history and 1st mri it certinally looks like it is.
The waiting is very very difficult. The uncertainty is frustrating at best but it seems it does just take time. I have had an MRI, Lumbar puncture, VEP and bloods taken. Everything points to MS but even my neurologist is shing away from a definate diagnosis although he says it most likely is MS.
I know its hard on my wife as we have just had our second daughter 6 weeks ago after two missed miss carrages which, coupled with stress at work, sent me into depression for the best part of a year. I now know that tis was alos likelly a symptom of my (I use that word advisedly) MS.
Anyway, I know it can sometimes be harder on those who are not affected with the disease directly but are affected just as badly in other ways. I’m sure you and your family are a great support for you husband and dep down he knows this.
Please keep strong but not so strong that you eventually break. You need to loook after yourself in order to look after your family.
thanks so much for the message.i feel like im being so selfish as he is the 1 going through this,and im having to be the strong one for all of us,and at times i just wanna sit and cry,but i cant i know it is not me having to go through it all, but i have been with him for 10years he is my best friend as well as my partner,i guess im just finding it hard to be the strong one esp with the way he is so up and down at the min.
just glad i have people on here to talk to find it easier than confiding in my friends.if that makes sense
As Tina says, it sounds like L’Hermitte’s. It a sign of a lesion in the neck, but isn’t dangerous in any way so if it isn’t painful there’s not much to do about it.
He really shouldn’t be working right now though. Any luck in persuading him to take some sick leave? Or maybe even reduce his hours for a while?
Pushing himself through this will do no good whatsoever
Hang in there. You are doing brilliantly, even if it doesn’t always feel like it. He is very lucky to have you
i have tried to persuade him but he doesnt want to in till he has the offical diagnosis,i have said that will take months, i have told him he is doing no good for himself me or the children,i just do not know what else to do,he gerts home from work and he is shattered and grumpy and no doubt this weekend again he will be exhausted,i cant speak to his mother about it,as i have tried and she said that some she knows has it and works with it (she works in a care home) it is a bit diffrent to working in a warehouse and lifiting heavy boxes etc all day long and i really do not want to argue with her so i just keep biting my toungue…i dont know i just it is all getting on top of me and i hate seeing him like this
I just wanted to say hi. My husband hasn’t got MS, but I’m currently being tested for it. My poor hubby had a heart attack in November, he’s 46, and it nearly killed him. Its been horrendous dealing with it all, I’m trying to protect him and the kids from my problems, and he’s trying to pretend it never happened. We’ve got two young teenage kids who know nothing about my problems, apart from my ‘dodgy eye’, but are stuggling to cope with what’s happened to their beloved stepdad. He insisted on going back to work, against advice, as he doesn’t get paid and we only have his income, but as a result, he’s completely knackered, bad tempered, stressed and we are all walking on eggshells, most of the time. My son’s taking early GCSE’s this week and he’s a bright kid, but finding it really tough. My hubbies way of coping is to pretend it didn’t happen, stick his head in the sand, ‘work through it’, i mean physically, not emotionally. I feel for you, I understand. Be kind to yourself, you sound like you’re doing a great job. And Karen, you’re so right about the ‘someone I know’ brigade. It applies to heart attack victims too.
