Please help I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia two years ago and had an mri but nothing was found. Recently I have developed more symptoms. Sudden dizziness, visual disturbances, pins and needles in my face, nastagmus, feelings of cold water being poured on my ankles. Along with all my fibromyalgia symptoms; extreme fatigue, nerve and joint pain, muscle spasms, Brain fog, tenderness as if being bruised, forgetfulness are the main ones. I have been back and forth to the doctors about the sudden dizziness but they just keep putting it down to vertigo and I have an ENT appointment next week. Everytime I’ve been to the doctors I feel rushed through and not listened to. One doctor even told me I had no more time left because they were running late and could only talk about one symptom. Not that I’m a fan of Google but all my symptoms keep pointing back to ms. The dizziness comes from no where, no reason, not stressed and feels more like a short fit / seizure (not that I’ve ever really had one but to me that’s what it like) . Please help. I’m lost and really don’t know what else to do. I have a three year old little boy and a disabled husband I’m the main carer for and I feel like I need answers for them so I can at least move forward. I’m a full time teacher and although my job is stressful I truly believe it’s not stress related either. What can I do?
Hi Selina
In order to see a neurologist, you either have to get a GP to refer you, or to see a private neurologist for an initial appointment.
If you can afford the initial appointment with a private neuro, then do some research and find one with both a private and an NHS practice. That way, if they think there is something neurological wrong, they can refer you back to their own NHS practice to have further tests, eg MRI, LP, etc.
If you can’t afford a private neuro, then have you thought about changing your GP? Either if there is someone more sympathetic within your existing practice, or if there is another practice in the area (ask your friends or neighbours) to which you could move.
If you manage to see a different, more empathetic GP, try writing a timeline of what has happened to you and when. You could then give the doctors a history of what has happened. I would not suggest to the doctor that you think it’s MS, but you could suggest that your symptoms seem to be pointing towards a neurological cause. Then ask directly for a referral to a neurologist.
You can of course try this again with your existing practice first. See if they will agree that there is a potential neurological basis to your symptoms and refer you. But the way to handle any of them is to have written down the reasons why you feel there is cause for a neurological investigation into your symptoms.
Best of luck.
Sue
I’m very fortunate that I have a very good GP. He’s not the problem, my neurologist is but I still gave my GP a list of my symptoms because I don’t expect him to remember everything I tell him.