Hi guys. Just had my first neuro appointment. Here’s how it went. I went in and the doctor asked me about my symptoms : dizziness which has lasted about 4 months now (not as bad as at start), increased tingling in my hands and feet. The tingling has got worse and is in my lower legs too. My face started tingling about a week ago: my lips, nose and side of face. My legs feel weak and like jelly if I have to walk any distance. I get stabbing pains in my legs and arms. She said my symptoms sounded like my circulation. She then did some neurological tests which were all fine she said. One of them was where you walk with your heel to your toes and I was very wobbly doing that. She used the hammer on my knees etc and I could feel a vibration at two points. She looked in my eyes. She went through my blood tests and said the only one that hadn’t been done was my cholesterol. I mentioned I’d had that tested about two years ago when I had a free health check up and it was fine then. She said she was discharging me and that my doctor would arrange for the blood test. I did ask what would happen if the test was ok, to which I can’t remember what she said. I think she didn’t really say anything. As she was winding down the appointmet and was discharging me I thought I had nothing to lose in asking her about ms and the symptoms being similar. She said she was absolutely positive it was definately not ms. She did mention it could be a virus that was lingering, and the dizziness was caused by BPV. I mentioned that my doctor had ruled that out, as the dizziness would not account for my jelly legs and feeling weak, if it was something like BPV. She didn’t really comment on that. The appointment took about ten minutes. I’m wondering if you can have normal neuro tests that check your relexes and still have ms? I’m relieved to think it’s not ms, and yet I feel so ill with this, that I’m wondering if my cholesterol would cause all these symptoms. It will be interesting to see what this blood test shows. Any thoughts guys?
Hi Cat 10 mins is too short for a first appointment - have you asked for a copy of the letter to your GP. I always request this to remember what was said as my memory can sometimes fail me. I am not a doctor but I would say cholesterol problems would not cause what you are experiencing. Any suggestion of having an MRI done? I really hope that you haven’t got MS but it might be worth having a look at the NICE (doctors law) guidelines for MS. IT will tell you what you can expect and rights are. I would ask your GP to refer you to another neuro for a second opinion. I have done this with no problem. Good luck Hugs Min
Hi Min, thank you for your thoughts and good advice 
. Much appreciated. I was struck by how she said it was my circulation BEFORE she did any reflex tests? I’ve been googling other ms forums, and I found other folk who said they’d had normal reflex tests early on and it still turned out to be ms. Obviously I hope this is’nt ms, but I’ve been researching the symptoms of bad circulation and although it does cause dizziness and tingling in legs and hands, I don’t seem to fit the other indicators e.g high blood pressure (mines always great), ankle swelling (not), diabetes, smoker - all these things I’m not. It’ll be interesting to see what this blood test shows. I also don’t think I have BPPV but I am going to see the senior doctor at my surgery and I’ll get him to test me for BPPV with those movements they do, to see if it is that. BPPV is described as causing vertigo ie spinning, which I do not have. My dizziness is more a giddy feeling, that when really bad made my legs feel like jelly and really weak. I could hardly walk. If my cholesterol is ok, then I’ll see what the doc thinks and maybe wait a few months and see how things go. I can always ask him to refer me to the university hospital to get a different opinion. If it is ms then it will become apparent eventually. Time will tell. I’ve just got to try and be positive even though I feel so unwell a lot of the time. Thanks again. x
NO!! cholesterol would not cause the symptoms you have and 10 minutes for a neuro apointment is rubbish.
I sincerely hope you haven’t got MS but I personally would be wanting an MRI.
You have neuro type symptoms that need checking out.
Are you sure you saw a qualified neuro? disgusting!!
Go back to your gp and ask for a second opinion.
Good luck, Noreen
Hi Noreen, I’ve been trying not to doubt this neurologist, as she is the expert but I am thinking instinctively that this can’t be right too, so I understand your reaction. She has discharged me, so no plans for an mri, but I will be asking my docor for one if the blood test comes back ok or if my symptoms continue in the New Year. My doctor was brilliant. He referred me to the neurologist very quickly, so he obviously thought it was neurological?? He may have to refer me again, but I’ll ask him to refer me to the university hospital. If my cholesterol does come back high I will ask for tests to determine what kind of circulation problems I have - there are lots of different tests to determine this, and I’ll update you guys. Thanks again.
Hey CatK. I had referral to neuro due to tingling in legs and arms and dizziness as well as some other things. My doctor did it as protocol as she suspects I have ME not MS. So maybe you’re GP is doing it to outrule anything neurological rather than thinking it could be. I can see where high cholestrol can block blood vessels etc and can cause probs that way, but with your BP being fine it would indicate it couldn’t be due to something like that.
I think you’re right by having the blood tests at your doctor’s and then asking for a second referral if they come back normal. That was one of the other reasons I got referred was because I’ve had every blood test under the sun and a few a couple times in 3 years and everything was normal, yet I was still having some difficulties.
I truly hope you get some answers soon and you take care of yourself
Tsuki xx
Hi Tsuki, thank you for your reply. What’s good about the ciruculation, is they can test it far more easily than for something neurological, so if my problems are being caused by poor circulation, then I should establish this very quickly. As I’m very curiuous to know (well impatient really), I’m going to get one of those £5 cholesterol tests at the chemist tomorrow. I know this won’t rule out all circulation conditions, but it’ll hopefully give me an idea. Have you had any scans Tsuki? Thanks again.