Hi everyone Saw my Physio today. Have been seeing her once a week for help with balance problems. Obviously, over the weeks, I have told her about all my other symptoms, and today she told me that she is pretty certain I have MS. I am seeing a second Neuro in Jan, having already seen a vascular Neuro who has ruled out any ischemic reasons for my brain lesions. Although I am aware that my symptoms do correlate with those of MS, it still came as a bit of a shock to hear her say she thinks that’s what I have. I now have to wait another 3 weeks to see the Neuro until, hopefully things will be confirmed one way or the other. Not exactly the conversation anyone wants on Christmas Eve 
Big hugs to you. How is your mobility now? Hope you have a good Xmas despite this Axx
Hi Pupledot, I may have told you this before, but I do believe a physio picked up on my MS, years before I was diagnosed. He was a local sports physio - nothing to do with the NHS. I’d only gone there for what I supposed was an achilles injury. Had a very weird conversation, which went something like this: “Your calf muscles are the shortest I’ve ever seen; have you been ill?” Me [shocked]: “No. Why?” “Well, some illnesses can do this.” He never mentioned MS by name, or suggested a visit to my doctor. When I insisted I hadn’t been ill - because I hadn’t, that I knew of - he left it at that. I suppose he felt it well beyond his remit to start telling patients they had anything serious, when they’d only gone there for a routine sports massage. But looking back, I’m quite sure he was onto something, even if he didn’t necessarily know it was MS. He’d probably recognized symptoms of a spinal cord problem (spasticity of lower limbs). Do be aware, though, that they can’t diagnose. Personally, I wouldn’t treat today’s conversation as changing the position at all. It’s nothing, until it comes from a neuro. The fact she suspects the same as you doesn’t mean either of you is necessarily correct. You can’t take it as gospel. I’m afraid you will have to be patient and wait to see what the neuro says. Try to be patient, and enjoy Christmas, and not treat this conversation as proving anything you didn’t already know - i.e. that you have symptoms consistent with MS. Tina x
I agree with every word of this.
Alison
I would treat it with a pinch of salt to be honest. When i had my first physio I was told the same, and even her paperwork suggested MS.
It was quite a few years later that i found out what I had.
To be honest I think they overstep the mark to even suggest this to you or I, as its not up to them to say it.
I would just enjoy today and the next weeks until you see your neuro. It can take many visits and loads of tests before you can finally get a diagnoses.
So I agree with the other poster. You have symptoms consistent with MS, so do about another 15 or 20 diseases…xx
I agree with Tina & Alison, it might be what your physio suspects BUT that is not a Dx.
My Osteo wrote to my GP listing why she felt I needed a MRI, it was only after my Dx she told me it was her worst fear for me. Yes I agree they can find things that are suggestive of a neurological problem but they cannot give any certainty.
I recently looked at the letter from my osteo and compared it to the letter from the spinal unit - the major difference was that the consultant at the spinal unit had outlined my medical history and stated something along the lines of ‘suggestion of lesion’ (that’s not the exact phrase but I’m sure you get the picture. a lesion was mentioned) and after the spinal MRI I was referred to neurology.
My surgery even mentioned trapped nerves so none of it was obvious or certain
Good luck but wait for the neuro appointment before thinking anything is definite
Sonia x
MS was first suggested to me by my optician . And then my rhematologist (who was assessing me for arthritis due to various aches and pain and rigidity problems) said he thought it was ‘a possibility’. After seeing the letter from my neuro outlining the results of my MRI, my GP did a philosophical shrug at the ‘demyelinating lesions’ part, and said ‘that’s MS’ .
My neuro, however, said that there is not enough evidence for MS diagnosis. He said ‘for now’ we have to wait and see if more lesions come through.
Like Tina said, the fact that your physio asuspects the same as you do doesn’t necessarily mean that either of you are right. I agree with the other posters. It means nothing unless it comes from a neuro.
I agree. A physio has no business telling a patient that he/she is ‘pretty sure’ that the patient has a condition that the physio is absolutely not competent to dx. The technical term for this is ‘guessing’. Very unprofessional.
Alison
Thanks everyone for your replies. Please don’t worry…I am not under any illusions and know she isn’t qualified to make a dx. It was just a bit of a shock to hear that she thinks I have MS as, although not a Neuro, she is a rehab physio so is quite experienced with neuro conditions etc. The conversation was prompted by my telling her that a consultant surgeon had mentioned MS to me last week on seeing my brain MRI (I was seeing him about something different but he was interested in my other issues), and she just initially nodded and smiled. I then asked her outright if she thought that’s what was wrong with me and she reluctantly agreed. I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t have just come out with it otherwise. I would also add that she stressed that it was just her current opinion and that we need to wait and see what the Neuro says in January. I am remaining completely open-minded until I see the Neuro 
I hope you manged to have a good Christmas day Purpledot. Good luck with neuro appointment in January.
xxx