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What do I need to know to ask the doctor if possible MS Dxs?
After 10 yrs of just dealing with sxs such as tingling in the legs and arms, Concentration and memory issues, and constant feeling like I need to pee at night, Headaches, and other sxs that at this moment I cant think of. I believe my doctor is ready to try to get a dxs again. When he first started I had one spot on my brain and sxs that would come and go. I just didnt have the best insurance, so my neuro did what he could to get me a dxs of some type and gave me ways to help ease my sxs at home.
Now, 10 yrs later I have insurance and I believe he is ready to go a second round for a dxs because lately my sxs have been worse, and a new sx has begun of my left foot cramping up and being in severe pain for a short amount of time. I was wondering if there is anything in particular I should be asking the doctor to help understand the process I will be going through. Also what type of questions should I ask if I am dxs?
Now, 10 yrs later I have insurance and I believe he is ready to go a second round for a dxs because lately my sxs have been worse, and a new sx has begun of my left foot cramping up and being in severe pain for a short amount of time. I was wondering if there is anything in particular I should be asking the doctor to help understand the process I will be going through. Also what type of questions should I ask if I am dxs?
It does help just wish I knew what to do. My neuro has been helpful over the 10 yrs to get my individual sxs treated but really no exact reason why I have the issues. I have had a nerve test done and it came back normal, a spinal tap came back normal, but my MRI had the one lesion it was on the right side of my brain.
He has stated my nerves are the issue and brought up MS at the beginning but never brought it up again. My body is weird. I typically start showing signs of illness a week before I become ill. I never get fever. I just wish I knew what exactly to ask, or would a second opinion be a good idea.
I thought it could be Lyme disease because of a bite I had about ten years ago. I have heard it is hard to get dxs in texas. I have asked for a test but they won't do the right test. I am just concern because I don't know where to go from here.
He has stated my nerves are the issue and brought up MS at the beginning but never brought it up again. My body is weird. I typically start showing signs of illness a week before I become ill. I never get fever. I just wish I knew what exactly to ask, or would a second opinion be a good idea.
I thought it could be Lyme disease because of a bite I had about ten years ago. I have heard it is hard to get dxs in texas. I have asked for a test but they won't do the right test. I am just concern because I don't know where to go from here.
It does help just wish I knew what to do. My neuro has been helpful over the 10 yrs to get my individual sxs treated but really no exact reason why I have the issues. I have had a nerve test done and it came back normal, a spinal tap came back normal, but my MRI had the one lesion it was on the right side of my brain.
He has stated my nerves are the issue and brought up MS at the beginning but never brought it up again. My body is weird. I typically start showing signs of illness a week before I become ill. I never get fever. I just wish I knew what exactly to ask, or would a second opinion be a good idea.
I thought it could be Lyme disease because of a bite I had about ten years ago. I have heard it is hard to get dxs in texas. I have asked for a test but they won't do the right test. I am just concern because I don't know where to go from here.
He has stated my nerves are the issue and brought up MS at the beginning but never brought it up again. My body is weird. I typically start showing signs of illness a week before I become ill. I never get fever. I just wish I knew what exactly to ask, or would a second opinion be a good idea.
I thought it could be Lyme disease because of a bite I had about ten years ago. I have heard it is hard to get dxs in texas. I have asked for a test but they won't do the right test. I am just concern because I don't know where to go from here.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Hi there,
I really dont think it's likely that you would be dxed with MS at this appointment, so it's probably a good idea to keep open minded about what your neuro is going to dx you with. Think about it, you've been seeing the same neuro for years (10 years?) there should at least be clinical evidence developing and changing in that time frame, which has been suggestive and or consistent with a neurological condition like MS.
Even if you've not been able to afford the MRI's, if your neuro genuinely believed you to have MS and he's only been withholding your MS dx until he has the supportive MRI evidence (which means he's a bumbling fool if that's what's held him up dxing you for a decade), he's probably going to require you to have the MRI's again and other tests before he's going to commit to a dx after all this time.
I don't think you've mention if your neurological assessments (clinical tests your neuro has done over those years or should have been doing) has ever found anything clinically abnormal or not, if they are normal then what ever has been causing you these symptoms just wouldn't likely be from a neurological condition like MS....
If they are abnormal, then depending on which clinical tests are abnormal, that diagnostic evidence will reduce the list of potential neurological causes, MS may be on the list but not necessarily at the top of your list though.....
I couldn't recall what you'd mentioned before but after going back through your posting history, i couldn't work out how many years after this all started that you had the MRI but generally 1 lesion if its in a common location isn't typically classed as abnormal, 1 definitely wouldn't be suggestive of MS unless there was more specific details about it to put MS on the list of potential causes, do you know the location of the lesion, it's size, if it was non specific or enhancing etc?
