Hi, i have no diagnosis of MS, I’m fact for the last 5 year’s I have had a diagnosis of fibromyalgia which recently I am starting to query. I have progressively worsened over the year especially the last year where every flare up presents a new or worsened symptom which I believed fibromyalgia was not a worsening condition. I wanted to present some of my symptoms and listen to diagnosis stories to see if it is worth asking for the doctors to look into the possibility of another diagnosis. I am currently bed bound my most dominant symptoms being: •Pain throughout the whole leg mainly on the left leg, a dull aching, nagging pain which tends to be triggered by heat. •pins and needles in the leg causing a burning/scolding itchy pain •pins and needles in arm more dominant again on the left side •cold scolding sensation in arm •pain stifdness in knee and shoulder •low right back and hip pain •I have noticed dizziness, stumbling and stumbling on my words or short memory loss Did you push for referrals if at first not given a ms diagnosis or did the doctor initiate this? Thanks
hi
your gp likes to be the one to initiate referrals but if he or she seems reluctant to do so, you can request a referral.
bear in mind that if takes forever for a referral to go through and for the neuro to reply.
then for the appointment to come through, so dig in for the long haul.
carole x
Hello
I should think your best bet is to see your GP and ask these questions of him/her. If they feel that your symptoms could be neurological, then you could be referred to a neurologist. The neurologist would take a history from you of all your symptoms and do a physical examination. If they feel from your symptom history and physical exam that your symptoms are not neurological in origin, they’d tell you this.
If, however they think it’s warranted (ie that there’s a neurological cause), they’d refer you for tests, perhaps an MRI, maybe a lumbar puncture and other tests, like evoked potentials and/or nerve conduction tests. Once all the results are in, they’d see you for another appointment and give you the results and maybe a diagnosis.
Just keep in your mind that just as fibromyalgia has a lot of symptoms shared with other diagnoses, so does MS. So it may be that your symptoms are either caused by fibromyalgia or by something else that’s not MS. Don’t make it in your head one thing or another.
You are right to question your symptoms as they could well relate to something other than fibromyalgia. It’s as well to get it checked out.
Sue