Hi I’m new here and looking for some advice/support. I’m a 31 year old mum to 2 children age 10 & 3 years. When I was pregnant with my youngest, I developed SPD (symphysis pubic dysfunction) I had bad sciatic pain and ended up on crutches for the latter part of my pregnancy. After my youngest was born, the symptoms stayed although not bad enough to require the aid of crutches. Over the past 3 years I have just learnt to live with my symptoms, chronic lower back pain being the main one. Last December whilst at work I got a shooting pain on the right hand side of my head, it came from the base of my skull and ended behind my eye. It only lasted a matter of seconds and it went away. Afterwards I felt like the right side of my brain was tingling. I started to get more of these and eventually went to my doctor in match this year who suspected I had a pinched nerve in my neck. I had a few sessions of physio but it didn’t help, infact they were really frequent during the summer, this made me rebook an appt with the physio which I had to wait weeks for. 2 weeks ago I was just getting into bed when my left arm suddenly felt numb, I panicked and thought I was having a stroke! I was so terrified that I didn’t go to sleep all night! Not ideal when having work the next day! I went to my physio appt 2 days after this and mentioned it, she saud that u had hyper mobility and also sent me for an MRI of my neck. She also tested my reflexes and the left hand side if my body wasn’t very responsive! I had the MRI last week and had a phone all yesterday to say neck MRI was normal but I had to go and see the GP yesterday and he has referred me to a neurologist. He prescribed me gabapentin tablets too as he said they would help untill I’ve been assessed as I’ve also had a headache which I can only describe as a hangover headache for weeks now too. Both my arms have started feeling heavy and tingly and last night my legs felt like they were dead all the way to my knees. I feel constantly exhausted, and even have had tingling round my mouth. I feel like a hypochondriac going to the doctors with all these symptoms but its scaring me to death! Obviously I’ve been googling all this and also the medication and its brought me here I’m terrified its MS. I know researching on the Internet is one if the worst things I could do! I’m just wondering if anyone has felt the same? X
Hi Truffleshuffle & welcome
You’re not a hypochondriac Truffle. Your GP has referred you to a neuro because he feels your symptoms warrant further investigation but this doesn’t necessarily mean that’s it’s serious. Your symptoms could be down to one of many things some of which are easily rectified.
Whilst you’re waiting for your appt make a brief but concise list of your most troublesome and persistent symptoms - starting with the worst ones - and remember to take the list with you.
You’re bang on right that googling symptoms can be a bad thing but I think it’s also something that most of us have done! Our minds can go into overdrive and imagine all sorts of horrors and 99% of the time what we find doesn’t even apply. Try to refrain from doing it if you can - tempting as it is.
Going through something like this is extremely scary and worrying but everyone here understands that so you’ve come to the right place for support and help.
Hard as it is to do - try not to let the worry get out of control.
Good luck
Debbie xx
Thanks for your reply Debbie, I haven’t even told my husband about all this as I don’t want any unnecessary worry! I’m just scared to death of it all! My appt for neuro is on 15th November so it’s not that long a wait. I will continue with the gabapentin till then. Apologies for all spelling mistakes, the auto correct on my phone has a mind of its own! X
I feel like all of my symptoms are magnified in the evenings does anyone else feel like this?
Perhap its just because i am home from work, kids in bed etc and i start to try and relax and maybe because i have time to think about it???
I wish it would all go away 
Hello, and welcome to the site
Not got anything to add to Debbie’s excellent earlier reply, but wanted to say hello, and also to tell you that symptoms do tend to be worse in the evening - very probably, as you say, because there is less distraction so they are more noticeable.
Do talk to your GP about the dose of gabapentin you’re on if you find it’s not helping as much as it might though - there is often a lot of room for manoeuvre when someone first starts on it because it’s the kind of med that you have to build the dose gradually, which of course means that it can take a while to get the right level. So persevere, and nag your GP as necessary!
Karen x
Hi Truffle,
I understand your not wanting to worry your husband but by the same token it helps to have support from our nearest and dearest, plus he may have already noticed that something is amiss anyway. It’s your choice of course, maybe consider confiding in him.
You also said evenings seem worse both in terms of the mind wandering and how exhausted you are. I’m not surprised, you’re clearly not firing on all cylinders yet carrying on as normal. Try taking shortcuts on some things. Living the unnecessary things when you’re feeling real whacked out. Make sure you relax, there’s nothing to stop you from doing that whilst partaking in something you really enjoy - distraction works wonders.
As Karen (Rizzo) said, also look into increasing your meds - speak with your GP.
Debbie xx
Oh apologies Truffle…I meant to say ‘leaving the unnecessary things…’ not ‘living’…
…I can be a numbnut at times…LOL…sorry about that!
Debbie xx
Thanks Karen & Debbie, I only started thde meds on Monday, today will be my first day when ive taken all 3. The GP did say it could take a while to kick in xx
They are 300mg. Also what can I expect to happen at my first neuro app? X
Hi Trffleshuffle,
Did your GP test your vitamin B12 levels? Deficiency in this can cause a whole range of M.S. like symptoms and it might be worth asking before your neuro visit. You never know you could be worrying about all you have found on the internet and it could be as simple as Vitamin B! I hope it is and good luck.
BFx
Hi bf No he didn’t mention that at all? I think I’m going to just wait it out until I see neuro on 15th nov. I am so reluctant to go back to the docs with this huge array of symptoms I nearly feel like its all in my head!! I’m struggling so much with it, it’s driving me crazy. I am very rarely ill at all and haven’t been my whole life, it’s just bizarre and so alien to me xxx