I’ve recently been diagnosed with MS (past few weeks).
It appears that I had an attack back in May which caused severe vertigo, when I struggled to get out of bed without being sick. I was completely fine lying down, but once I tried lifting my head, I had to vomit!
This passed away after a week or so and I was back to running and cycling again.
At the end of July I had a car accident where another driver went in the back of my stationary vehicle, which at first seemed to just cause a bit of back pain, although I did have sudden bladder issues immediately afterwards and had to relieve myself rather indignantly in the back seat of the car (this was about 20-30 minutes afterwards). In the days following I noticed my feet were becoming heavy and I felt a sort of disconnect. This was mainly apparent when I tried to play football and I just couldn’t seem to move my feat as I used to, or flick my foot to lift the ball either. This has gradually worsened to where I am now with difficulty walking for anything more than 30-40 yards, impossible to run or cycle and some balance issues. My back now aches immensely and needs cracking often and I get sudden urges to go to the loo (for 1s).
My consultant has indicated that stress (emotional and physical) has been linked (although mainly anecdotally) .
Is it possible the accident contributed to this attack? My insurer has recommended seeing a GP medico-legal expert for assessment but I’m not sure how this will go. I don’t want to appear like I’m just trying to chase a payout, but at the same time, if there is likely to be a link then I also need to consider that.
Almost impossible that the accident caused your MS - it just doesn’t work like that. The MS arrival/discovery would be coincidental although MS does seem to act as an amplifier, so that anything you get, you get a worse version with MS than before.
In addition to MS, have you had an orthopaedic consult? Some of the things you describe could be caused by neck or lower back trauma unrelated to MS. I have chronic lower back pain which has been worsened by deconditioning and it masked the true extent of my MS such that my EDSS couldn’t be scored properly. Worth running this by your MS Consultant though they may refer you back to GP for an Ortho consult.
Keep in mind that the relationship between stress and MS is complex and not fully understood, some experts suggest that physical trauma such as a car accident can trigger an MS attack.
I’m really sorry to hear about what you’re going through. I haven’t experienced MS myself, but I do know that stress can affect our bodies in unexpected ways. It might be worth exploring all avenues, including the medico-legal assessment your insurer suggested, just to understand how the accident might have impacted your health. It’s not about chasing a payout—it’s about making sure you have the support you need during this difficult time.
If you’re unsure about the process, speaking with experts like those at caddellreynolds.com could provide some clarity. They specialize in personal injury cases and could offer insights based on their experience.
Have to agree with GCCK I was diagnosed with cis back in 2014 and was stable and didn’t even think about it, fast forward to 2022 I was badly assaulted at work a year later my stable cis had progressed to RRMS with multiple legions on spine and brain.
I was also diagnosed with PTSD which caused alot of stress and anxiety. So the stress of the incident went hand in hand with what GCCK was saying.
