In 1996 lesions were picked up on a brain scan that was undertaken to find out why my left eye was ‘stuttering’ as it scanned laterally. The report suggested possible early stage of MS, but my GP suggested we just wait and see, because at 43 I was ‘too old for it to put you in a wheelchair’. That remark was made in response to me expressing that concern. She also told me that the best thing was for me to keep fit and healthy. Well, that symptom went away for 20 years. Now, at 63, the left eye is not stuttering but is drifting in and out of focus, occasionally, mainly when I am tired. In addition, I have noticed unusual clumsiness and sudden unexplained fatigue, plus the occasional bout of night sweats. I am a very fit and active man and cycle around 80 miles a week, keep a very large garden tamed and do all the work on our house. Now, I am not suggesting I have MS, but I have a dilemma. What is the point in taking the time and effort to be diagnosed if there is little or no treatment possible? Of course, if my symptoms progress to a stage where my eyesight affects my ability to drive safely then I would immediately seek help. I would really appreciate some thoughts or guidance, please.
Thanks.
Artorius
In my opinion you should bother (I reserve the right to have a different response if the question was “would I bother?”)
The fatigue and focus may be symptomatic of loads of things or nothing, but you have noticed enough of a change in your circumstances to discuss it with your GP (in my opinion) If the GP is any good they will try to ascertain just what might be going on. If it is a problem and it can be helped - you can take steps which may help or reduce future impact to you or NHS services.
If you do nothing and it turns out to be nothing you will have shown your GP that you are “on the ball” whereas if you do nothing and it turns out to be a problem you might have missed an opportunity to reduce the impact.
You asked for guidance and thoughts, I can not guide you but happy to chuck out my random responses and thoughts.
… Purely my opinion, based upon nothing at all, not knowing you or how you feel or how good / bad you GP is.
Whatever happens, Good Luck
Mick
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Thanks Mick, your comments are appreciated. You have highlighted something I hadn’t given enough thought to - that the symptoms could indicate something else. I am automatically assuming it’s connected to an episode twenty years ago. I will do the right thing and make an appointment. I guess I knew the answer but needed to be told.
Thanks again.
Do I think it’s worth going to a lot of bother and agg to secure an MS dx for its own sake? Maybe not.
Do I think it is worth flagging up to the GP the things that are going wrong at the moment? Oh yes.
If there’s something the matter, it is probably worth finding out what, so you can help yourself to manage it. Who knows - it might even be something you can fix, or at least mitigate the effects of. As you say, no use bothering with self-dx - some things need the experts.
Alison
Thanks for your thoughts, Alison, much appreciated.
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