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Should I say to my Doctor I am worried my symptoms may be MS ?
I am 47yo male. Up to 5 years ago I had great health. Since then suffered major depression (5 weeks in hospital), recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes and various other ailments which are keeping my GP & pharmacist busy.
With depression I am prone to fatigue however several months ago I was undertaking some DIY such as laying floors and some heavy lifting etc.. In short, I was exhausted from very minor exertions and found myself taking constant breaks and sweating an alarming amount. Whilst I was perturbed I thought the aging process had caught up with me. I remember using a grand new saw and thinking it must have been blunt such was the effort it needed. I found myself lying down occasionally to recover.
Around the same time I noticed very unusual sensations in the tips of my fingers. Over the past 3 months this has progressed to what I would describe as a feeling of tightness in the fingers, weakness in both arms, cramping after exertion, difficulty typing, problem writing. The severity waxes and wanes but is definitely deteriorating.
I started becoming conscious of my walking also. I had a strange sensation of being unsteady on my feet when walking slowly in particular. On several occasions I noticed I was almost falling/tripping to my left side. My legs are now starting to feel heavy and last week I noticed if i climbed a couple flights of stairs I would be fatigued and breathless.
I had a nerve conduction test on my hands and am waiting to talk to my GP. She suspected carpal tunnel. I felt myself this was wrong and the technician who performed the test said it was def not carpal tunnel.
At times I have been very forgetful whereas I always had a great memory and recall. May not be a symptom but is certainly something I have become conscious of.
Painwise my hands are generally pain free except for the funny sensations which I find hard to describe. Finger tips almost electric when typing. Fingers feel fat and awkward. A pain is developing in my left thigh which I have noticed as weaker. I have an unusual pain in my chestbone just under right breast. Was a bruise there last week for no reason. Thats clearing up now but still very sharp pain. Also pain at my back immediately behind this.
My vision is ok. Only for my hands deteriorating and arm weakness I might not have thought much of the other symptoms as aches and pains come and go. I am certain though that my coordination is dodgy in certain situations like uneven ground. Also the major fatigue and leg heaviness I am noticing.
Naturally, I am not asking anyone to diagnose me but my question is should I mention to GP that I am worried about possible MS or will she only consider me a hypochondriac ? I know the symptoms could be many other possible causes. As I say on there own I would ignore them but with the hand/arm deterioration I am worried.
Apologies for the length of post.
Thank you
Denis
Ireland
With depression I am prone to fatigue however several months ago I was undertaking some DIY such as laying floors and some heavy lifting etc.. In short, I was exhausted from very minor exertions and found myself taking constant breaks and sweating an alarming amount. Whilst I was perturbed I thought the aging process had caught up with me. I remember using a grand new saw and thinking it must have been blunt such was the effort it needed. I found myself lying down occasionally to recover.
Around the same time I noticed very unusual sensations in the tips of my fingers. Over the past 3 months this has progressed to what I would describe as a feeling of tightness in the fingers, weakness in both arms, cramping after exertion, difficulty typing, problem writing. The severity waxes and wanes but is definitely deteriorating.
I started becoming conscious of my walking also. I had a strange sensation of being unsteady on my feet when walking slowly in particular. On several occasions I noticed I was almost falling/tripping to my left side. My legs are now starting to feel heavy and last week I noticed if i climbed a couple flights of stairs I would be fatigued and breathless.
I had a nerve conduction test on my hands and am waiting to talk to my GP. She suspected carpal tunnel. I felt myself this was wrong and the technician who performed the test said it was def not carpal tunnel.
At times I have been very forgetful whereas I always had a great memory and recall. May not be a symptom but is certainly something I have become conscious of.
Painwise my hands are generally pain free except for the funny sensations which I find hard to describe. Finger tips almost electric when typing. Fingers feel fat and awkward. A pain is developing in my left thigh which I have noticed as weaker. I have an unusual pain in my chestbone just under right breast. Was a bruise there last week for no reason. Thats clearing up now but still very sharp pain. Also pain at my back immediately behind this.
My vision is ok. Only for my hands deteriorating and arm weakness I might not have thought much of the other symptoms as aches and pains come and go. I am certain though that my coordination is dodgy in certain situations like uneven ground. Also the major fatigue and leg heaviness I am noticing.
Naturally, I am not asking anyone to diagnose me but my question is should I mention to GP that I am worried about possible MS or will she only consider me a hypochondriac ? I know the symptoms could be many other possible causes. As I say on there own I would ignore them but with the hand/arm deterioration I am worried.
Apologies for the length of post.
Thank you
Denis
Ireland
Sounds like a good plan, Denis. An open mind is a great policy. I know it's much easier said than done, but try to let your mind relax this weekend. You have a great plan in place and you deserve a nice couple of days to rest up ahead of your appointments.
