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Awaiting diagnosis - MS and migraines

Hi! I'm on an "urgent" waiting list to see a neurologist after a recent concerning MRI scan which was a follow up, showing an additional legion of hyperintensity which could be demyelination according to my new GP. My symptoms were dismissed before several times by GPs as being just anxiety, or due to my long history with migraine, or just "we don't know". Symptoms dismissed as a panic attack include almost passing out, slurring speech and being unable to walk or grasp objects, numbness and tingling of both my hands, and my lips, daily aura and vision problems, headache, fatigue.

Yes all these things could potentially be a form of migraine, too. I've suffered with migraine with aura since I was a teenager, they come in clusters and the last few clusters have had these brand new symptoms mentioned above, not occurring at the same time as the migraine but within the same cluster time frame of a few weeks. I'm really confused over whether it's migraine which is getting worse or could be something more such as MS, and whether anyone else here suffers with both and could tell me the difference? I've basically been gaslit so much and used to just working through the pain that I don't know any more.

I do know that people with MS have a higher chance of also having migraine co-occuring. Any thoughts?

I'm in South Australia.

  1. Hi just wanted to follow up and see if you were able to see a neurologist or at least have an appointment coming up soon (I hope). You have been through a lot, I really hope you can get the health care you deserve. Unfortunately so many of our members say their symptoms were dismissed, it is really discouraging. I am sending over this article from one of our members with her experience with migraines: https://multiplesclerosis.net/living-with-ms/migraines. I hope this is helpful to read. Please keep us posted with how you are doing. Jill (Team Member)

    1. Thank you for kind words of support, I had a read of the link and it very much sounds like me. I called the hospital and the triage process can take a few weeks so I don't know how long I'll have to wait yet.

      At first I hoped not to get a diagnosis but now I'm worrying about what will happen if they don't have any diagnosis and say they don't know, or it's just migraine, and then I'm stuck not knowing what's up with me or being helped. Very confusing time this waiting around I'm hoping for answers soon.

    2. I am so glad you have called for an appointment. I really hope you don't have to wait long. You could check and see if they have a cancellation list that you could be put on. I am sure this is very confusing and overwhelming for you. Sending you so much strength during this difficult waiting period. I really hope you will have an answer soon. Please keep us posted. Jill (Team Member)

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