Annual appointment with the MS consultant
Is a 15 minute appointment once a year enough
Just recently I had my annual appointment with the MS consultant. He said it could only last 15 minutes. He did apologise for such a brief slot AND I couldn’t help but feel short changed. I could only discuss my 3 worst symptoms.
He started
“Has it got worse”?
I thought to myself “This is a bit of a stupid question to ask anybody with advanced multiple sclerosis. When did you last hear of someone like me getting any better? There is no magic bullet that anyone can possibly offer me. So there is only one answer.”
Annual appointment with the MS consultant
“Yes I am worse than I was a year ago. Where you want me to start”?
He looks at me very sympathetically and asks “Do you mean your existing symptoms are getting worse or that you are noticing new symptoms”?
“Well both. I have noticed problems over the last few months”.
“Everything just takes me so much longer and it requires so much more concentration. Worst of all I have to stop and regroup much more frequently”.
Pause to gather my thoughts
“It takes me over an hour to get washed, dressed and out of the bedroom every morning. This includes putting on my FES and doing a few simple exercises”.
“So”, he thinks aloud to himself “that is seven hours every week and you haven’t even left the bedroom.” He then adds “Is it the same going to bed in the evening”.
“Well about half as long”. As an excuse I add, “I can only take my clothes off and on while I am sitting down on the bed”.
I tell him. “The disease has moved on very slowly so I have developed my own workarounds.”. Note to self; I am being very positive.
“What are the new symptoms”?
I could only discuss my 3 worst symptoms
“My double vision has got much worse. I have just seen a neuro opthamologist”
“I can no longer write more than a few words with a pen and even then it’s very childish plus I’m clumsier. Twirling spaghetti round a fork is very difficult” I add. “The grip with my left hand is getting much weaker. As I am left handed this makes life difficult. Now I have to use a corkscrew as if I’m right handed”. Another note to self, more positivity.
He recommends I talk to an OT who will suggest some exercises to maintain the strength of my hand. He then pops the question “What symptom relief drugs are you taking”? I tell him what I take.
My final question
“I am having problems with my bowels, I’m getting constipated but I am eating 2 or 3 stewed prunes a day”
His reply is that I must improve my bowel hygiene and suggests a certain laxative and stop eating the prunes.
Fifteen minutes have whizzed by and it’s the end of appointment. No doubt there will be more new problems. Roll on the next appointment in January 2020.
What do you think?
Is 15 minutes once a year is long enough for an appointment with your MS consultant?
Have you thought of sending an email to your consultant on the state of your MS and drugs you take before the annual appointment?
Whatever happens be prepared. Remember appointments with your MS team are key to managing your MS.
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