ladycakes
08-24-2007, 01:24 PM
I've been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia (by a Rheumatologist) and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (by a Neurologist). My Neurologist insists that all of my symptoms can be accounted for by these two syndromes, but I have yet to find many of the motor skill/gait disturbance symptoms recognized for either.
Next month, I'm seeing a Lyme specialist to test for that, and I believe Lupus as well.
When I saw the Neurologist, I found him to be pretty dismissive in general. I handed him my laundry list of symptoms, and he asked me to name my top three complaints (I understand they have very little time, but with diseases that have so very many symptoms, isn't very effective diagnostically). I told him that one of my concerns was the weirdness I was having with my eyes (pain when I moved them, trouble focusing, spots, etc.) and some numbness. He said, "Oh, you think you have MS huh?". He had me do some tests (I felt in order to shut me up), and everything has come up clean. MRI, EEG, EMG, VEP, and the opthamologist said no optic neuritis/inflammation of the optic nerve. I did totally bomb the heel-toe gait test though.
So I have a lot of symptoms that, as you folk know, could be MS or could be a million other things. My tests have come up clean thus far. But I feel like the neurologist I saw had already made up his mind on my diagnosis before even running the tests. Is it worth it, for me, to see a specialist?
Next month, I'm seeing a Lyme specialist to test for that, and I believe Lupus as well.
When I saw the Neurologist, I found him to be pretty dismissive in general. I handed him my laundry list of symptoms, and he asked me to name my top three complaints (I understand they have very little time, but with diseases that have so very many symptoms, isn't very effective diagnostically). I told him that one of my concerns was the weirdness I was having with my eyes (pain when I moved them, trouble focusing, spots, etc.) and some numbness. He said, "Oh, you think you have MS huh?". He had me do some tests (I felt in order to shut me up), and everything has come up clean. MRI, EEG, EMG, VEP, and the opthamologist said no optic neuritis/inflammation of the optic nerve. I did totally bomb the heel-toe gait test though.
So I have a lot of symptoms that, as you folk know, could be MS or could be a million other things. My tests have come up clean thus far. But I feel like the neurologist I saw had already made up his mind on my diagnosis before even running the tests. Is it worth it, for me, to see a specialist?
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MSNik
08-24-2007, 03:04 PM
Hi sorry to hear you were dismissed so easily. I will tell you that its ALWAYS a good idea to get a second opinion and in this case, a specialist is justified...but you should get copies of all those tests you had done and take them with you, or you are going to be having them all done again. Of course, ts not a bad idea to have them run again, if 6 months or more go by, since they are subject to changing rather quickly.
What wasnt there 6 months ago, might very well show up 6 months later...
your symtoms do sound alittle like MS, but they sound like a zillion other things too. A good MS specialist will not only confirm or rule out MS, but will also run tests for similarly close diseases and rule them out as well.
I would answer your question with yes, if you can do so, see a specialist..but take your prior tests with you for him or her to see.
Best of luck ..
feel better soon.
Niki
What wasnt there 6 months ago, might very well show up 6 months later...
your symtoms do sound alittle like MS, but they sound like a zillion other things too. A good MS specialist will not only confirm or rule out MS, but will also run tests for similarly close diseases and rule them out as well.
I would answer your question with yes, if you can do so, see a specialist..but take your prior tests with you for him or her to see.
Best of luck ..
feel better soon.
Niki
moore170
08-25-2007, 07:03 PM
Yes, you need to get a second opinion. A neuro that specializes in autoimmune diseases would probably be best.
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