I’ve been getting a few strange symptoms for while now, I get pins and needles in the ends of my fingers, and sometimes different areas of my hands, which I’ve wondered if are neck problems (as I also have a neck that cracks a lot and aches sometimes). I get pins and needles in my feet at times too, and also occasionally in my buttock area, I’ve ignored this though as I have a back problem (2 herniated discs). Recently I’ve been muddling words up, saying random words sometimes, or else similar (like foot when I meant hand). Well I decided it’s about time I took it all to my GPs, so off I went this morning. He asked lots of questions and said I needed to see a neurologist, and mentioned the possibility of MS more than once. A bit of a shock really, I had wondered if it might be MS, but in that vague “oh don’t be so silly, it probably isn’t, it’s just your neck, getting tired, just one of those things” sort of way! Well apparently the wait to see a neurologist is anything up to 3 months, I guess it’s nothing very urgent then! I’m left feeling well I don’t know what really. I guess sort of numb, worrying about what might be etc etc. Oh I so hope there is some simple, easily treated explanation, or maybe it’s just psychological. So how do I get on with life and not let this bother me until I know what it is?
Hello Faith Welcome to the forum 
I don’t have a magical answer, that will make you feel better. I hope you don’t have to wait three months for your appointment. Your bound to worry, it’s only natural. you have a good gp, who has done the right thing in referring you…believe me that’s a bonus, compared to the stories some guys on here share. Keep in touch Faith…I hope it’s not ms. Take care Noreen
Well, it has clearly been a shock to you that the GP has mentioned MS, so naturally you are feeling shocked and unsettled by that. Most likely the GP also made clear that that MS is just one of the things that needs to be eliminated from the enquiry rather than the red-hot suspect (or if he didn’t, he probably meant to) but that hardly matters right now - he said the words MS and that has rattled you, as it would anyone.
But the shock will pass. Normal life reasserts itself - there is work to do and family to look after and normal business to attend to, and as the days go by there is every chance that you will find that you can just get on with things as usual. Even if there is a question mark at the back of your mind, it does not need to dominate. Believe me, that will happen. You will find that you are more resilient than it feels right now.
You are at the start of the process of finding out what ails, and ‘possible MS’ is a much more common complaint than ‘suspected MS’ which is, in turn, a much more common complaint that ‘actual MS’, so please try not to get ahead of yourself. You are surely in with a very good chance that there isn’t too much amiss. Even if your worst fears come true and the GP’s hunch was spot on, it won’t be the end of the world. But you are a million miles from that point right now. The best thing you can do is decide that you are going to take things as they come and keep a completely open mind.
If your dreams have been haunted by serious health worries before, and the worries turned out to have been ill-founded, you will know from experience how quickly these fears can melt away once they have been discounted by the doctors. One minute, those fears were darkening your dreams; the next they had vanished for ever in an instant. If you know what that feels like, you know it can happen.
Keep calm and carry on, as they say. Good luck.
Alison
Hi Faith. It is such a worrying time for you. I am waiting on my lumbar puncture results at the minute (27 days, 11hours and 10 minutes since… But I haven’t been counting or anything!) All I can say to you is this: try your absolute best to get on with your life. I know well, that it will always be in the back of your mind, but try to focus on other things. Find a new hobby that will take up some of your time. I like to get out for a walk to refresh my head. Whatever the outcome, ms or not, there is nothing we can do about it. We have to deal with it whenever it comes, so we cannot let it take up all our time worrying and thinking about it. I hope everything goes well for you smallie xx
Hi, I try to remember that nothing material has actually changed except the words MS have been mentioned (and I have become a semi expert in the condition thanks to Google University!). If I have MS then I already have it (and have done for quite some time) and knowing that can only be a good thing, because I will have access to more support and treatment. Thinking in this way helps me to cope better with the possibility. Alison words are so right (thanks Alison I found them very helpful too)… Leah
Thanks everyone for your replies. I think what’s probably got me is that I’ve kind of wondered myself if it might be MS, and it was the only thing he mentioned by name, it’s stuck in my mind. You are right though, nothing has changed and I have a referral, which I’m actually quite pleased about in some ways as it does mean he’s taken me seriously. Your replies have really helped Thanks again.