Hi, just beginning to wonder if i actually do have MS . What do you think pls x

New diagnosis and before diagnosis
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I`m a 42 yr oldotherwise fit and well working mum of 4 apart from having high blood pressure and on tabs.

Have progressively had more and more difficulty emptying my bladder until eventually studies confirmed marked retention. i`d stored 575 mls AFTER emptying my bladder. I am now learning to self catheterize.

At the same time i have been to see my GP re ongoing dizzyness. I had what we think was Labyrythitis about 4 years ago very badly. Lost my balance sight ect for weeks.Anyway i manage day to day but some days and some situations are worse than others-eg looking up quickly and cant turn my head quickly-could be a bit of nerve damage. I had a collapse a few months ago which was sudden short and very scary. I`ve been to see a stroke guy ? neurologist who ordered various tests inc MRI brain to rule out MS.

I was a bit taken ababck tbh-then after having a read around i must say i wouldnt be suprised.

I have progressively worsening weakness down my left arm and i did notice when the doc tested my reflexes my arm ones were absent- , but have had this for years i think from a dodgy neck-i just had an x ray which revealed cervical spondylitis so that pretty much explains that.

I still have that thing after the labyrythitis in my rt eye too-i think its called nystagmus ?

Anyway back to the bladder-cons said my detrusor muscle just doesnt work. Its bad today but ive noticed i have weeks extending to months where its sooo much better-almost normal. Then it just comes back and i do nothing differrent-however i noticed this time it came back the same time as my dizzyness came back ?

I had my head MRI last week and have received an appointment to follow up on 22 November.

Will MRI most def show something up if i have got MS?

Im normall y fit and well as i said and dont normally read up on things to frighten myself, its just that when i saw the doc he was a little shocked that i`d not been earlier prob because i dont like bothering people-

TIA

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Hi Tia, well some of your symptoms are MS-like… but there are so many conditions with MS-like symptoms it’s impossible to say.

Lesions on the brain (which most people with MS have) don’t always show up on MRI and it does depend on what sort of scanner they use… some of the newer ones are apparently much better. But for many people lesions showing up on MRI is there first step towards a dx of MS.

It’s not an easy thing to dx. No single test. They put together lots of bits of info to dx… symptoms, MRI results, various physical tests and sometimes lumbar puncture if they are still not sure.

All you can do is play the waiting game… not easy I know. Wait and see what the results of the MRI are. You can at least take heart that you are on the right track… IF it is MS or if they can rule out MS (which appears to be what they are looking at). If the neuro suspects MS they will do more tests even if MRI is clear… or they might wait a while and do another MRI. But do bear in mind that there are MANY conditions that cause similar symptoms.

And IF it is MS it is certainly not the end of the world.

Take care and hopefully you’ll get more answers when you see neuro again.

Pat x

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Thanks Pat what a reassuring post.