Question for those who have been diagnosed

[jumpinjiminy]

I'm curious to know if anyone has managed to get a diagnosis without experiencing a major functional loss first.

How many here were diagnosed without losing vision, the ability to use a limb, or some other major issue?

[Guitar_grrrl]

My diagnosis was made without any serious functional loss.  I had had sensory symptoms off and on for 20+ years.  It was a bout of dizziness and trigeminal neuralgia that made me (and my PCP) curious, and then relentless leg spasms that made me see a neurologist.

I'm still fairly able bodied, but I have deficits in two functional neuro systems.

[Needhelp16]

My mri and lp were both positive.

[shermay]

Good thread.

I had had issues before my dx, but I put them down to working too hard - tingling, leg being wobbly and such.  It was only one morning when i was driving that I looked left to go around a corner that I saw double.

I thought I had a migraine coming on.  So I postponed a meeting with my DR for 2 days, but the double vision got worse.  My Step mother (least said the better) has a brother who is a neuro surgeon in the US , said 'well something has happened, or something is going to happen' it was with reference to my Sister having a stroke at 40.

So basically this really frightened me - and i went to the Dr's who referred me to a Neuro in the UK, and I was dx within a month - after the usual tests, MRI etc.

So really in answer to your question I would say it was just the double vision, and my Sister having a stroke that made me pursue it further.  Otherwise I don't think that I would have been that concerned.

My Neuro called it 'benign' MS

it's a term I have heard over the years that the NHS use, so they don't have to give out any DMD drugs!

[Quixotic1]

I presented with severe vertigo which is sensory, but involves falling down, so it's sort of motor, too.  They watched me for 8 years with that, calling me loony.

I was diagnosed on the second neuro after suffering significant weakness in my right leg with spasticity and foot drop.

Quix

[Jifr]

That's a great question.  I see a lot of people talk about a lot of the debilitating symptoms they have and wonder why it takes such disability before some people are able to get a diagnosis.

I did not have any major disability before getting diagnosed.  The entire right side of my body went numb.  The first doc I saw after my right side was numb for 3 weeks said: I was young, I was healthy, I didn't have a stroke and that I was fine.  (I hate her).  (With a passion).

When I went back a second time - to see a different doctor in the practice - the numbess faded to my right arm.  He, the dummy, said that it could be carpal tunnel and sent me to an Ortho.  (I generally just think of this doc as a big time incompetent jerk).

When I went back a third time - to see yet another doc in the practice - because I noticed an odd sensation on my belly on the left side...This wonderful wonderful doctor LISTENED to me and said I was the right age for the onset of MS.

So - I was diagnosed based on sensory symptoms only.

[kwarendorf]

During my most recent relapse, which lead to my diagnosis, I had fairly serious muscle weakness in my legs. I also had double vision. I also had pretty serious ataxia (couldn't walk in a straight line). Lastly, I had serious fatigue problems. While these all added up to a less than pleasant quality of life, they were not disabling. I never missed a day of work etc. I couldn't drive a car, but then again I don't own a car :-)

These symptoms did lead me to the Doc, MRI's, blood work, an LP and an official diagnosis of MS.

[jujuminx]

Well, the only did MRI of my brain for close to 20 yrs before they (and I) got a clue. Once they MRI'd my spine last year, they found the lesions.

Can't say for sure the lesions would have shown up had spine been MRI'd 10 yrs ago or 8 yrs before that when I had my first attack.

Julie

[HVAC]

I was diagnosed in 2009 and thought the Doctors were NUTS saying I had MS until recently. I had symptoms but they were under the radar for 46 years. I went to Neurologists through out my childhood and did not know it.

In the last few months the progression in my walking has caught up to me.

My MRIs have all been positive but my lesion load is small and unchanging. My MS Specialist says my MRI shows I do not have much MS. Of course the guy does not watch me walk. If he watched me walk now he would see that is a strange statement.

Alex

[beachcomber13]

I don't think my problems are a major loss. Fatigue, numbness, tingling, limb weakness, pain, cognitive deficits, compromised balance. I think I got the dx based on sx and MRI lesions.

[jumpinjiminy]

I guess I should have added another question - and that would be, without a positive MRI. Thanks for responding. Were your MRIs positive?

[Needhelp16]

I never had any vision problems or a major loss of using anything.  My primary sx was numbness and tingling.

Laura

[jujuminx]

Hummm, depends on what you mean as "major".

I never had lost vision or lose of limb but I had limb weakness where I had very issues even holding a hair dryer. Also had the MS hug which was horrible, l'hermittes, slight foot drop the first attack I ever had, senstations of walking on rocks, very painful foot tightness that caused me to sleep with feet hanging off the end of the bed.

None of it prevented me from walking or seeing, and thankfully, none of them permanent.

Julie