A woman has told how a sore neck spiralled into a life-changing diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis - after months of her symptoms being dismissed.
Lauren Harper initially sought medical help when she began experiencing severe pain and numbness that left her body feeling completely exhausted.
She was first told she could have carpal tunnel syndrome, despite her levels of discomfort becoming increasingly unbearable. But as her symptoms grew worse, she was eventually sent for further tests.
After undergoing an MRI scan and lumbar puncture, Lauren faced an agonising wait for results before being diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS - the most common form of the condition.
The 33-year-old exclusively told the Glasgow Times: “I knew deep down that something wasn’t right.
“The pain was horrendous, but I was being brushed off and told it was just aches and pains or anxiety. It was only after seeing a different doctor that I was eventually sent for the correct tests.
"I just wanted answers and to find a way forward."
Although devastating, she admitted the diagnosis also brought a degree of relief.
She added: “Although no one wants to be told they have relapse and remitting MS, the diagnosis was a weight off me because I could finally access the help I needed to deal with the chronic symptoms. The frustrating part was the length of time it had taken to get to this point.”
MS is a lifelong condition affecting the brain and spinal cord. While there is currently no cure, treatments can help manage symptoms and reduce the frequency of flare-ups
Lauren, from Renfew, was referred to a neurologist and prescribed injections to help control the disease. In a bid to come to terms with the diagnosis, Lauren and her mum Leigh turned to charity Revive MS in Govan for support and counselling.
Leigh said watching her daughter struggle has been heartbreaking.
She explained: “Some days Lauren can barely get out of bed when her MS flares up. It leaves her exhausted and her body aches all over.
“Seeing her like that feels like my heart is being ripped out. As a mum, it just leaves you feeling helpless as there’s nothing I can do to take the pain away from her. After her diagnosis there was no support, it was just a case of pick up a leaflet and do your own research.
"We sort of felt alone and not sure what to do with the news. We were just trying our best to come to terms with it as best we could."
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Leigh also highlighted the emotional toll MS can take, not just physically, but mentally.
She said: “People don’t realise the stress it puts on patients. There’s a real lack of understanding and that’s why we turned to Revive MS. Lauren and myself were able to access counselling and meet other people adapting to life with the condition. We realised we were not on our own and just being able to connect with other people with MS made a massive difference.
“The charity really has been a lifeline and helped us through the most difficult of times.”
Revive MS offers counselling, physiotherapy, complementary therapies, carer support and access to a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to help relieve symptoms. It also provides one-to-one support from a specialist nurse
Lauren and Leigh are now calling for better awareness of MS and faster diagnosis for patients currently facing long waits to see NHS specialists.
Leigh added: “The neurologists are fantastic, but the problem is there’s just not enough of them. In Lauren’s case we faced months of delays before she was able to access the right people and the right treatment.
“I also think MS needs to be taken more seriously by medics and not just initially brushed off as aches and pains.”
The pair are hosting a charity night at Davidson's bar in Renfrew on Sunday in aid of Revive MS.
Leigh added: “I honestly don’t know what we would have done without their support. They truly are a lifeline and this is just our way of giving something back to a fantastic cause.”
Tickets cost £10, with live performances on the night from Simon Sims (The Voice), Alextastic MacDonald and The Latest Flames.
For more information, click here
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