The poor consultant isnt going to know what has hit him on Monday! Hes going to be bombarded with a whole load of things that I have got from the hospital and the doctors (my referral letters, blood test results and discharge papers) plus he’s going to have me and my dad asking question! I’ve written down a list of the symptoms that I had and what happened at the hospital etc etc. The doctor also wrote down things in the past and there has been nothing symptom wise except something called globus pharyngeus which was diagnosed in November 2010, a head injury that I had at the end of October last year and a previous bout of dizziness following a car accident many many years ago. Question for everyone does Ms just happen out of the blue all at once or is there usually symptoms prior to the first big attack? Also want to make sure I am prepared for the neurology appointment on Monday so was wondering if people could help me as to any questions that I should ask him? Thank you 
Hi Karina, dont know if this is your first session with a neurologist but if so, I think you will soon feel that he will take charge of the consultation process and he wont allow himself to be “bombarded” as such as this is unlikely to bring about a good consultation. If they are any good, they are very methodical as to how they proceed, with carefully staged opportunities e.g. for him to be reporting test results back to you; for you to ask questions; times where he’ll be prompting you with his questions, etc. Having said that it is clear from what people report on here that some arent any good and even when they are, they may still miss something you want covered, but then if you make sure you prioritise the points on your list to identify the ones you definitely want covered, you can always raise them at the end if necessary. Its not obvious to me what questions to suggest to you if they are not already obvious to you, but if you are expecting him to report back on test results such as MRIs EPs, VEPs EMG LP, it may be worthwhile finding out something about them (if you havent already) e.g. what criteria is used to determine when a result for that test is considered to be beyond the normal range i.e. abnormal, so you can then ask him to be more specific about the results and know what he means and query any result he may seem to gloss over, or query apparently inconsistent or unexplained conclusions he wants to make about them. I say this because it seems to happen (from my own experience and from what some people on here relate) that some results are glossed over and broadly reported as normal without explanation.
Hi thanks for the post reply. I saw a neurologist through the nhs who told me that I had demyelination and showed me that I had inflammation on the brain and that I had a lesion. He wasn’t that great a consultant and was very rushed and said that he would follow up on things in October with a further MRI scan. The reason that I decided to pay privately to see someone is that he didnt seem that clued up on things and I lost confidence in him when he talked me out of having the steroid treatment when I was in hospital and subsequently I ended up going back into hospital a week later and was hen given them as my symptoms hadn’t improved! Also his letter to my gp was wrong and had incorrect information in it so I want to see someone that knows what they are doing so am seeing a top neuro guy who specialises in ms and demyelination. I’m hoping that he’s going to be a bit clearer with things! Also the hospital had said for me to have a repeat MRI in 3 months time as they thought it was necessary (that would July time) whereas the consultant dismissed it all and said that he would do it in October and that he had a new trial starting in October so I might qualify by then!!
Hi Katrina
I am currently in limboland and from reading other posts on the Forum I have quickly formed the opinion that I have been very lucky with my Neuro. My symptons started in Feb with numb hands, numb stomach and what sounds like the ‘MS hug’. I was sure I had trapped a nerve but from recent MRI scans it seems like I have one lesion on my spinal cord. My Neuro told me 4 weeks ago that he highly suspects MS but cannot diagnose with only one lesion and one relapse so has ordered further MRI scans for 3 months - like the hospital advised to you so I cannot understand why your Neuro is determined to make you go longer??
Also, to answer your question about can MS come out of the blue? I have racked my brain for the past 4 weeks trying to search for any tell tale signs in the past, but I have never come up with any! For me, if it is MS then it has been a bolt out of the blue.
Emma xx
Hi Emma thanks for the message. It’s so strange that it can come out of the blue with no previous signs or symptoms. I’m unlucky in that the attack I had was really severe and I was hospitalised twice with it. I just wish that I had been lucky to get a consultant that was on the ball as it seems to make such a difference but I guess I’m lucky enough in the sense that I can afford to see one privately. Can’t afford any tests privately though so hope if he refers me for an MRI scan than he does it through the nhs!