Hi im hoping someone can help me, ive been struggling with odd symptoms since beginning of summer, i collapsed with severe pain all round my torso which also took all my lower body strength. Had spinal mri as gp suspected compressed nerve, came back clear. I started having sunburn type stinging on my legs which has now spread i also get it in my face. Had brain mri, came back normal. Gp referred me to physio and nuerologist. I seem to have stopped recovering at about 75%. I struggle with walking and at my part time job. Had my 1st physiotherapist appointment on friday, physio stated that he was writing to my gp to see if she can get my nuerologist app brought forward as he says im showing signs of a nuerological disease probably ms. Im astounded a physio can say this without definate diagnosis, or can they? I explained my brain mri was normal he asked if it was done with contrast which it wasnt. When all this started i did research my symptoms, as we do, and ms did come up but i know how improbable it actually is so eventually stopped worrying about it, now a physiotherapist has put it straight back in my mind
hi anonymous
well you have an appointment booked with a neuro and that is the person who can give you the answers that you need.
no need to freak out about it, just get your head back to where it was before you saw your physio.
meanwhile make a list of symptoms, in chronological order to share with the neuro.
deep breathing is an excellent way to calm yourself down.
carole x
Hello
I don’t think you should take the word of a physiotherapist when you’ve had clear spinal and brain MRIs.
MS can’t be diagnosed by anyone but a neurologist. And generally you need to have demyelinating lesions in the brain and/or spine. An MRI with contrast is done to see if there is current inflammatory activity and to give more definition.
This doesn’t mean that your physio is wrong, just that you shouldn’t take their word for it.
Perhaps you should see your GP. You could explain what symptoms or signs the physio saw that makes them think you have MS. Assuming the GP agrees, they could write to the neurologist and request that your appointment be changed to an ‘urgent’ appointment.
Meanwhile, have a look at McDonald criteria | MS Trust You can see from the chart that demyelinating lesions are the primary standard from which MS is diagnosed. Together with a history of relapses (for relapsing remitting MS), or gradually worsening symptoms (for progressive MS). The MRIs are supplemented by other evidence collected by the neurologist, your history of relapses or continued symptoms, physical examination and other tests, most importantly, lumbar puncture.
Sue