Poll of the Day > I have to get a referral for a neurologist

(+) Yeah! (+)

I need to get this out somewhere meh

I've been having a lot of early onset symptoms for MS the last few months

If I have MS I'm gonna fucking flip my shit
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Mayb u hav ms-dos

argonautweakend posted...

Mayb u hav ms-dos

k
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Does it run in your family? Or in any areas you do or have lived? If seems to be linked to location

Good luck... I had those symptoms too about 7 years ago and it was a B vitamin deficiency that cleared up over months with basic treatment. And there was damage from a TBI in childhood

Hope you can be seen soon and figure out whatever is going on.
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Doctor Foxx posted...

Does it run in your family? Or in any areas you do or have lived? If seems to be linked to location

Good luck... I had those symptoms too about 7 years ago and it was a B vitamin deficiency that cleared up over months with basic treatment. And there was damage from a TBI in childhood

Hope you can be seen soon and figure out whatever is going on.

My father has it and he has/had 2 cousins that have/had it.
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Damn, I'm sorry to hear that. I hope everything works out for you
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What are the symptoms you've been having? Just out of curiosity.
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Zangulus posted...

I hope you like needles. When my wife had her spinal tap they also took something like 25 vials of blood. They tested her for fucking everything and then a few Im sure some company made up in order to charge us extra.

They would probably do something like an MRI first to look for any signs of brain lesions

I did a lot of blood for testing (12 vials or something), but no spinal taps were suggested at all
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My mom has MS

Doctor Foxx posted...

Or in any areas you do or have lived? If seems to be linked to location

Yeah, it is a strange thing, Alberta has the highest MS rate in the world. I just hope i dont get it.
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Ogurisama posted...

My mom has MS

Doctor Foxx posted...

Or in any areas you do or have lived? If seems to be linked to location

Yeah, it is a strange thing, Alberta has the highest MS rate in the world. I just hope i dont get it.

It does, Canada is the highest in the world and Alberta is the worst of it. I've known quite a few people with it in the family. Sorry to hear you have dealt with it as well.

MS management has come a long way in the last few decades. It's much more manageable than it once was.
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Doctor Foxx posted...

Ogurisama posted...

My mom has MS

Doctor Foxx posted...

Or in any areas you do or have lived? If seems to be linked to location

Yeah, it is a strange thing, Alberta has the highest MS rate in the world. I just hope i dont get it.

It does, Canada is the highest in the world and Alberta is the worst of it. I've known quite a few people with it in the family. Sorry to hear you have dealt with it as well.

MS management has come a long way in the last few decades. It's much more manageable than it once was.

My mom was diagnosed around 20 years ago, and it had only really started to get bad in these last few two years. Which is really good, as there are cases were people get bad in just a year after the first symptoms show up
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Zangulus posted...

Doctor Foxx posted...

Zangulus posted...

I hope you like needles. When my wife had her spinal tap they also took something like 25 vials of blood. They tested her for fucking everything and then a few Im sure some company made up in order to charge us extra.

They would probably do something like an MRI first to look for any signs of brain lesions

I did a lot of blood for testing (12 vials or something), but no spinal taps were suggested at all

MRIs are apart of the base checking, but a majority of MS sufferers dont show lesions for up to 10 years.

when the B vitamin treatment cleared things up, it didn't get pursued further

or i had the worst doctors
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Positive thoughts. There are lots of other things it could be.
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In college they had me get an MRI and it showed no lesions so they didn't diagnose me but I had an episode that seemed to be an early MS episode. So we'll see what happens. I'm really annoyed. I don't want to be the one out of my four siblings that gets this. I thought none of us would get it but it would figure it'd be me.
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wwinterj25 posted...

What are the symptoms you've been having? Just out of curiosity.

I've been having blurry vision, pain in my eyes, issues focusing/my eyes have been crossing (involuntary eye movement)/double vision. The left side of my face has been going numb and tingly. I've had problems with my balance and my gait has been weird. Issues with my bowels like really constipated often. I've had a lot of lightheadedness.

I've been constantly fatigued for no reason even though I sleep for at least 8 hours a night. I started getting some sexual dysfunction which I attributed to my antidepressant even though I've been on the same dose for like 3 months but it just started in the past month. I had my psychiatrist okay me to go on a half dose of what I was on though just to see.

