MS or Fibromyalgia

Hello All, I’m new to this forum but found it during my search for MS on the NHS website. Here’s a bit of background, back in March last year I was admitted to hospital, with what they first thought was a bleed to the brain, after CT scan, bloods, MRI and vision field test all appeared fine. Since then my health has took a dive. Even more so since September when I lost my Grandad, I wake up each morning like I haven’t slept, struggle to get up from bed with the pain, the stairs are a challenge and general day to day life has changed for me. I am in constant pain all over but a real intense pain in middle back next to my spine with radiating numbness, which has been there for weeks with no let up. My mind is a fuzz and my memory none existant at times, along with middle speech and slight stutter when exhausted. I went to see my doctor a few weeks ago and he suggested it maybe early stages of MS and put me on a therapeutic dose of ibuprofen, but after further tests and re-visiting my MRI and field tests from March he said he was quite positive that may not be the case. So he went on to talk about fibromyalgia, but would not like to put a label on it as that comes with it’s own problems (Not sure what he meant by that). There is a lot of information online but nothing about MS at the first stages ECT, I was wanting to know what to expect further down the line if it is confirmed? Surely I can’t get much worse than this? Also would it be recommended for another MRI as the one from March is now 10 months old and that was at the beginning of when my I’ll health started? Andrea

Hello Andrea

By ‘my doctor’, I assume you mean your GP. If so, I think he is slightly exceeding his job. The only people who can either diagnose or rule out MS are neurologists. Equally, I don’t think it’s the GPs job to diagnose fibromyalgia either - I’m not an expert, but I think that’s covered by rheumatology.

If you had a completely clear MRI last year, it is likely that you don’t have MS. I assume that a neurologist saw your brain scan from last year and reported on a discharge summary that there were no abnormalities on that scan? And this is what your GP is basing his diagnostic opinion on?

Is your GP unwilling to refer you back to the hospital? I’d have thought his first action, upon thinking it could be MS, would be to refer you to a neurologist. Perhaps you could directly ask for a referral? Your symptoms should be looked into by someone who is more of a specialist. It’s possibly a neurological problem that isn’t MS. For example Functional Neurological Disorder - have a look at Symptoms - FND Hope International If however your symptoms don’t stem from a neurological cause, maybe you should see a rheumatologist?

I do hope you find out soon what is causing all of your problems.

Sue