waiting for neurology consultant appt

mogchops

Not asking for medical advice - as i know its not allowed, just interested in others experiences.....

I have some symptoms, and my GP has mentioned MS, and has referred me for consultant appt. I have utilised google, and found that is it very difficult to diagnose MS, and as there are so many symptoms, everyone can be different.

I suppose i am interested in experiences of anyone who has been referred with possilbe MS symptoms - and what tests were given, and whether it turned out to be MS or something else?

asparagus1968

tests run to diagnose MS are
MRI scan
VEP
lumbar puncture

Results can take up to a couple of months for the lumbar puncture.

If you are getting anxious contact the MS specialist nurse at your neuro unit.

there can be quite a few different diagnoses with very similar symptoms to MS though.

hope it works out well for you.

grey_lady

Can you afford to have the initial consultation privately? prob cost £150 but you could then have any treatment on the NHS. There can be quite a long wait on the nhs for a neurologist.

Threadhead

Have a wee look at the MS Society site. There is a forum there with very helpful, friendly and knowledgeable posters.

I was diagnosed (by MRI) about 6 months after my first relapse, so it's not necessarily a long wait to be diagnosed. And I suppose the most important thing to remember is that most people who have MS are not badly disabled.

I hope your neuro appointment comes through quickly and you get some answers.

Please pm me if I can be of more help.

mogchops

grey_lady wrote: »

Can you afford to have the initial consultation privately? prob cost £150 but you could then have any treatment on the NHS. There can be quite a long wait on the nhs for a neurologist.

thank you, we did conside this but have now gt appt for 23 nov, so not too long to wait,

Threadhead wrote: »

Have a wee look at the MS Society site. There is a forum there with very helpful, friendly and knowledgeable posters.

I was diagnosed (by MRI) about 6 months after my first relapse, so it's not necessarily a long wait to be diagnosed. And I suppose the most important thing to remember is that most people who have MS are not badly disabled.

I hope your neuro appointment comes through quickly and you get some answers.

Please pm me if I can be of more help.

thank you, i will have a look at the site and forum

lostinrates

I have a friend with ms, and I was recently about lumbar punctures and was amzed he had not had one, he was dignopsed by MRI.

Feiw, my private neurology appts cost more than 150 and an MRI is unlikely to be that inexpensive, but we found the waiting list privately for MRI to be much shorter. (I had one this summer). Neurology depts seem to have really long waiting lists ATM, I went private
Y this summer but in thje end the NHS date came in just the next week. (with the same consultant too).

marmiterulesok

Hi mogchops,

I've sent you a pm,hope you don't mind.

mogchops

marmiterulesok wrote: »

Hi mogchops,

I've sent you a pm,hope you don't mind.

Thank you, have replied!

curlygirl1971

My sis was diagnosed by MRI and based on symptoms described to consultant.

Best of luck Mogchops

FBaby

I was referred to the neurologist with suspected MS. My own GP didn't believe that's what I had, although agree that I had symptoms that exhibited it, but I have two GP friends who they believe I had a good chance to receive that diagnosis.

On the day of the appt, the neurologist conducted some physical tests (walking straight, testing reflexes, checking eyes etc...) and asked a lot of questions (I had written a diagnosis of my symptoms). He said that he also didn't think it was MS but agreed to refer me for an MRI of head, neck and spine to be sure. MRI came back all normal and all my symptoms (which I had had on and off for almost 18 months disappeared. I accepted that day that stress can make your body react in very scary ways (one of my symptom was a freezing foot whilst the other was burning).

Hermia

I had some tests about 8 years ago and MS was one of the things they considered. I had to walk up and down in front of the consultant and do different exercises (they reminded me of the exercises police make suspected drunk drivers do). I had to do them in my undies so make sure you wear some nice ones just in case!