Got my 2nd Nuero appt next week. At 1st appt they thought MS and said we will do brain and cervical spine MRI first before thing about LP. Had my MRI which was clear, asked Gp well if its not MS what is it? She thinks MS. Despite the Near Me function says my local hospital is an MS center it’s not, main Nuero is epilepsy specialist and know they can not prescription DMD’s at my local host opal, have to go to Leeds. I am worse now than when I first saw Neuro and am waiting on a urology appt, had eye problems but not ON, eye clinic say probably Nueroloical come back when you have seen Nuero, we can’t do anything. Seen Rheumatologist for Raynards again come back when you have seen Nuero. Am I with in my rights to ask if MRI was done to MS protocol? Know the scanner is old. Gp wants me to have annual MRI’s as she thinks in time lesions will show. She also wants me to push for LP. But as I am not fitting into all the MS boxes, should I be asking to see the MS specialist in Leeds? Would they see me? Sick of not being able to see properly, not beening able to take my son to school, numbness and pain and pins and needles, plus fatigue, making me depressed being pushed from pillar to post. Scared Nuero will say Gp wants annual MRI’s so we will do that, see you in a year. Or that as MRI is clear so nothing wrong with me and good bye.
I hope rizzo doesn’t mind but here’s one she answered before.
It’s really hard to give advice that will definitely pay off, but there are some fairly standard things that are usually good to stick to.
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Assume that the neuro will be pressed for time. If he/she isn’t, then fine - you can add more info from memory as required, AT THE END - adding info as you go might waste valuable time!
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Be prepared: Be able to tell the neuro your history & family history in clear, concise statements. Don’t assume that they know anything. Don’t waffle. Take it chronologically. Take it steadily; don’t rush - be methodical. Don’t dwell on the minor things. Stress the big things. For example, “There have been a few things that have happened over the years including numbness and extensive buzzing and pins & needles in various bits of my body, but in April 2008 I went blind in my right eye for 4 weeks. Six months later…” I.e. get the minor AND the major things out there in one go. (If you spend 10 minutes talking about your left foot being tingly, then the neuro may have switched off by the time you mention optic neuritis - not the best of use of time!)
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Don’t hand over your lists. They are for YOUR benefit. Talk through them. Give the neuro a COPY at the end, if you feel that they haven’t necessarily made thorough notes.
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Your symptom list should not be a blow by blow, day by day account. No neuro has the time or patience for this level of detail. Make sure to get your most important symptoms in there, when they started, how bad they are/were. Group things - did you have periods when you had loads of stuff happening and other periods when you were fine?
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Be honest. This works both ways: don’t exaggerate, but also don’t play things down.
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Questions are personal - we all have different things we want to know. Saying that, the fact that your last MRI showed lesions is important (it’s lesions btw, not liasions). I’d want to know what they pointed to. How they compared versus different diagnostic criteria (do not just mention MS - some neuros do not like the fact that patients come in with a working diagnosis of their own). I’d want to know if the fact that I had had symptoms / attacks of whatever it is since the last MRI was relevant (yes it very well could be, but let them say that). I’d want to know what the next steps were. I guess I’d want to know loads of things! So having a list of questions is pretty important too - but, again, know what the priorities are. If you are going to only get time for some of them, make sure you get the biggies in.
Other people may have a few other things to add!
It’s a right pain, but it’s often not enough to just sit and answer the questions 
Good luck!
Karen x
George
Sorry earlier post was irrelevant as you have already had your first appointment.
You can ask anything you want it’s the answer they can easily bluff the un-indoctrinated like us with science.
The problem with NHS scanners is that the vast majority have a resolution of 1.5 Tesla. To get a good image you need at least 3 T and there’s not many of them in the NHS; I’m sure Karen will tell you better.
George
Hi hunny, I know how you feel love. im not sure GPs can tell neuros what to do. they refer and then its up to neuros. Hope I am wrong here,
as you already know, i`ve done the rounds, but luckily Dr Dafalla at Hudds said he will see me annually and not discharge me.
I have read that many folk here have been discharged and it`s all wrong.
I wanted to see DR Lily at Leeds, but he didnt wanna see me!
luv Pollx