If you don't get to see your GP too often, it can be helpful to write down your questions ahead of time. Those appointments can pass by in a flash and most of us know what it's like to remember a bit too late what we meant to ask about!
If you don't get to see your GP too often, it can be helpful to write down your questions ahead of time. Those appointments can pass by in a flash and most of us know what it's like to remember a bit too late what we meant to ask about!
Hi Denis! There aren't too many of us on here from Ireland, so it's a nice surprise.
First off, please don't discount those sharp chest pains or lump them in with anything else. Have you been looked at for any cardiac conditions? Whether or not they're related to the other things you mentioned, I'd strongly recommend you have them assessed if only because these can be related to heart health. It's just good for all of us to stay on top of those possible issues.
I also have a background involving stays in hospital for mental health reasons. I didn't find them a hinderance in being referred for neurological services, but that may be because my first MS presentations were pretty unmistakable.
Nothing that you're mentioning seems to say "MS" to me. Because MS can affect so many different parts of the body, it's extremely common to have it come up when looking at symptoms on the internet. It can be counter-productive to state what you think you have to a physician. This is because it indicates the patient might be engaging in cognitive bias based on things they've read and (consciously or subconsciously) making their experiences fit.
It's usually more productive to say "I'm experiencing the following. It's negatively impacting my life and causing me concern. What are your suggestions in this situation?" I'm not sure if you have private insurance or use the HSE, but this doesn't always get the ball rolling on the first try. Don't be shy about pushing back a little if you feel your GP is not addressing your experiences. This doesn't mean they necessarily have to agree with you on everything, but they should at the very least offer some possible reasons for your experiences, offer symptomatic relief, and some sort of short/medium term game plan.
To be honest, as services and general GP awareness can vary so wildly in Ireland, some of it can depend on where you are. My experience here in Dublin has been overall very positive.
First off, please don't discount those sharp chest pains or lump them in with anything else. Have you been looked at for any cardiac conditions? Whether or not they're related to the other things you mentioned, I'd strongly recommend you have them assessed if only because these can be related to heart health. It's just good for all of us to stay on top of those possible issues.
I also have a background involving stays in hospital for mental health reasons. I didn't find them a hinderance in being referred for neurological services, but that may be because my first MS presentations were pretty unmistakable.
Nothing that you're mentioning seems to say "MS" to me. Because MS can affect so many different parts of the body, it's extremely common to have it come up when looking at symptoms on the internet. It can be counter-productive to state what you think you have to a physician. This is because it indicates the patient might be engaging in cognitive bias based on things they've read and (consciously or subconsciously) making their experiences fit.
It's usually more productive to say "I'm experiencing the following. It's negatively impacting my life and causing me concern. What are your suggestions in this situation?" I'm not sure if you have private insurance or use the HSE, but this doesn't always get the ball rolling on the first try. Don't be shy about pushing back a little if you feel your GP is not addressing your experiences. This doesn't mean they necessarily have to agree with you on everything, but they should at the very least offer some possible reasons for your experiences, offer symptomatic relief, and some sort of short/medium term game plan.
To be honest, as services and general GP awareness can vary so wildly in Ireland, some of it can depend on where you are. My experience here in Dublin has been overall very positive.
1 Comments
Hi Immisceo.
Firstly, thanks for taking the time to read and reply. Us irish have to stick together lol.
I will get the chest issue checked. Its more of a bony type pain than anything.
I guess I tend to overdo the googledoc stuff a bit. Im lucky also in that my GP is very good. At this stage I must be funding her son thru college such has been the litany of problems Ive had over past 5 years. Nothing major just a constant stream. Nothing compared to your MS so I wont complain. My pharmacist is building a new house on the back of my custom.
I will keep an open mind. Possibly some minor neurological issue that Im getting out of proportion.
I hope your path hasnt been too difficult. I imagine the uncertain course of MS is one of the major stresses.
I will go to GP monday to get formal results of nerve conduction test and take from there.
Look after yourself
Denis
Firstly, thanks for taking the time to read and reply. Us irish have to stick together lol.
I will get the chest issue checked. Its more of a bony type pain than anything.
I guess I tend to overdo the googledoc stuff a bit. Im lucky also in that my GP is very good. At this stage I must be funding her son thru college such has been the litany of problems Ive had over past 5 years. Nothing major just a constant stream. Nothing compared to your MS so I wont complain. My pharmacist is building a new house on the back of my custom.
I will keep an open mind. Possibly some minor neurological issue that Im getting out of proportion.
I hope your path hasnt been too difficult. I imagine the uncertain course of MS is one of the major stresses.
I will go to GP monday to get formal results of nerve conduction test and take from there.
Look after yourself
Denis
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