I've been having a lot of mental fogginess, short term memory problems, a hard time remembering words, and speech issues.

I've also been having pain in my kidney/lower rib/upper belly area which I thought might be my kidneys because I have enlarged ureters but that doesn't really cause pain. But I was looking up early symptoms of MS and I guess there's something known as the "MS hug" which is tightness around the rib/upper belly area. It's also called dysesthesia. So it could be that.

Idk I'm not trying to webmd myself but those are a lot of symptoms that are similar to early symptoms of MS so I was like shit. I thought a lot of the stuff may have been because of me stopping drinking but it just seems to have started in the last 3 months or so. Then I had an event in college too where they said it may have been linked to MS. So I figured I'll get a referral. I just really don't want to get diagnosed.

If I do I'm seriously just going to fucking dump my boyfriend because he's not going to want to be tied down with someone who is going to be disabled because he's way too active for that and I'm going to move into a studio apartment and become a hermit who just goes to work until I can't anymore and then I'll just stay alone until I die. It's fucking pointless to try to have a relationship because I'm not gonna suck someone into that. I've seen how my parents are so why bother.
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i wonder what causes it to be more common in some locations than others
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Jen0125 posted...

wwinterj25 posted...

What are the symptoms you've been having? Just out of curiosity.

I've been having blurry vision, pain in my eyes, issues focusing/my eyes have been crossing (involuntary eye movement)/double vision. The left side of my face has been going numb and tingly. I've had problems with my balance and my gait has been weird. Issues with my bowels like really constipated often. I've had a lot of lightheadedness.

I've been constantly fatigued for no reason even though I sleep for at least 8 hours a night. I started getting some sexual dysfunction which I attributed to my antidepressant even though I've been on the same dose for like 3 months but it just started in the past month. I had my psychiatrist okay me to go on a half dose of what I was on though just to see.

I've been having a lot of mental fogginess, short term memory problems, a hard time remembering words, and speech issues.

I've also been having pain in my kidney/lower rib/upper belly area which I thought might be my kidneys because I have enlarged ureters but that doesn't really cause pain. But I was looking up early symptoms of MS and I guess there's something known as the "MS hug" which is tightness around the rib/upper belly area. It's also called dysesthesia. So it could be that.

Idk I'm not trying to webmd myself but those are a lot of symptoms that are similar to early symptoms of MS so I was like shit. I thought a lot of the stuff may have been because of me stopping drinking but it just seems to have started in the last 3 months or so. Then I had an event in college too where they said it may have been linked to MS. So I figured I'll get a referral. I just really don't want to get diagnosed.

Fibromyalgia maybe? And Idk if it would explain all of it, but some of that could definitely be PAWS.

If I do I'm seriously just going to fucking dump my boyfriend because he's not going to want to be tied down with someone who is going to be disabled because he's way too active for that and I'm going to move into a studio apartment and become a hermit who just goes to work until I can't anymore and then I'll just stay alone until I die. It's fucking pointless to try to have a relationship because I'm not gonna suck someone into that. I've seen how my parents are so why bother.

If that's how you're going to play things, at least get some sugar gliders. Amazing animals that make demonic noises and only love one human.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nP_hQWT8YY" data-time="
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McSame_as_Bush posted...

Fibromyalgia maybe? And Idk if it would explain all of it, but some of that could definitely be PAWS.

I also thought of PAWS. That's what I'm hoping. That would explain the foggy brain things. Wet brain. I've also been having a LOT of headaches lately. So either way, the neuro will be able to help me with that. My migraines and headaches have been really out of control.

McSame_as_Bush posted...

If that's how you're going to play things, at least get some sugar gliders. Amazing animals that make demonic noises and only love one human.

I'm going to get 100 dogs.
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Jen0125 posted...

Idk I'm not trying to webmd myself but those are a lot of symptoms that are similar to early symptoms of MS so I was like shit.

It's very interesting because I've had/have quite a lot of symptoms myself that can be linked to MS. At the moment I just have a constant head pressure but being light headed, bad bowel movements, tingling in my hands, legs and face, mental fog, heart palpations and a sense of panic at times have been part of this for me. I've also had blurred vision but that's probably more linked to the lazy eye I had from birth. Still I've only noticed this blurred vision in one eye since these symptoms have started. The docs put it all down to Anxiety as they claim if it was anything more than that something more would have happened during the last couple of a years or so I've had these symptoms. I suppose they are not wrong as the tests I've had done have all come back fine but I haven't had a MRI scan and that's probably the main one I should. Anxiety highlights everything though so thinking the worse isn't surprising for me. I'm not saying this is what you have but it's a possibility at least.

