Good news from Neurologist...but...

[wingo22]

Hi all,
So I had an EMG and was able to see a neurologist yesterday regarding my fears of having a neurological problem. I have this weird pain/ fatigue sensation in my right arm and leg. This fear has been going on for over a year now. The emg went well everything came back normal, also the muscle strength test went well as well. I am not clinically weak in my
muscles. Yay!!! She did not seem at all worries about a anything neurological. She said this feeling and dull ache I am feeling in my right arm and leg could very well be a musculoskeletal issue. No big deal.

While she was examining me I brought up my worries of MS. I asked if I should be worried about it, and she stood there and shook her head no a few times which was really reassuring. She said an MRI is usually the way they would diagnose that, but said that MRI doesn’t seem to be necessary and there is no need for that from what I was showing her. Everything she saw from me was healthy.
My main thing is me trying to accept that and understand that she has been a neuro for years and knows her stuff. How can I accept this diagnosis and not go into a tailspin again about doubting her??

thanks

 

[Cuchculan]

She's the expert and you are not. Bit like asking would you let a plumber paint your house or would you prefer to have a painter do the job? Each to their own field. I am guessing, but I doubt you are an expert in the field she is? This is news I would be very happy to get back. I would imagine most people would be delighted with such good news. You had your tests and there was nothing found. What exactly is there to doubt? They don't miss things with these tests. So smile. Jump up and down and be happy. You got some great results back.

 

[matisworried]

the biggest way to prevent a tailspin is to simply not indulge your fearful thoughts. don't ruminate over your symptoms. don't google symptoms. don't do the things that increase your anxiety.

realize that your doctor specializing in neurological disorders and likely has dozens of patients with MS she deals with daily. if anyone is going to know what to look for, it's her. if you trust your doctor, you should trust her diagnosis.

your symptoms could very likely be anxiety-based.

 

[Bobnnat]

If she had an inkling of a doubt she'd send you for that MRI or other testing. Why wouldn't she? Her fear of malpractice would win out over any compassion or concern she might have of upsetting you. But....she didn't. At all. Celebrate! Celebrate! Dance to the Music!.

 

[Bearcat999]

Hi all,
So I had an EMG and was able to see a neurologist yesterday regarding my fears of having a neurological problem. I have this weird pain/ fatigue sensation in my right arm and leg. This fear has been going on for over a year now. The emg went well everything came back normal, also the muscle strength test went well as well. I am not clinically weak in my
muscles. Yay!!! She did not seem at all worries about a anything neurological. She said this feeling and dull ache I am feeling in my right arm and leg could very well be a musculoskeletal issue. No big deal.

While she was examining me I brought up my worries of MS. I asked if I should be worried about it, and she stood there and shook her head no a few times which was really reassuring. She said an MRI is usually the way they would diagnose that, but said that MRI doesn’t seem to be necessary and there is no need for that from what I was showing her. Everything she saw from me was healthy.
My main thing is me trying to accept that and understand that she has been a neuro for years and knows her stuff. How can I accept this diagnosis and not go into a tailspin again about doubting her??

thanks

There would have been no downside for a doc to send you for an MRI IF she could find ANY justification for doing so. She couldn't. She didn't become a doctor by reading Google. She knows what MS looks like. Remind yourself of that.

 

[wingo22]

Thanks everyone!
mags anyone else been through something like this??

 

[wingo22]

??

 

[Bobnnat]

There would have been no downside for a doc to send you for an MRI IF she could find ANY justification for doing so. She couldn't. She didn't become a doctor by reading Google. She knows what MS looks like. Remind yourself of that.

I totally agree. Any doctor who has the slightest doubt of a serious cause to a patient's symptoms would order further testing. Why wouldn't they? Trust me, they wouldn't be afraid that it might scare you; they could word it in a way that has you get the scan and show the doc isn't unduly worried.

On the other hand, if she has doubt and doesn't pursue it, she risks malpractice, a lawsuit and perhaps penalties from the AMA or other medical board. She would never take that risk in a career she's worked so hard to build, not to mention the $$ costs she's incurred.

 

[JADIII]

Here's my take as I thought I had a neur/muscular disease also. I went to the neuro and she said that as soon as she saw me walk into the office she could tell that there was nothing wrong with me. She has seen everything and can usually tell somethings wrong before she see the patient in the room by the way they walk/move, etc. She agreed to do an EMG/NCV and is came back clear. So of course I doubted that also for some reason. Here's what I did. I googled her and looked up here credentials and see that she went to Harvard and is board certified in EMG/NCV's so missing something on theses tests would be 1 in a million. SHe said she has done about 10,000 of these and has seen everything.

This helped me move on.

 

[wingo22]

Thanks everyone!
can anyone else relate? I’ve been feeling really on edge and worried about this again

 

[Iugrad91]

Do you see how the cycle of reassurance seeking never really reassures us? I’m not trying to be mean but you’ve gotten the best reassurance possible, a highly qualified doctor telling you there is no need to do further testing.

