Hi. I am a 36 year old female who has up until now had a clean bill of health. In December I had a bout of shingles and received Aciclovir from my GP which helped. About 6-8 weeks later in February I began getting urinary frequency which the doctor thought was a UTI. However this has not resolved despite antibiotics and urine dips and C and S show no infection. I have got progressively more Ill over the past 8 weeks and now feel: fatigued all the time but I have bouts which floor me; I have urine frequency; dizzy periods with weak feelings in my legs. More worryingly I have tightness and numbness in my neck which also aches. I also have numbness and pins and needles in my face. This is on both sides. My coordination and speech are fine. I sometimes feel a little drunk but generally my vision seems unaffected. On Monday my doctor said my inflammatory markers were raised and has referred me to a neurologist. I am now playing a waiting game and wanted some advice from sufferers of MS. Do my symptoms seem like they are related to this condition. Thanks everyone. Nicola
hi nicola
we all experience ms differently so it’s hard to answer your question.
your symptoms are random and weird so that sounds like ms or some other neurological condition.
for your urine frequency you should see someone at the bowel and bladder clinic.
your gp can refer you or you can self refer (just google the nearest clinic, phone and make an appointment).
don’t be shy because the nursed there are brilliant.
heard it all and seen it all before!
carole x
Hi
At least you are now waiting for an appointment with a neurologist.
What would be helpful for the neurologist to get a full picture is a complete round down of what you’ve experienced and when.
So, writing a diary of what symptoms you’ve had together with rough dates of when things happened and how long they lasted would help. If symptoms have come and stayed with you for a while, then dissipated, write down how long they lasted. If anything has never gone away, but has stayed with you, then keep notes of that too.
When you see the neurologist, s/he will ask you for your history of symptoms, ie what has brought you to this point. Then s/he will do a neurological examination to test for various reactions and reflex signs. If s/he feels further testing (eg MRI scan among others) they will refer you.
In terms of asking us whether your symptoms sound like MS, it’s basically impossible for us to tell. MS has so very many related symptoms that we can’t say, ‘oh that fits’, or ‘that doesn’t fit’ MS. It’s a case of waiting for your appointment I’m afraid.
If you haven’t heard about an appointment and a few weeks have gone by since your GP said you’ll be referred, check with your surgery first to make sure the referral was made, then phone the hospitals appointments team and ask whether you’ll be waiting for long for the appointment.
Sue
Hi Nicola, since I found out I had ms I have learnt that symptoms which a Google search say ms can be lots of different things. An Mir & lumber puncher, possibly with evoked potentials, as well as, possibly other tests to rule even scareyer things, are generally needed to diagnose.
So, I would say your issues could be ms, but they also may not be.
i really hope you get tests soon to give you the answers you need.