Jen0125 posted...

So I figured I'll get a referral. I just really don't want to get diagnosed.

I'd rather know than not I think however some folk do prefer not knowing. For me though at least I'd have a explanation of why I feel like shit daily as to "hurr durr It's Anxiety now off you pop". Still I hope it's something as "harmless" as that and not something life threatening.

Jen0125 posted...

If I do I'm seriously just going to fucking dump my boyfriend because he's not going to want to be tied down with someone who is going to be disabled because he's way too active for that and I'm going to move into a studio apartment and become a hermit who just goes to work until I can't anymore and then I'll just stay alone until I die. It's fucking pointless to try to have a relationship because I'm not gonna suck someone into that. I've seen how my parents are so why bother.

That's fair enough if that's how you feel but many folk with disabilities have happy(well as happy as they can be) and fulfilling relationships so it's not impossible.
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Shit man MS is a serious fucker. Lets hope it isnt
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What is MS?
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Im at the goddamn airpot right now, but i will offer what reassurances i can before i leave

1. I dont need to tell you that MS treatments have come a long LONG fucking way since your dads diagnosis

2. Ive had my diagnosis for about 6 years now. Never had a spinal tap. Also been told by patients and doctors they arent as bad as youd think. My neuro does them in her office and then sends you home ffs.

3. If the money is worrying you dont let it. MS medications can be super pricey, but most of them offer copay assistance that will cover 95-100% of the total cost since they make WAY more from your insurance anyways. This money DOES go toward your out of pocket maximum which will mean youre gonna pay for next to nothing after just a couple of months.
3b. There are tons of very promising trials out there that will actually pay you, and provide you with MRIs and bloodwork

4. Its not a death sentence. You dont die from MS you die with it.

Deep fucking breath jen. I hope it turns out to be something less severe, but even if not youre gonna be OK.
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Zangulus posted...

Oh, so you haven't been checked by a general practitioner and been referred?

Not yet. My appointment is Monday morning. Then I'll have to wait for the appointment with the neuro. Either way I'm getting in with a neuro because I've been having a nonstop headache for the last month.

thedeerzord posted...

What is MS?

Multiple Sclerosis.

Troll_Police_ posted...

Deep fucking breath jen. I hope it turns out to be something less severe, but even if not youre gonna be OK.

Thanks for posting. I know medicine has come a long way so maybe it won't be as bad. I'll feel bad for my dad. He said when they mentioned it as a potential diagnosis in college he felt so guilty that he cried and cried until the MRI came back clear. I'm not even going to tell him this time unless I need to tell him something. We both know it's not supposed to be hereditary but him and two of his cousins had/have it. One had it so aggressively she had to be put in an assisted care facility in her 40s and passed away still in her 40s from complications.

I had genetic testing done and I have at least 3 genes that increase my risk of MS which still makes it a very small risk but an increase none the less.
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That is scary. Hopefully it turns out to be nothing

I'm really sorry Jen. I hope everything turns out ok.
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You still with the same boyfriend?
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No one's mentioned it yet, but it's worth noting that a lot of the early symptoms for MS are similar to symptoms some people experience from alcohol abuse and/or trying to quit alcohol. Especially stuff like "brain fog" or vision issues.

If you're lucky, your issues might be tied more to your recent problems along those lines, and will improve over time without doing any real significant long-term damage.


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Glad you're going to get checked out and I hope things aren't as bad as they seem.
My brother in law ignored his symptoms for over a year and it wasn't until he caused an accident on the thruway when he blacked out that he had himself checked out. Luckily not a single person was hurt in the accident. His career as an orthopedic surgeon is pretty much over though.
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minervo posted...

You still with the same boyfriend?

Yes.

ParanoidObsessive posted...

No one's mentioned it yet, but it's worth noting that a lot of the early symptoms for MS are similar to symptoms some people experience from alcohol abuse and/or trying to quit alcohol. Especially stuff like "brain fog" or vision issues.

