First Neuro Visit Upcoming - MD says "Need to rule out MS"

[Graham]

Hi everyone. This is my first post to the website so go easy on me - I will try to make this as short and simple as possible.

I'm a 34 year old, single dad - I have worked in pharmacy for 10 years. Over the last year I have had a series of physical ailments that until recently were seemingly unrelated.

Some persistent chest pains a year ago - EKG checked out fine. A couple other random things here and there.

Started having intermittent lower back pain late last year that would come and go - sometimes for months at a time.

I started to notice that the back pain seemed to coincide with stress and lack of sleep. I've had what I would consider two significantly stressful life events over the last year and the physical flair ups would immediately follow. I assumed maybe just stress related.

After the second stressful event in April, the pain came back , but with some new, strange symptoms along with it.

The pain was here and there, though not constant, but I began to have the gripping sensation on my right side and lower back. I saw my MD for it in May and she thought maybe it was stress but she scheduled a followup. In between that appointment and my followup in July the symptoms changed, and became more pronounced.

The gripping became a constant - it hasnt really gone away completely since May. With it came numbness on that side of my torso, tingling in my hands, feet, and face, and occasionally a burning sensation on the bottom of my feet.

I will also get muscle spasms in my legs. These are not the kind of spasms Ive had in relation to sports or pulled muscles though. It feels almost as if someone is holding a vibrating massager to my leg. Really unusual.

The most recent evolution of the current symptoms is the muscle tightness.

It is constant on my side and under my rib muscles, and in the rest of my body to to some extent - it is significant in my legs and feet when I wake up in the morning. Stiffness and pain when first walking.

I also get the occasional shooting pains up my spine, and occasional "blasts" of pain in strange places , which I believe are muscle contractions.

My GP is a Physician Assistant and she has referred me to a neurologist to "rule out MS".

My Pharmacist (my boss) actually mentioned MS two months ago. I kind of blew her off as being a bit dramatic, but being in the medical field we do tend to spot physical symptoms sooner than one normally would.

Anyways, just wanted to sort of introduce myself and my situation. Any input, experience, or opinion is joyfully welcome.

[JerryD]

Since you are familiar with the science of medicine, you are taking the correct steps. I have no suggestions except that I would examine every option available to you. Get your blood tested very completely. Do not disregard your vitamin D and vitamin B-12 levels. You, also, need to rule out Lyme disease. Good luck.

[jreagan70]

Hi Graham:

I'm glad you posted, because now is the time to get some things straightened out that will save you a lot of grief later.

My GP is a Physician Assistant

That's very different than your thread title,"MD says "Need to rule out MS" and "I saw my MD." A PA is in no way, shape or form an MD. PAs are called "assistants" for a reason. That you use PA and MD interchangeable is a red flag that you can run into trouble later with your expectations, level of understanding, and level of care. It's nice that you like your PA, but she's not an MD.

Another thing that's important to get straight early is the significance of symptoms in the diagnostic phase. During diagnosis, symptoms are important in guiding the physician in determining what conditions to differentiate and what tests to run. In the diagnostic phase, symptoms have no significance beyond that.

Many people with neurological symptoms become fixated on symptoms and describe them on message boards ad infinitum and to the point that they're actually offended that the physician isn't fawning over their symptoms and the effects they're having on their lives.

But that isn't the neurologist's job during the diagnostic phase. A few will offer symptom meds or a referral to another provider at that point (such as a mental health professional or physical therapist), but they seem to be in the minority. For many or most neurologists, attention to symptoms comes after the diagnosis is made. Diagnosis is the first priority. So it's important to keep your expectations of the neurologist realistic for the first couple of visits and until the necessary testing is complete.

If you get clear (including not thinking of or referring to a PA as an MD) and stay realistic about the neurological diagnostic process, it should go more easily, no matter what the outcome is.

[Kimba22]

Hi Graham,

Welcome to MSWorld! Sorry to hear about your symptoms.

There's no single test to determine if someone has MS, and the diagnosis is made after other conditions are ruled out. There is also specific criteria that must be fufilled. So it's not quite as simple as "ruling out MS."

Here is some information for you: http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Sym.../Diagnosing-MS

Good luck at your appointment, and I hope you don't have MS.

[Graham]

Hi Graham:

I'm glad you posted, because now is the time to get some things straightened out that will save you a lot of grief later.


That's very different than your thread title,"MD says "Need to rule out MS" and "I saw my MD." A PA is in no way, shape or form an MD. PAs are called "assistants" for a reason. That you use PA and MD interchangeable is a red flag that you can run into trouble later with your expectations, level of understanding, and level of care. It's nice that you like your PA, but she's not an MD.

Another thing that's important to get straight early is the significance of symptoms in the diagnostic phase. During diagnosis, symptoms are important in guiding the physician in determining what conditions to differentiate and what tests to run. In the diagnostic phase, symptoms have no significance beyond that.

Many people with neurological symptoms become fixated on symptoms and describe them on message boards ad infinitum and to the point that they're actually offended that the physician isn't fawning over their symptoms and the effects they're having on their lives.

But that isn't the neurologist's job during the diagnostic phase. A few will offer symptom meds or a referral to another provider at that point (such as a mental health professional or physical therapist), but they seem to be in the minority. For many or most neurologists, attention to symptoms comes after the diagnosis is made. Diagnosis is the first priority. So it's important to keep your expectations of the neurologist realistic for the first couple of visits and until the necessary testing is complete.

If you get clear (including not thinking of or referring to a PA as an MD) and stay realistic about the neurological diagnostic process, it should go more easily, no matter what the outcome is.

I should have been clearer - my GP is a PA who works under an MD - whom she consulted with when she felt like it was "outside of her scope of expertise".

But thank you very much for for taking the time to respond - I will definitely note all of this going into my visit. Any advice from those who have been through similar processes is always appreciated.

[Graham]

Thanks for taking the time to respond y'all .

Hopefully it will turn out to be nothing or nothing serious