Hi, Does anyone of you know if a GP can prescribe medication for fatigue even if not yet diagnosed with MS? I have an appointment next week to talk to my GP about my symtoms (which te neurologists I have seen don´t think are to bad)… but also to get help understanding my medical records better, while awaiting my next MRI… which most probably won´t be until some time after Christmas… I don´t know if what I feel is actually fatigue but I am sometimes so very tired but at the same time I feel really cut off from what´s going on around me, like I´m in a bubble and can’t really think straight…Does this sound familiar to anyone?? It gets worse when I am out shopping in big malls or when it´s alot of people around and alot of things to take in-really exhausting…Afternoons at work are also not working for me…sometimes even mornings…
I doubt it. There are only two medications available for MS fatigue. And one of them is really hard to get prescribed, even by a neurologist. You could ask your GP for Amantadine, that’s the most common drug to combat fatigue, but they may not be able to give it to you, either because you’re not diagnosed, or because they’re not permitted to unless a neurologist gives them the OK. The other drug I’m pretty confident your GP won’t give you is Modafinil. It’s a better drug for fatigue but it’s become quite hard to get a new prescription for it.
Sue
“at the same time I feel really cut off from what´s going on around me, like I´m in a bubble and can’t really think straight…Does this sound familiar to anyone?? It gets worse when I am out shopping in big malls or when it´s alot of people around and alot of things to take in” This sounds completely familiar, even down to the difficulties in shops. It feels as if my brain is overloaded with stimuli it can’t process quickly enough. I’m seeing an ophthalmologist soon. It might be worth trying dark glasses if you have some. I was recently hospitalised and the bright fluorescent light triggered many of my symptoms, as did certain sounds. It is gradually improving, but I still twitch in shops and anywhere it’s very bright or noisy. I think the light sensitivity contributes to the overload.
Thanks for your reply Iain, I was having a really off day when I posted and I know I haven’t been diagnosed yet but jeez they don’t rush do they, I am trying to carry on with my life and that includes going to work and struggling but just have to keep pushing myself x
Thankyou for your reply sue, I was having a really down day not helped by having a massive list of continuing symptoms now going on 4 month and trying to keep my life in order until I get a diagnosis good or bad. It is just so hard to stay positive when you are in limbo x
I was at the theatre last week enjoying a musical, we were sat high up looking down on the stage I suddenly like I was staring and then started twitching with a few small jerks it lasted for about 10 mins. The show was fast and loud.
I feel I get more bothered by sudden loud noises too. I’m waiting to see a neurologist.
I’m even sensitive to touch Lelp, but it is gradually receding. I think realising that it’s actually overstimulation, not anything more has helped me work through it. Getting stressed about feeling weird without being able to put my finger on why was worse and probably made the symptoms increase.
ok, thanks Sue for the info on the medications-I can see why they´re difficult to get prescribed and of course should be…well still I´ll ask my GP about it…I just want to function better in the afternoons or when out and about…
Well, saw my GP today and he doesn´t understand what the neurologist is waiting for when looking at my medical records. My GP is quite positive that I actually have MS and he just shook his head when I told him how the neurologists treated me when I was there…anyways, Sue, you are right my GP cannot prescribe drugs for fatigue…but at the same time he thinks I should contact my neurologist again and tell them what symptoms I have now…I asked about getting a referral to someone else as I don´t really want to go back to the neurologists but the problem is that in Sweden we can´t choose who to go to when it comes to specialists- it´s called monopoly…and if he writes me a referral for a second opinion he says that the new neurologist can say no to seeing me because there is a certain code between them…Hope I am making sense but health care works somewhat differently over here…unfortunately I´m in the hands of the two neurologists I´ve already seen and one of them I really don´t want to go back to… I don´t know whether to wait for my next MRI which most probably will be in February or to contact them before…
I am the same and have the same symtums… it’s so frustrating not known what’s happening with my body I have been running for 2 years and still no further forward have a urgent nuro surgeon appointment tomorrow today is a bad day for me I can hardly walk with the pain…
Contacted the nurse of the neurologists yesterday and told her I had been to my GP to get help to understand my medical records and why information about the same thing is different…which she and one of the neurologists also thought was odd…hmmm…well anyway I told them that I’m not really worse then before and really no new symptoms but what should I do in the meantime and their answer is pretty much that I have to wait for the next MRI in March…I’m studying alot of updated research on ms and diagnosis and I don’t really think my nerologists are following recomendations…the neuorologist said there are drugs for my “fatigue” but he doesn’t want to prescribe at this stage… Well most of you know what I´m going through as you’ve pretty much been there or is there right now…just a way to get rid of some agonizing thoughts by sharing…thank you…
I may be a step closer to seeing a neurologist hopefully within 4 weeks. On 1st Nov I went to the theatre to a musical and in the second half I wondered if I had a focal seizure. I realised I was staring rather than watching the show and then my leg was twitching and my eyes blinking rapidly. After a couple of minutes I was back to normal. When I spoke to someone who said it sounded like a seizure she told me to Google it and it all made sense plus an earlier incident. Anyway my GP said it could be and said she would refer me to the First Fit clinic and for a CT scan.I also think I may have had another seizure on Fri. Downside is I’ve been told not to drive. I don’t work so at least that’s not a problem and I’m on a main bus route just not used to public transport. Have to wait and see now. My GP said to let her know if I haven’t heard anything by early December.