Hello, I’m new to the forum, and here because a recent visit to out of hours gp service has resulted in the recommendation of an urgent neurology referral with the phrase ‘?MS’ written on the note I was sent away with for GP referral.
I don’t want to jump the gun without a diagnosis, but equally I’d like to prepare for neurology appointment as best I can, so I’m here to ask ‘what do I need to ask the neurologist on my first visit’ and ‘what should I expect’
The symptoms that sent me to out of hours services at the weekend was a second episode of numbing of the left side of my face, my left arm and parts of my leg. This isn’t a paralysis or even weakness, just a very strange sensation, my face looks normal, but feels thick and heavy as do my arm and leg. This happened first about 3 weeks ago, lasted a week, stopped, and then reoccurred from last Friday evening until now. The two GPs that I’ve seen say it’s not stroke or TIA as I wouldn’t have had the week without symptoms. I’ve been quizzed about visual disturbances and weakness, but I haven’t had any problem other than issues focussing to read when very tired, which I have been more than usual in recent days. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, so fatigue is something I’m used to. I’ve previously experienced what I called a ‘fizzy face’ on left side as a precursor to migraine headache, but this has gone on longer and without the migraine on the two recent occasions.
My limited knowledge of MS is just the experiences of an old friend, who was diagnosed in her early 30s. Her first known episode was a sudden complete loss of vision which saw her admitted to hospital, plus I have just a general awareness of auto immune conditions (because of my rheumatoid arthritis). I’m 49 and female… am I right to think this would be unusually old (!) for a first diagnosis of MS?
Thanks, any helpful input ahead of neurology appointment would be appreciated.