I’ve finally got my first neurology consultant appointment in a couple of days time after experiencing my symptoms since April.
I’m on a low 50mg dose of Pregabalin which takes the edge off, but I still have the awful pins and needles in both hands and feet.
My GP has been brilliant, and I had an original MRI scan on my C1-C7 section of my neck and they found three bulging discs but they were not deemed to be in contact with the nerve.
I was then referred to the neurology department after my symptoms got worse.
I’ve always had pinched nerves in my neck (or what I thought were pinched nerves) but the pain always went away by itself after a couple of days.
So to have this since April, with maybe 1/2 days without pins and needles, has been quite frustrating.
I have lots of other symptoms, like fatigue, intermittent vision issues and more as well.
I was wondering if anyone had advice for that first appointment and questions I should ask or things I should raise?
I know that everyone has their own range of symptoms, but if any general advice or suggestions is out there, I’d love to hear it as I want to be sure I’ve asked all the right things!
I would suggest taking with you a brief summary list of symptoms and timescales. It’s easy to get so keyed up about a consultation that you’ve been waiting for for ever that you can’t remember your own name once you get there (experience speaking here). Best to go prepared. Beyond that, I have nothing to suggest but wish you good luck.
Hi Simon. Can I ask has MS been mentioned - by your GP, in the referral letter or elsewhere?
As @alison100 says, definitely best to take written lists with you. A List of symptoms and list of questions and use them as a checklist. It is easy to suffer from ‘vacant / blank’ mind when sat opposite a consultant neurologist who you don’t know and are feeling a little nervous and anxious
Oh and forgot to mention I’ve being having physio as well, and while my neck movement has improved, they also want to wait until I’ve seen the consultant on Tuesday before they would refer me to a more specialist physio that would deal with MS.
Yes me and GP have talked at length about the possibility of MS due to the amount of symptoms I have, however he wants me to see the specialist obviously to get the right help.
The MRI scan, he doesn’t have access to, only the notes from the radiologist (think that’s correct) which talk about the discs in my neck.
I’m going to make an assumption that the consultant will send me for a brain and spine MRI to rule things out?
I have had a CT scan on my brain, that came back clear, as GP did want to check for any sign of a tumor.
It can be useful to take someone to the meeting with you. I sometimes take my wife with me to my meetings with the MS Nurse. My memory isn’t bad but so much goes through my mind during the session that I do forget some things . Either that or take a pen and paper in with you
Good evening. My first post on here! Here goes: Casting my mind back to 2014, in addition to the advice above, for a pre diagnosis apt, I would ask what I can be doing now to manage whatever condition(s) the consultant thinks I may have. Eg. I would be asking about the benefits of Vitamin D and O3.
