I started with severe double vision about 6 weeks ago. I now have a lot of weakness in my arms and legs, my jaw gets really tired chewing, got bad elbow pain, tingling in one hand, wakened up today feeling a bit drunk, my hearing is also dull. My GP suspects either a vit deficiency or MS-anyone got any idea how MS sounding my symptoms are? With an urgent referral to neurologist I’ve still got at least a 6 week wait.
Hi Heather, and welcome.
I’m sorry, but it’s really impossible to say. MS can cause a huge variety of different symptoms , but I don’t think there are any that are only ever caused by MS, and not by something else. Early symptoms are often quite vague, so it’s really difficult to tell if they are caused by MS, or one of hundreds of other possibilities - including, yes, vitamin deficiencies. B12 deficiency is a common MS-mimic, but confusingly, a lot of people with MS are B12-deficient too. They commonly go together, but having one does NOT mean you have the other. The story is similar with Vitamin D. Lots of people with MS have low vitamin D, but people with low vitamin D don’t all have MS.
On the positive side, I’m sure if there was any suspicion you had a stroke or tumour, you would have got an appointment sooner than six weeks. So they must be satisfied you have nothing immediately life-threatening. I realise that’s not the same as “nothing to worry about”, but it’s still encouraging.
I hope it turns out to be just vitamins,
Tina