I know everyone is different but do symptoms usually progress this quickly? I had what my GP thought was a vascular event back in January and now I have developed a variety of symptoms including pins and needles in my fingers, toes and the soles of my feet. I have neck pain, dizziness wobbly legs and am now finding walking difficult. My balance is shot away. I see my GP again on Friday with a view to being referred to a neurologist. I am considering seeing a neurologist privately because I can’t believe how quickly I seem to have deteriorated. I have been advised not to drive for the time being.
Hiya Cassie,
I won’t say normal because it isn’t but it’s the usual length of time. I would say that MS; whatever it is; is still attacking and yes you should go private; cost about £2-300.
Get the rest on the NHS otherwise it gets very expensive.
If it is MS I think the Neurologist will get you in hospital for a short course of steroids; a LP and MRI (5 DAYS).
This will explain about the tests mult-sclerosis.org
Good luck and try not to worry; easy said but hard to do I know.
George
Thank you George. Yes, I do hope to go private for the first consultation as I am a carer and feeling the way bi do, I don’t want to be hanging around in this limbo any longer than I have to.
Best wishes
Cassie
Hi cassie i went private the first appointment and have been on and off for 10 years with the same neurologist. He finally diagnosed me after 10 years last february. I found the first appointment private was best as I got a full 30 minutes chat and he treated me differently.
If you have MS you could be experiencing a relapse. I believe i had my first relapse after experiencing some scary stuff for a bit, in 2004 and it hit me like a train, so it could be a possibility. Good luck stick to your guns. x
Hi Crazy Chickerell and thank you for your input. I don’t know that I have ms but drs can’t explain my symptoms and don’t want to talk to me. I decided that I think a private consult would be best because I really need some answers and my reasoning at the moment is that if I see an ms specialist then he/she would be the best person to tell me if I don’t have ms as I have been made to feel I am wasting people’s time. Today is not a good day and I am all over the place. Even shopping is an effort 
Roll on Friday and my Drs appointment. Maybe then I can start getting myself sorted out .
Best wishes
Cassie
Hi Cassie
Ill tell you my story - August 2016 - Burning right shoulder (like sun burn) with a small centre shooting pain. This jumped to my forearm with numbness down to the back of my right hand then onto my thumb then forefinger (this happened within 3days). Went to doctors and got the usual trapped nerve speech (trapped nerves have pain - i felt really well with no pain, just numbness). Went on my merry way. Left leg was next, started to go weak, then i was hobbling (by this stage signed off work and not driving) within a week of it all starting. two weeks later i was alot better. Ive had lots of issues of the last 9 months - dizzyness - light legs - bladder and bowel - twitches - tingling here and there - hot foot and back of leg - nerve pain in right hand (like it had been tied up with rope) - Bicep ache - neck flex issues… but all have nearly gone. so yes it seemed to happen fast but lingers on after
I didn’t go private in the end because it seem to start resolving. if you are anything like me it will resolve in a few weeks to a good degree but some of the symptoms can linger on and on and on. It seems like they will never fix… i look on it in terms of months not days anymore.
you cant queue jump NHS after being private and scans cost a fair amount plus all the blood test which will be done again private if you havent had any. Go back to your GP and ask to see Neuro rather than be slowed up by a GP, i belive they have to pay when they refer you which is why they seems to slow down? find out about private as well - because private can still take a week or two?? and i know how you feel.
PS dont panic its a shock but it could be anything - During my issues i hadn’t found out about MS so dont read to much at this stage
N
Cassie
First of all, you should keep in your mind that MS has a huge variety of symptoms, many of which can also herald a different diagnosis. It is easy these days to have what seems like a whole load of symptoms which fit the MS diagnosis after consulting Dr Google.
Only a neurologist can diagnose MS (or rule it out of course), after they have done a load of tests which should include: taking a verbal history, a physical neurological exam and if deemed appropriate, MRI and maybe lumber puncture and/or visual evoke do potentials.
Lots of people do have an initial private appointment and this actually can move you up the NHS list quicker. The way to do it is to find an MS specialist, hopefully from your local NHS hospital, but one who also has a private practice. Ask your GP to refer you to him/her as a private patient and pay for the initial appointment.
If the neurologist thinks your symptoms have a neurological basis, whether it be MS or something else, they may be able to shunt you back into the NHS practice to be able to have the tests done under the NHS (and for eg, an MRI costs several hundred pounds). Because you will have already had the initial appointment, the tests and subsequent appointments should come about quicker than just waiting for the NHS initial appointment to start the ball rolling.
Best of luck
Sue
I saw my GP this morning and he was lovely. Have the greatest respect of people who are not afraid to say they don’t know and in my case he doesn’t know. He does think Ihavea problem and that I need to see a neurologist. There is a 3-4 month wait on the NHS here and he is happy for me to see someone privately, so I need to find a neurologist.