After reading what you wrote this time last year;
"My sxs are as follows and came up in this order for the most part...a large cyst pops up behind right ear, my left leg begins to tingle and feel like it is asleep, then my left arm and hand do it as well, next my left side of my face....after that I begin to get scared and that is when the dizzy spells came on, I had to get help walking to the restroom to keep from falling down...next my short term memory was affected and I would get these sharp pains in my head, I have had ringing in my ears and pressure in my right ear, I have stomach issues too. "
If your symptoms actually started with a cyst behind your ear and then you developed all the other symptoms, your neuro would be aware the way your issues started would be a very untypical presentation for MS, and a potential red flag pointing away from neurological conditions like MS.......i'm actually thinking you should probably go to this appointment with a list of any symptoms that are new and or that has changed since you last saw him, explain that your situation is getting worse and now that you have insurance, you would like to finally get a diagnosis, so that you know what it is that your dealing with and can correctly treat what ever the condition is and see what he has to say and which tests he recommends.
It's usually not a good idea to mention wanting tests for any specific neurological condition, unless the neuro is saying he/she thinks it could be x or y and you need to have such and such tests run, it might be different for you because you've got a long history with this neuro.....in regards to the diagnostic process for MS, generally it starts with a discussion about your medical history and the symptoms your experiencing, then a full neurological assessment looking for abnormal clinical signs, followed by brain 'and or' spinal MRI's with and without contrast, other tests usually depend on the types of symptoms you have eg blood tests, nerve conductor tests, Lumbar puncture etc etc
Hope that helps.......JJ
I really dont think it's likely that you would be dxed with MS at this appointment, so it's probably a good idea to keep open minded about what your neuro is going to dx you with. Think about it, you've been seeing the same neuro for years (10 years?) there should at least be clinical evidence developing and changing in that time frame, which has been suggestive and or consistent with a neurological condition like MS.
Even if you've not been able to afford the MRI's, if your neuro genuinely believed you to have MS and he's only been withholding your MS dx until he has the supportive MRI evidence (which means he's a bumbling fool if that's what's held him up dxing you for a decade), he's probably going to require you to have the MRI's again and other tests before he's going to commit to a dx after all this time.
I don't think you've mention if your neurological assessments (clinical tests your neuro has done over those years or should have been doing) has ever found anything clinically abnormal or not, if they are normal then what ever has been causing you these symptoms just wouldn't likely be from a neurological condition like MS....
If they are abnormal, then depending on which clinical tests are abnormal, that diagnostic evidence will reduce the list of potential neurological causes, MS may be on the list but not necessarily at the top of your list though.....
I couldn't recall what you'd mentioned before but after going back through your posting history, i couldn't work out how many years after this all started that you had the MRI but generally 1 lesion if its in a common location isn't typically classed as abnormal, 1 definitely wouldn't be suggestive of MS unless there was more specific details about it to put MS on the list of potential causes, do you know the location of the lesion, it's size, if it was non specific or enhancing etc?
After reading what you wrote this time last year;
"My sxs are as follows and came up in this order for the most part...a large cyst pops up behind right ear, my left leg begins to tingle and feel like it is asleep, then my left arm and hand do it as well, next my left side of my face....after that I begin to get scared and that is when the dizzy spells came on, I had to get help walking to the restroom to keep from falling down...next my short term memory was affected and I would get these sharp pains in my head, I have had ringing in my ears and pressure in my right ear, I have stomach issues too. "
If your symptoms actually started with a cyst behind your ear and then you developed all the other symptoms, your neuro would be aware the way your issues started would be a very untypical presentation for MS, and a potential red flag pointing away from neurological conditions like MS.......i'm actually thinking you should probably go to this appointment with a list of any symptoms that are new and or that has changed since you last saw him, explain that your situation is getting worse and now that you have insurance, you would like to finally get a diagnosis, so that you know what it is that your dealing with and can correctly treat what ever the condition is and see what he has to say and which tests he recommends.
It's usually not a good idea to mention wanting tests for any specific neurological condition, unless the neuro is saying he/she thinks it could be x or y and you need to have such and such tests run, it might be different for you because you've got a long history with this neuro.....in regards to the diagnostic process for MS, generally it starts with a discussion about your medical history and the symptoms your experiencing, then a full neurological assessment looking for abnormal clinical signs, followed by brain 'and or' spinal MRI's with and without contrast, other tests usually depend on the types of symptoms you have eg blood tests, nerve conductor tests, Lumbar puncture etc etc
Hope that helps.......JJ
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