Not sure if MS...
Hi guys. Newbie here. Landed in Limboland.
Waiting to see a neurologist at the moment. Just been referred, but the Dr did not take any of my symptoms seriously, and is only referring me so we can see if it's nerve-related or 'just anxiety'. Felt very dismissed, like I'm not being taken seriously. Blood tests have already ruled out pretty much everything else (deficiencies, thyroid stuff, arthritis, etc). So, starting to wonder if it's MS, or something akin to it.
It all started 5-6 months ago. I was recovering from mild surgery and a short illness, and originally put my deep muscle aches and fatigue down to this. But the aches didn't get any better, I'd find myself being overtaken by elderly people trying to walk up stairs. If I walked too much during the day (I used to walk for miles no problem), my legs would start getting very stiff and cramping so that I'd struggle to even lift them and would literally be dragging them along the floor. I occasionally had muscle twitches but now feel them daily in various places on my body. Pins and needles used to be occasional, I now get them and tingling sensations a few times a day. Trying to do my hair or maybe even a little make-up, is just too tiring now. Arms ache too much trying to lift them that high. I'm consistently clumsy and will sometimes feel off balance.
I've recently developed minor tremors the last couple of weeks. My right arm and leg will often 'jerk' out and have spasms. I was walking around the supermarket last week with a trolley when my right leg just collapsed and wouldn't stop shaking and trembling for a few minutes. This is now becoming more regular. I used to always have a hypnic jerk before falling asleep but now it's during the day too. I was trying to serve dinner the other night but couldn't hold the saucepan all of a sudden. Arm was shaking too much. Another worrying thing is when this happens, or just before or after, if I'm trying to talk I'll get frozen on a letter and can't talk properly (like instead of actually coming out with the word 'sandwich, it'll sound like 'sandw, w, w, w, w, w, w, etc). But then I un-freeze and I'm all good!
I really feel like I'm starting to lose the plot. It'd be good to just know what's going on, and if anyone else experienced similar things in the early days of waiting for a diagnosis. Thanks for any help, tips, advice, in advance.
I'm a 26 year old female btw. Feel far too young to be feeling this old on a daily basis! Haha.
Hi @moo2 and welcome. Limboland is not a nice place. The majority of us know that. But, I don't think your GP was being dismissive, they referred you onto a Specialist, who should be able to give you answers. Neurological issues are a specialised field, so GPs can find themselves out of their depth. Given your symptoms, I can understand your thought process which brought you here. It'll now be down to the Neuro to try and uncover this mystery. There'll be a few test that they will need to perform and arrange, from a visual neuro examination to an MRI scan and possibly a lumber puncture. Unfortunately, it's not a straightforward job, as the symptoms associated with MS can also present in various other conditions. But, you're in the right field to get some answers. So, be patient and be nice to yourself. Try not to overdo things and, if possible, avoid stress. You're more than welcome here, whatever your Neuro decides.
Thank you so much for the welcome! :) I am relieved to be seeing a specialist next, so I'm appreciative of the Dr referring me. She was just quite abrupt and rude in the appointment, as if it was all in my head or something. It wasn't until she actually tested my muscles and properly looked at my tremors and jerks, that she agreed to send me to a neurologist. She ushered me out of the door and called in the next patient before I'd even got my coat, and in the abruptness and confusion I forgot to pick up a prescription she recommended - propranolol. Though I'm asthmatic so not sure if it's the best thing to take. She wasn't my normal Dr so don't think she read all my info. I do understand it's a long and complicated path, and appreciate that MS symptoms can be incredibly similar to other things. Thank you for the advice. I've been trying to take it easier at work ever since I returned earlier this year, especially because my muscles just can't seem to handle long days any more. I'm sure many of you guys here probably had to wait one heck of a time before diagnoses were made. So I'll try and be patient and not worry about it too much. Thanks again for welcoming me to the MS community!