Medical history

Hi there,

I have my first neuro appointment in Jan. I’m wondering how much to say about my medical history. I suffered from regular fainting bouts for about ten years from childhood through to late teens. I had the odd problem mid twenties, but it seemed to disappear after that. I really have no idea whether this is relevant and whether the neuro would want to know about it. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Feeling very confused at the moment, because I had an xray back that showed the beginnings of arthritis in my neck, but that doesn’t seem to explain what’s been happening for the past three years. Also, I don’t see how this could cause tingling, numbness and more recently aching (from head to toe) on one side of body. Feeling a bit nervous that the neuro will send me packing.

Astro x

I highly doubt the neuro will send you packing as one of the questions I was asked was if I had any tingling or twinging on one side of my body and not the other. I personally wouldn’t mention the fainting spells as from what you’ve said it seems to have resolved itself now. I’d start with the symptoms that are most troubling to you and the newest occuring ones and then go forth from there.

I didn’t get much time to go through symptoms so make sure you got a small, but concise and accurate list of symptoms. I know that sounds hard, but they don’t seem to have much time to spare from my experience. Hopefully you’ll get lucky and your neuro might spend some more time on you.

Don’t let them rush you too much with the symptoms and medical history. They’ll ask for a family history also so make sure you get some background on that as I had no clue apart from an essential tremor.

Best of luck Astro and please let us know how it goes!

Tsuki xx

Thanks for your advice Tsuki.

The only thing on the family history front is Vertigo, which my mother has suffered with for about twenty years. I just had this feeling that the fainting episodes were connected to heat intolerance issues. When I was a teenager, I would have to lie down when I came out of a hot bath, as I felt too weak to function straight away. At the time I didn’t really think of this as being out of the ordinary. I think I won’t mention it unless she specifically asks what illnesses I had as a kid. The heat intolerance thing is back now with avengeance, so I couldn’t help wondering whether there was a connection.

Astro x

When you mention the heat intolerance you can add that you had that as a kid and don’t know if it’s related, but it would be unlikely something so old could relate to something so new. That’s what my neurologist had said to me anyways regarding an on-going issue I’ve got with my bladder. But he did take note of that and said what I just said to you. Might be worth a mention of it, when you bring up a symptom related to it, but if the issue has resolved itself I wouldn’t see the issue.

Tsuki xx

If in doubt, please mention it.

We do not know what is significant and what isn’t. The easiest thing, and the wisest, is for you to give the neurologist the full info and leave it to her/him to work out what matters. I think that this applies particularly to anything that could possibly relate to anything neurological in your own experience and in your family history (and I think the things you have mentioned are all worth flagging up).

So I would suggest keeping things simple by putting all your cards on the table. You don’t want to get home after the consultation and be thinking should you perhaps have mentioned this or that.

Alison

Thanks both for your input.

It’s definitely a fine line to walk, in deciding how much to say.

I should probably just stop fretting about it, put down some essential things on a piece of paper, and trust in the neuro to ask me the relevant questions depending on her initial exam.

Astro x

I think one thing that is important to bear in mind, is that we are all on here for advice and not doctors, therefore, it is up to the neurologist to decide whether a symptom is relevant or not. Don’t feel like you are wasting anyone’s time by asking questions and bringing things up. If in doubt, maybe a chat with your GP maybe the best option to decide what symptoms are worth concentrating on to bring up at your neuro appointment X

I think one thing that is important to bear in mind, is that we are all on here for advice and not doctors, therefore, it is up to the neurologist to decide whether a symptom is relevant or not. Don’t feel like you are wasting anyone’s time by asking questions and bringing things up. If in doubt, maybe a chat with your GP maybe the best option to decide what symptoms are worth concentrating on. X

I think one thing that is important to bear in mind, is that we are all on here for advice and not doctors, therefore, it is up to the neurologist to decide whether a symptom is relevant or not. Don’t feel like you are wasting anyone’s time by asking questions and bringing things up. If in doubt, maybe a chat with your GP maybe the best option to decide what symptoms are worth concentrating on to bring up at your neuro appointment X

Its hard knowing what to say or not. I gave my only medical history as the migraine that I’m on meds for but happened to mention a fall I’d had a week post appendectomy and in the letter I got he had listed it in past medical history. As it was an op I’d never considered it and realised when I saw the letter that maybe I should have mentioned my gall bladder op. I didn’t mention childhood illnesses either such as measles, glandular fever etc or the the time my parents got a doctor out as a teenager cos I collapsed and looked like I fitted briefly (it happened a second time too but got told I was fighting the faint and was ok never investigated) Maybe I should have but I knew they had limited time so decided to keep it to most recent. Axx