 

[JustMe]

Thanks everyone!
can anyone else relate? I’ve been feeling really on edge and worried about this again

I feel thre same. I actually went to the ER and begged for a ct scan. All turned out well and i have been to my regular dr numerous times since then but she won't refer me to a neurologist. I'm scared because i feel like i need to see an actual neurologist and get a mri although my ct scan was looked over by a neurologist at the hospital. I've been trying to keep my mind busy but there is always that ms fear in the back of my head. If for some reason I'm not stuck on my ms kick then it's just on to the next disease or cancer... at some point we just have to put our trust in the professionals. But I do know how you feel!

 

[Bearcat999]

I feel thre same. I actually went to the ER and begged for a ct scan. All turned out well and i have been to my regular dr numerous times since then but she won't refer me to a neurologist. I'm scared because i feel like i need to see an actual neurologist and get a mri although my ct scan was looked over by a neurologist at the hospital. I've been trying to keep my mind busy but there is always that ms fear in the back of my head. If for some reason I'm not stuck on my ms kick then it's just on to the next disease or cancer... at some point we just have to put our trust in the professionals. But I do know how you feel!

Just, I want you to consider this- you have gone on record with your Dr. in wanting a neuro exam and you doc has refused. That Dr. knows that they have a huge liability if they are wrong. You could sue them and they wouldn’t have a case. If there were one ounce of doubt in your docs head, you would be tested.

 

[FlipperK]

Look at it this way.

You went in thinking you have strep throat. They looked at your throat, took down your symptoms, and deduced you just have drainage from allergies.

You ask if you should be swabbed for strep and they say no need. Your symptoms don’t fit.

Your not going to go home and worry about that are you? No, you accept it.

That’s all you have to do. Accept it and move on. How do you accept it? Just do it. Its only hard because your making it hard on yourself.

 

[Ms.Honey]

Thanks everyone!
can anyone else relate? I’ve been feeling really on edge and worried about this again

I have the same feeling in my left side.. I saw a neurologist many years ago.. 9 years ago I think! And he was very reassuring it wasn’t MS. Or anything else. That weird feeling eventually went away, but I’ve been having it again lately. Its so hard but you have to trust the doctor. There’s no reason for them to lie to you. Could you try an rmt or other practitioner? Osteopathy and acupuncture helps with my arm.

 

[wingo22]

I have the same feeling in my left side.. I saw a neurologist many years ago.. 9 years ago I think! And he was very reassuring it wasn’t MS. Or anything else. That weird feeling eventually went away, but I’ve been having it again lately. Its so hard but you have to trust the doctor. There’s no reason for them to lie to you. Could you try an rmt or other practitioner? Osteopathy and acupuncture helps with my arm.

thank you for that! Do you feel like you are still strong but it’s just the feeling that you feel?
Also what did your doctor say to you that convinced you it isn’t MS? I’d you don’t mind me asking

 

[Tryingtoheal]

Same stuff with me.i had a stressfully year and basically feeling numb and powerless. Vertigo. Pins and needles. Shooting pains. Burning skin actually consulted 4 neuros with 2 specialists in MS. All of them concluded that I have anxiety. I still bug my regular GP because the other symptoms did go away as time passed but I still get weird face sensations. I also got an MRI done (on my own accord, none of the neuros suggested me to do it) which also came clean.

And I still have a hard time coping up with the strange sensations. My GP says my nerves might have some viral remnants or some neuropathy or may be due to anxious thoughts the stress response activates it

 

[Ms.Honey]

thank you for that! Do you feel like you are still strong but it’s just the feeling that you feel?
Also what did your doctor say to you that convinced you it isn’t MS? I’d you don’t mind me asking

The first dr I saw actually thought it WAS MS, which was terrifying. But once I got to the neurologist, he said I didn’t actually have any true signs of it. I passed the test in his office, no problem. I never went through with the brain MRI because I got pregnant, but what he actually thought it could be is lesions on my brain from having so many cold sores since I was a kid! I’ve never looked into that any further because I got scared. (I hope that doesn’t trigger anyone)

 

[wingo22]

The first dr I saw actually thought it WAS MS, which was terrifying. But once I got to the neurologist, he said I didn’t actually have any true signs of it. I passed the test in his office, no problem. I never went through with the brain MRI because I got pregnant, but what he actually thought it could be is lesions on my brain from having so many cold sores since I was a kid! I’ve never looked into that any further because I got scared. (I hope that doesn’t trigger anyone)

Ok thanks,
But you are fine now you said? And those feelings have gone away since?

 

[Ms.Honey]

Ok thanks,
But you are fine now you said? And those feelings have gone away since?

I’m fine, yes.. but unfortunately no, the feelings still come and go.