Multiple Symptoms

I need help and support with the following I am scared out of wits. I have been feeling scared and isolated for many years now with the fear I may have MS and the symptoms have been getting worse over the years. It started with just headaches and pains in my hand and them seezing up every so often and amoungst general pains that people said I was being a hypochondriac. This upset me a lot. This past year things have got worse. I woke up one morning last August screaming in pain and couldn’t move at all, my partner managed to get me into the car and take me to the hospital and they just gave me volterol PR and said it was just a normal back pain anyone could get so I thought ok fine. I went back a few weeks later same thing done and said but I was referred to a clinic. I had an MRI in February on my lower back. This showed 2 prolapsed discs at L4 - L5 S1 and an annular tear. I thought ok fine I was given general painkillers. I have been taken in by ambulance twice in the last two months to hospital. A further MRI was done on the two occasions showing now I had 4 Prolapsed discs. I have in the last few months had stronger painkillers (tramadol, gabapentin and fentanyl patches) these together give some relief. At this point I bet you wonder what this has to do with MS. I have been getting various symptoms in addition to the above. I get spasms frequently and I am in agony. I suffer with severe constipation and have to perform manual evacuations each time I go. My sex drive and libido have flown the nest and I have no interest in sex neither can I sustain an erection and when I can I very rarely ejaculate or orgasm. I feel loss of sensation and that my penis is retracting into my body. I am getting severe headaches to the right of my head and right eye it’s like my eye is going to shoot out. I cannot stand bright lights and night time driving is becoming unbearable. It’s been suggested this may be optic neuritis. I also seem to get double vision and have to squint o concentrate on something and its painful. I suffer with clinical depression and I get very emotional with mood swings and shouting and screaming and crying a lot which upset my and I upset my partner and others I get general pains that can’t be explained pain shooting down my back there is numbness in my legs and I get pins and needles in my feet. I get stabbing pains in my stomach. My right legs tremors and my right arm with no warning at all and it scares me to the point I cry. I get involuntary movements also. The fact is I am being made out to be a hypochondriac because I get all these different pains. Can anyone help me as I am at a loss and scared and my partner just seems to think its just something else wrong with Neil and not that it could be something. I have suggested MS and he tells me not o be silly. I have been referred to a neurologist. I don’t know if its worth mentioning my my speech seems to have slowed down and it take me sometime at least 10 seconds to remember words and I have problems learning new things as I don’t remember them such as educational things and I seem to forget things I have done or did but some things ate very vivid in my mind.m I would appriciate any help or support I have called the helpline and I was close to tears. My doctor wants me to see a psychiatrist because of the mood swings and temper as my mum as bipolar. Thank you so so much for reading I just want someone to listen and if I have got MS I can adjust to deal with it rather that getting upset because nobody listens and calls me a hypochondriac. Neil D xx

Hi Neil, I’m so sorry you’re gong through all this. I am under investigation myself so not really able to help very much, but I am sure there will be others here that can advise you. The only thing I would say is make sure you write down ALL if your symptoms so that you have a clear and concise list to give the neuro. I found this speeded things up at my appointment and he kept the list for my record. I hope you get some answers soon. Kaz x

Kaz Thank you for your support and words of encouragement it has touched me. I have started documenting everything like on here and I hope this time I will be taken seriously and not told oh it’s some other pain again. Neil x

Hi Neil,

Just a quick tip - do NOT go to the doctor’s with a detailed diary of everything that has ever happened, including the most minor.

Although it’s important to be honest with your GP, a mile-long list sounds alarm-bells, for most of them, that the patient may indeed be a hypochondriac, so you need to find some way of simplifying your list, so that you are prioritising the most severe or frequent problems.

Dates and times of every individual problem are likely to make most doctors’ eyes glaze over. It’s sufficient to give a rough indication of frequency, such as: “most days”, or “a couple of times a week”, or “once or twice in the past year”. If it was minor and only happened once, ditch it - unless it was exceptionally weird, and may hold an important clue.

Hope this helps,

Tina

Tina Thank u for that information I am just so stuck oink what to do really. Can you confirm if blurred vision and severe double vision is a symptom of MS Thanks Neil

Hi Neil, just jumping in here to answer your question.

Yes blurred vision and severe double vision can be symptoms of MS… although not all people with MS have vision problems… and also they can be symptoms of a whole lot of other conditions.

So they are certainly not a sign that you have MS, but certainly tell the doctor about it.

Best wishes and hope you get some definite answers soon,

Pat x

Hi Snown Thank you for your reply I also have the symptoms in my original mail Neil x