February 2017
I soon get the results of the MRI scan which shows evidence of lesions on the brain. My notes of the initial meeting say that there is 1 but in subsequent appointments several are mentioned (must take better notes).
These lesions are demyelination, the process where the lining of nerves is attacked by your immune system and destroyed, leaving your nerves to do weird stuff and stop working. For a real description I defer to the experts.
Now for blood tests – I think we filled 9 sample tubes – testing for just about everything. This is to rule out mimic conditions. For some reason though I am still not wholly aware that MS is a reality.
Next stop is a PEV test which looks at how your brain responds to visual prompts and leaves gunk in your hair as they stick things to your head. Do not do this before work or you go to work with manky hair.
At the next appointment with the neurologist, I am told that in all likelihood this is MS. There are no blood mimics, the MRI is clear that there are areas of demyelination and my PEV test is showing slow responses which accord with the lesions. The neurologist suggests that previous balance issues I have had, which were thought to be benign positional vertigo, were potentially a relapse of MS, as were various other bits and bobs I have had over the last few years.
This is not definite at this time but I feel like this is the end of the world. I am actually working my notice at work, due to start a new job soon. Will I still be able to do this? What does it mean? What will happen to me? How fast will this progress…
Wine is drunk this evening – lots of nice red wine. Now I have a fizzy face, am dizzy, have bad balance and I am pissed (in both the English and American sense). Some decisions to be made on what next, but not today.
Having since come out of private healthcare into NHS care, I would say that NHS specialist centres are by far better at explaining and telling you what to expect. I was out of the consultants office in 15 minutes and was none the wiser, other than now having a big scary label.
DizzyBlonde 