If you're lucky, your issues might be tied more to your recent problems along those lines, and will improve over time without doing any real significant long-term damage.

That's what I'm hoping because it's only been 7 months but some of the other issues aren't really related to PAWS so that's what has me concerned.

Firewood18 posted...

Glad you're going to get checked out and I hope things aren't as bad as they seem.
My brother in law ignored his symptoms for over a year and it wasn't until he caused an accident on the thruway when he blacked out that he had himself checked out. Luckily not a single person was hurt in the accident. His career as an orthopedic surgeon is pretty much over though.

If I am diagnosed, I'm not going to get my master's because I'd rather not incur more student loans. Kinda sucks.
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Have you told him your concerns?
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minervo posted...

Have you told him your concerns?

Yeah, I told him what I was thinking about with both the early onset symptoms or that maybe it could be PAWS.
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Jen0125 posted...

minervo posted...

Have you told him your concerns?

Yeah, I told him what I was thinking about with both the early onset symptoms or that maybe it could be PAWS.

What did he say?
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minervo posted...

Jen0125 posted...

minervo posted...

Have you told him your concerns?

Yeah, I told him what I was thinking about with both the early onset symptoms or that maybe it could be PAWS.

What did he say?

He didn't really say anything. He looked up the symptoms too and said to just try to get a dr appt as soon as I could.
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Jen0125 posted...

minervo posted...

Jen0125 posted...

minervo posted...

Have you told him your concerns?

Yeah, I told him what I was thinking about with both the early onset symptoms or that maybe it could be PAWS.

What did he say?

He didn't really say anything. He looked up the symptoms too and said to just try to get a dr appt as soon as I could.

That sucks.
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If I were him, I would treat you to best night of your life tonight.
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He's working overnight lmao.

I'm pretty sure he'd just want me to dump him anyway after the year we've had.
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Doubt it, although since he referred you to see doctors instead of thinking of ways to help you feel better, I'd say you have some beef between each other to sort out.

Mind and body are one and the same. If there's a physical problem, most likely there's a mental one as well.
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Jen0125 posted...

He looked up the symptoms too and said to just try to get a dr appt as soon as I could.

Yeah good advise. No point obsessing over your symptoms and googling them very rarely helps I find. I know it's not as easy as that though but still. Cross that bridge if you ever get to it I suppose.
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minervo posted...

Doubt it, although since he referred you to see doctors instead of thinking of ways to help you feel better, I'd say you have some beef between each other to sort out.

Mind and body are one and the same. If there's a physical problem, most likely there's a mental one as well.

How is he supposed to help me feel better? He's not a doctor. He's probably tired of me not feeling well all the time.

wwinterj25 posted...

Yeah good advise. No point obsessing over your symptoms and googling them very rarely helps I find. I know it's not as easy as that though but still. Cross that bridge if you ever get to it I suppose.

Yeah, I'm definitely not wanting to webmd myself, lmao. I just looked it up because I remembered what they told me in college when I was feeling similarly and figured it wouldn't hurt to try to see a neuro. So I guess we'll see what happens. I need to see one anyway because I've been having a serious increase in serious headaches and migraines lately and my topamax hasn't been helping prevent them at all anymore. Excedrin migraine hasn't been helping to get the pain to go away either.
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Jen0125 posted...

I need to see one anyway because I've been having a serious increase in serious headaches and migraines lately and my topamax hasn't been helping prevent them at all anymore. Excedrin migraine hasn't been helping to get the pain to go away either.

Are they constant?
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wwinterj25 posted...

Jen0125 posted...

I need to see one anyway because I've been having a serious increase in serious headaches and migraines lately and my topamax hasn't been helping prevent them at all anymore. Excedrin migraine hasn't been helping to get the pain to go away either.

Are they constant?

They pretty much have been now for the last month and a half.
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Jen0125 posted...

They pretty much have been now for the last month and a half.

That definitely does suck from experience. Hopefully you'll find some not serious answers to that.
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Maybe I have a brain tumor and I'll just die \_()_/
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Jen0125 posted...

Maybe I have a brain tumor and I'll just die \_()_/

That thought has run through my head many times.
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Jen0125 posted...

Maybe I have a brain tumor and I'll just die \_()_/

It's all in your head!
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