Any Multiple Sclerosis suffers? Asking for advice.

[Mangogirl12]

Hello, I am very worried that my mum, 75 years old, may have MS. For several years now she has had pins and needles, pains and numbness in her legs. On Boxing Day last year she could barely walk on her legs, she said they often feel like they're encased in concrete and very heavy. So much so that she asked me to take her to A and E, but they couldn't really do much and said they couldn't do any testing there. A couple of years back she has had a memory loss for about a day. It was my birthday and we were talking about getting lunch from our local pub to bring back home. She had a doctors appointment for a regular lunch problem, and about half an hour after that, she couldn't remember that it was my birthday and kept asking me is it really your birthday today? Despite us planning what to do, 2 hours later. No, she wasn't joking. She was 'off' with her mind for the rest of the day. Ok the next day. This happened another time previously.

My first thought that day was alzheimers but her memory and mind recovered and has stayed steady, so it was a one-off and it's not like it's progressively got worse. Even if it was alzheimers, it doesn't explain her legs and lack of balance.

I've long thought she has had MS but she's brushed it off, now she thinks she may have it. Is it worth going to the doctors to get it tested? I just want to know, once and for all after all these years. Just to rule it in or out, one way or another.

MS is normally diagnosed in younger people, with average age around 40 years.
MS is very complicated and there are many symptoms.
Why not take your mum to her GP to get a general health check, speak to a nurse at your mums GP practice? MS is basically lesions or white matter that comes up on an MRI that is often done off the brain and spine. It also affects eye sight so sometimes this is the first indication of MS being the reason for double vision or loss of vision. So the first call is to check in with your health provider as this can be so many other things and unlikely to be MS.

Pernicious anemia?

My 17 year old daughter is being assessed for MS. She's had lots of symptoms over the last few years that on their own could be explained away (mostly), but altogether point one way. But what brought us to A&E was tingling in her arm and numbness which then spread to her right leg. She couldn't hold a pen properly and said her leg felt like it was asleep. She called 111 who told her to go straight to A&E, who then booked her for an MRI the next day (there was a cancellation, doesn't normally happen that fast)! She Gad lesions on her brain and spine and was admitted that night. But still that is not conclusive. She's had multiple blood tests, an X-ray and a lumbar puncture. Once they eliminate every other possibility they will conclude it's MS. They have told her it is most likely that.
Her other symptoms are constant fatigue, vertigo, stabbing pains (in the past, not now), seeing colour dim from one eye, electric shock feelings up her arms, migraines and clumsiness. But people experience different symptoms.
She should see if she can get an MRI which is the biggest indicator. We are lucky in that we live close to one of the top hospitals for neurological disorders and they were very quick to get her seen. It's a devastating diagnosis for a 17 year old. You mum may have it or not. The treatment is a kind of chemo but they may also prescribe very high dose of steroids in the short term (it helps with current symptoms but is not a treatment). She does need to discuss this with her GP.

Hi yes your mum should see the dr, it may be ms or may be something else, but they’ll need to start testing to see what medication they could give to help.

Far, far more likely to be B12 deficiency. My DM had very similar symptoms, all fine now after B12 injections. Our stomachs often struggle to absorb the vitamin from food as we age.

I have MS, never known anyone dx with MS at 70 tbh, I agree with PP, usually around 40 or younger. Sorry your mum is facing these issues, see GP for possible referral, lots of conditions can mimic MS symptoms. Good luck going forward.