Sunday, April 10, 2011 T Dugan asks

Q: Dr. appt. on Monday need advice.

I am seeing a neurologist on Mon. to discuss the collection of symptoms that I think point to possible dx of MS. I have written all of them down, but not in any kind of order, sequence, etc. I am thinking that the most important symptoms to begin with are the ones that have led me to make th appt. i.e. mobility issues. Am I right on this, or should I present the list in a different manner? I have shrugged off many on the list over the years as "stress" related. Now that I am turning 50, and am having trouble walking any distance, having toe drop, and excruciating fatigue at the end of the day this makes my job as a K-2 teacher very difficult.Please advise and thank you all in advance.T.

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Answers (3)

Amy Gurowitz, Health Guide

4/10/11 4:26pm

Hi there,

I'm sorry to hear you are going through this, but glad to hear that you are seeing an MS neurologist. I wouldn't be too concerned about what info your bring to th dr. Everything will be important to tell him/her. You can separate the symptoms on your list that you know to be MS, and have a secondary list that may or may not be. MS can present itself in so many different ways and there may be symptoms you are MS related (that is if it is MS) you didn't even realize. Having a list is important.. and it can't hurt to get all of your info together.

There are two pages on the MS Society's site that may be of interest to you. The first is about preparing for a dr.'s visit and the other is for people who have possible MS. There is good information there that may be of interest to you. If you stay in the "newly diagnosed" area you are less likely to see info/pics that can cause anxiety. I know when I was diagnosed in 1988, I didn't want to see all the possible MS experiences. (Of course, as I'm sure you remembe, there was no internet back then!)

I hope your appointment goes well tomorrow. Please keep me (us) posted. I hope you feel better.

Best,

Amy

T Dugan

4/10/11 6:52pm

Amy,

Thank you for responding and giving me direction to more information that I will ck out. I will let you know how things turn out tomorrow. It is nice knowing there is someone out there in cyberspace to connect with over this.

Bless you,

ecurra19

4/10/11 5:01pm

T Dugan I am happy to hear that you will se the neurologist to discuss the collection of symptoms that you have but I do not recommend to get in the office with the attitude of possible dx of MS. Who is the doctor? This physicians do not want to be outrun. They have a super ego and do not outrun them. Now we have an Economic Crisis that is challenging all. Are you going alone? Make sure that you companion understand that it is you the patient and the doctor too. Just take it easy and find out first what kind of doctor is? But you are the start and not the doctor.

Eileen

Lisa Emrich, Health Guide

4/10/11 9:59pm

Hi T Dugan,

It sounds like you are being very proactive in preparing for your appointment. The better you are able to present the information (thoroughly and straight-forward), the easier it will be for you and your doctor both. I know that when I made the original appointment with the neurologist, I was asked WHY it was that I needed the appointment. At the time, my response was that my MRI indicated that MS was a possibility.

It is okay to be forward and tell the doctor WHY you are there!! The patient should be an equal participant in their own care. This is more and more common (and recommended).

If it were me, I would organize my symptoms starting with the current concerns. Then detailing previous episodes of symptoms (when and what) describing what was investigated (or thought) at the time.

Your neurologist will perform a thorough neuro exam. He/she will order tests, starting with lots of blood tests to eliminate other potential causes of symptoms. If you haven't had an MRI, one should be ordered. Maybe even some evoked potential tests.

Please let us know how the appointment goes and if there is anything else we can do to help. Good luck!!

Lisa Emrich, Health Guide

4/10/11 10:22pm

Here was a somewhat similar question with a couple of responses which may give you additional ideas.

T Dugan

4/11/11 2:36pm

Well, I got most of the information out either verbally or on the patient information sheet. I inserted some of the missing pieces during the exam. I had been to this

Neuro Dr. for migraines years ago. My mother went to him for Alzheimers. He remembered me, even though it has been awhile 3+ years.

Anyway, I did some of the physical tests that I have read about. No babinski though. I was very shaky today - whole body- the waiting room was hot and I seem to get more shaky when I overheat. Usually I have the tremor in my left arm under cooler circumstances.

He also did some electrical tests on my foot, calf, and thigh. He said there was some slowing but he wasn't hugely impressed. I think! He also did that stick a needle in the leg muscle and send AC through it for some readings.

I told him about the cardiac pain incident from 2 years ago that send me to the ER and an overnight stay in the heart center with all sorts of tests including a nuclear stress test. No heart problems showed up, but they couldn't explain the chest pain. After reading different sites I am thinking that this could have been what others call an MS hug.

By the way I never used the words MS at the appt. today.

He did send me for 6 or seven blood tests, asked my GP medical records and wants to see me in 2 weeks.

I was hoping to go straight to the MRI, but I understand that dx doesn't usually happen in quick manner.

I did notice on the blood testing scrip the coding for intential tremor and peripheral neuropothy. (I looked it up on my phone.)

Is that what the Dr. seems to think at this point according to the evidence he has or is this his prediction as to what might be wrong?

Sorry this is soooooo long.

Thank you again for your input. I have no family where I live, but I do have a couple of good friends. I am feeling like I need the support where ever I can get it.

Lisa Emrich, Health Guide

4/11/11 3:01pm

Wow, T, it sounds like your doctor is very much on top of things. You were able to undergo the nerve conduction testing during this intial visit? Wow.

Very clever to look up the diagnosis codes (very smart, I do the same thing). The codes indicate what the evidence or concern is right now. I guess your physical exam pointed towards the intention tremor, while the EMG pointed towards some type of peripheral neuropathy (which can have many different causes). These are not really diseases in and of themselves, but symptoms.

It's very nice that the doctor wants to see you back in two weeks. The blood tests should be back by then and perhaps a more formal reading of the tests you underwent today will have been conducted. He is taking it one step at a time.

(BTW, I would not hesitate to say, "I'm concerned that this 'could' be MS. What is your opinion at this time?")

T Dugan

4/11/11 7:54pm

So, it was a better appt. than I thought. It really helps to run this by others who have been on the same ride. I think that this next time I will let him know that I did some research online and then ask his opinio about the possiblity of MS. So, if he is leaning toward MS two weeks from now, he will most likely order an MRI? It is just making me kind of crazy that I have had so many different symptoms at different times over the years and I pushed them aside. Now that the symptoms have increased and continue to show me new issues every week added to the difficulty walking for the last 6 or 7 weeks I am now ready for an answer.

I read that the sooner you get medication started the better in the longrun. I turn 50 this summer so I feel like maybe I should have paid more attention to myself.

Anyway, thank you so much ladies for "being there" for me.

Q: Dr. appt. on Monday need advice.

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