I am new to this forum and to the disease in general. I have not been diagnosed with MS, but am going to see my GP at the end of next week about some symptoms I have been experiencing. I am not looking for a diagnosis online or anything, but I am terrified of the thought that I might have MS, and would like to know if the symptoms I have match in with the disease?
Over the last 6 months or so, I have noticed the following symptoms:
headaches - I am not prone to these and they are not severe, but I usually wake with one a few times a week, and they last all day
tremors in my hands - to the extent that I sometimes have to hold a cup in both hands to keep it steady enough to avoid spilling
muscle twitching - usually in my arms/back (but can include my legs if I am tired or stressed), and are strong enough to cause my body to move
fatigue - like I have never felt before! I can sleep 13 hours a night and still be exhausted
bladder problems - I feel I need to go more often, sometimes urgently. Sometimes I go, and once I have finished, I still feel like my bladder isn’t properly empty but I can’t get any more out (sorry if that’s a bit graphic!)
I also see “floaters” (for lack of a better word) in my vision, and sometimes think I see something moving across the floor when there is nothing there
Any ideas? I am scared about wasting the doctor’s time if this is nothing, but it’s really causing me to be concerned…
Hi I would certainly get checked out at your GP’s, im not say its MS but you seem to have some of the more common signs, but this could also be other problems…best get GP’s advice.
Many thanks for your replies! Mac - like I said, I’m not looking for a diagnosis, more like reassurance that I’m not wasting the time of a health professional… My appointment is on Friday and time is really dragging! I’m not looking forward to going, but I need an answer and a resolution.
Sharon - no, I haven’t gained/lost any weight. I have regular blood tests (I am anaemic), would this show up on a normal blood test?
MS is a rare condition - so much so that most GPs will only see a couple of cases in the course of a career. Something they see MUCH more often is people who haven’t got MS, but who are worried that they might. Please try to take heart from that.
Dr Google is a lousy diagnostician for all sorts of reasons, but particularly because he majors on symptom matching (which is hilariously unreliable) and disregards incidence (which is the thing that tells us that rare things like MS are rarer than common things). Please remember that, however (superficially) good the symptom match, rare things remain rarer than common things. Statistics are definitely your friend here!
It is good that you are consulting your GP for an expert view. But please try not to make yourself wretched by thinking way too far ahead.
Hi Chukkin. I wasnt saying that you were looking for a Dx here what i was trying to say is that i agree you have some of the more common symptoms but like Alison has said it could be anything…and no your never wasting your GP’s time, thats what he/she is there for to advise you on any thing health related your worried about…But again like Alison said MS is so rare that most GP’s will only 2 to 3 cases in there time…always best to chat to them…but also keep coming on here for support the guys here are brillient. Mac
So I saw my GP yesterday who has ordered a whole range of blood tests (covering thyroid, anaemia, liver, and a whole range of other things!) and says if they come back clear, then she thinks a referral to a neurologist will be the next step. I have my bloods on Tuesday then will go back for the results in a couple of weeks. Glad that the process has been started (even if it’s not MS), because like I said to the GP, it has gotten to the stage that it is problematic to the degree that it affects my daily life in a huge way and I need help to control things.
Yes it sounds like you have some sort of Neurological problem so don’t think you’re wasting GPs time. That is their job and they would sooner catch something sooner than later.
Here’s an article about MS Diagnosis http://www.mult-sclerosis.org/diagnosingms.html you can see how difficult it is to diagnose. A GP may only see a few people with possible MS their entire career so it is important you are referred to a specialist.
I also have same symthoms started with my knees giving way and loss of balance about a year ago i thought oh i’ll lose some weight and i’ll be fine, boy was i wrong, it just got worse and worse, eye sight started going funny, went to my gp he sent me for xrays was told minor artharitis he told me to go for a eye test which i passed, they then refered me to a specialist.
I even went a and e cause it was so bad it made me very emotional, but they couldn’t help me as it was not an emergency.
Been seeing eye specialist since september he diagnosed me with Uvieitis and told me it’s caused by a auto immune disease been treated with steriod drops my gp was useless no help at all changed gps last month he checked me out did several bloods said my kidneys thyroid not diabetic all clear muscle tested too thats all fine, now waiting for a neuro appointment.
So it started with my knees giving way last march then it got worse, walking was hard so borrowed crutches, loss of balance problems with my balance, i walk without aid and fall over fell in taxi last week he couldn’t help me up so sat on floor all way home.
Problems with my bladder like poster explained needing to go more and not feel like i’ve emptied it completely, problems with my bowels can only manage to go twice a week and i am bloated all the time stiff hands and feet that started with tingles then turned into stiffness, this is horrible anything i can do to relieve it a little, tired all the time terrible burning pain in my knees, got pain meds which help a little, stiff joints all the time its horrible and last few weeks terrible backache its so painful.
Mine just appeared out of nowhere one day i could run then i could barely walk i don’t walk far can’t take my daughter to school because of it so my dad takes her and my mum picks her up.
