speed of symptoms

New diagnosis and before diagnosis
1

Hi, I’m not diagnosed. It was a throw away comment by someone that triggered my anxiety over this. I think the anxiety is my biggest problem at the moment. Since that comment I’ve had every symptom going, tingling, twitching, heavy legs, achey arms. I’m almost sure most of it is in my head, when I read about a symptom, hey presto I can suddenly feel it so I’ve been doing my best to keep busy and try to keep my mind occupied elsewhere and to an extent it works. I have worked and cared for MS sufferers and maybe that is half of the fear, by the time they needed me it was at it’s worst. I also know enough to realise that these were older people and it was quite a few years ago so medicine has advanced drastically since they were originally diagnosed.

My main question is and I know no one can give me a black and white answer here, but generally do the symptoms or relapse symptoms come all at once or can they appear gradually, say, legs numb, then a week later fingers tingle?

I know this is probably a silly question and my fears are hopefully unfounded but they have drawn me to this forum and have found it very enlightening after my own experience of caring all those years ago. I now have a new found admiration for the medical profession and it’s research.

2

You have come to the right place, however everyone on here has different experiences and the MS catchphrase is always,

'Different strokes for different folks!

replacing the word ‘strokes’ with ‘symptoms’ - except it doesn’t rhyme anymore

whtyoutalkingaboutDrA?

My symptoms started with lack of taste before a few weeks later i lost some use in my LHS.

Dr A

3

Dr Arkham is quite right. There are as many variables for MS as there are people with MS. Some relapses come with a big bang, and others have a more insidious creep.

In your situation, Anxious Anonymous, stop looking up MS symptoms. Start keeping an actual diary where you can record your health on a day to day basis. After a couple of months, look back and see how you actually feel about your random symptoms. If at that point you still feel worried about a neurological disorder, see your GP and ask for a referral to a neurologist. But don’t pick on a given diagnosis (ie MS) and try to fit your symptoms into that diagnosis.

Hopefully, if you can stop asking Dr Google about MS, you’ll start to feel better.

Sue