Hello,
I’m really struggling at the moment with various things.
Over the past two years I’ve had a number of ‘episodes’ of ms type symptoms - tingling specifically across my right side and back, weakness in my left arm and complete numbness in two of my fingers, prickly feeling across my face, needle feeling in my eyes, a general feeling like I’m fizzing inside (can’t think of a better way to describe it!), extreme tiredness (similar to early pregnancy exhaustion but x10), clumsiness to name but a few.
I’ve been to my GP each time I’ve had an episode like this and they’ve carried out multiple blood tests, ECGs, found I have slightly high blood pressure and I’m anaemic (I’ve been anaemic for over 7yrs and take daily iron tablets but this doesn’t seem to improve things) I had nerve conduction studies completed which returned as slightly borderline but my GP wasn’t concerned about following up. They continually put my symptoms down to anaemia and told me to go back if the symptoms persisted. Each episode tends to last between 4-7 weeks roughly man’s are slightly different in intensity.
Over the summer holidays I’ve had what I would consider the worst episode so far and duly went back to my surgery but seen a different GP. This doctor was lovely and I explained what was going on, she looked at my history and asked if anybody had ever spoken to me about MS. I explained they hadn’t and repeated the above - she said she wanted to do some more up to date bloods to see where my anaemia was at and rule anything else out and said she would advise I was referred to neurology as she was concerned I had been displaying MS symptoms and it hadn’t been looked into.
I had the blood tests, they came back borderline but again my own GP didn’t seem too concerned and when I mentioned a neurology referral they said I probably just have health anxiety and to monitor whether my symptoms were definitely what I was feeling. I haven’t ever had anxiety, health or otherwise so felt I was just being dismissed. However my symptoms are problematic but I don’t really know what to do.
Sorry this was incredibly long winded, I just feel really alone with it and unsure what to do next.
Any advice anybody could give would be greatly appreciated and thank you if you’ve read all of this.
X
Hi Dobbylovesrhinos
GPs are so quick to ascribe every symptom a woman has to ‘anxiety’. My symptoms were apparently anxiety, stress, looking for attention etc. until 4 lesions showed up on an MRI of my spinal cord - I smothered the desire to say “OH look - I’m so anxious I’ve imagined 4 lesions onto an MRI scan!”.
Insist on a referral to Neurology, because whilst a GP can say, this might be, only a Neurologist can say for certain that it is. Keep a diary of your symptoms, when, what, how long etc. It’s useful for when you get to see the Neuro.
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I’m not quite sure how these things work, but if one GP says you should be referred to Neurology and another doesn’t then just demand that you are. Or ask to see the GP who thought you should be referred.
I know I would be kicking up a fuss and e.g writing formally to the reluctant GP asking for a written statement about why she/he is ruling out MS.
Just in passing - you refer to your ‘own GP’. Do we have our own GPs any more? I’m in Scotland where we have a ‘named GP’ but it’s purely administrative and I only see her once in many blue moons. The rest of the time my appointments are with any of the GPs in the surgery
Hi,
I also think you should insist on a neurology referral - and preferably referral for an MRI brain at the same time (a GP can do this without waiting for neurology, in principle). It may not be MS, but you don’t want it preying on your mind. And if it is MS, you’d want to get diagnosed and on to treatment as soon as possible.
I don’t even understand what is meant by “monitor whether my symptoms were definitely what I was feeling”. You’ve described your symptoms very clearly. You know what you feel.
Can you go back to the GP who recommended a referral to neurology and ditch the one that said it was just “anxiety”? In my GP practice, I was assigned to a specific GP but she wasn’t helpful. So I just ask for appointments with another one who is. Mention that you’ve seen the better GP before about the same issue. And tell them straight: You have symptoms that might be MS - although other explanations are possible. If they are MS, failure to investigate/delayed diagnosis could damage your health - early treatment is important. That’s something you could put in writing so it’s on record, if necessary.
A neurologist can investigate MS but also check for other things that might be causing your symptoms.
I hope it turns out well for you.