Hi, I’m just looking for some advice/reassurance I think!
I’ve been seeing a gp who is repeatedly saying he doesn’t think my symptoms are ms, has done some initial nerve/reflex tests in surgery and has run lots of blood tests which have all shown nothing. I’ve also had an eye exam where I expressed my concern and she reassured me that everything was perfectly fine. My symptoms are some pins and needles, terrible headaches (although have been put down to tension headaches, confirmed by a masseuse who has said I have a lot of tension in my back and neck), chest pains (could be acid reflux related), tiredness and difficulty concentrating. I also struggle with anxiety and have always been quite a ‘tired’ person! So I’m not sure if I’m just looking into things too much. Since my blood tests have all come back fine, my gp has added me to the ms case list, but he has been saying he feels like it’s very unlikely. My muscle weakness and tingling only lasts a minute at a time and is not very often, which is what makes him think it’s not ms related. I’m really nervous and it’s adding to my anxieties so I just wanted to get some opinions on whether this could be ms or if it sounds unlikely. Thank you
Could be MS, could be something else.
You need a head, neck & thoracic MRI and/or a lumbar puncture to get a decent diagnosis. If the GP won’t refer you to a Neurologist for a diagnosis, could you afford to get the MRI/LP done privately? From the list of tests you’ve had already, the GP has been quite thorough, with the notable exception of the Neuro consult.
Common complaints are more common than uncommon complaints. Anxiety - a very unpleasant and debilitating disorder, as I know all too well - is a common complaint. MS is not. I think you should do your best to listen to your doctor’s advice.
Hey!
I’m new here, too and there are far more, ‘qualified’ folk than me on the MS front.
What I am a veteran of is anxiety and everything you’ve described could literally be caused by that. I don’t know if you realise that within your post you are almost reminding yourself of what you’ve already been told, as reassurance. In short, I can feel your worry - poor you.
Reassurance works for some types of anxiety - I think this sort may feed off it and turn into looping, rumination type thoughts (“what if … ?”). The only way to get past it is to accept that, you may or may not have MS - scary, right? But reality is, either way no amount of worry and nothing that you do, or someone else does, will change that outcome and trust that you will be able to deal with whatever comes your way. Docs are looking after you and you could be in no better hands
Wise words, Sweetcorn.