Don’t be afraid to talk about your symptoms
Dr Panna Muqit is an academic GP at the University of St Andrews who mentors Scotland’s next generation of doctors and works in a practice in Balmullo, Fife.
“Through my role as a GP, I have gained valuable experience in caring for patients with MS,”said Dr Muqit.
“This experience extends to my role as an educator, where I invite patients with MS to share their diagnosis and the impact of their condition on their lives with my medical students.
“I was eager to participate in the MS Unfiltered campaign for MS Awareness Week, which is focusing on aspects of MS that people can find embarrassing. I frequently address these issues with my students during neurology teaching sessions.
“We discuss how to initiate conversations with patients about these subjects, aiming to alleviate some of the stress for those wanting to discuss ‘embarrassing problems’and to raise awareness about the potential future experience of these symptoms.
“This is a practice I implement with my patients and one that I hope my medical students will adopt.
“It is crucial that patients feel comfortable discussing sensitive issues or embarrassing symptoms with a medical professional. These issues can significantly impact their quality-of-life, and there are measures we can take to mitigate the effects of these symptoms on their daily functioning and well-being.
“There is no need to suffer in silence.
“We are here to help and have heard it all before.”
If verbal communication of these issues proves challenging, Dr Muqit encourages patients to write them down and hand them to their GP during an appointment, or send them into the practice to allow the GP to prepare beforehand in advance of a phone consultation.
She added:“We look forward to hopefully hearing from patients who have been encouraged by the MS Unfiltered campaign to seek support for symptoms they’ve previously found difficult to discuss.”
Morna Simpkins, director of MS Society Scotland, said:“A heart-breaking 85 per cent of people who responded to our community survey in Scotland (213 people) revealed they feel embarrassed about at least one of their MS symptoms.
“And 43 per cent (108 people) told us they’d avoided seeking medical help for MS symptoms due to embarrassment.”
Morna continued:“MS is a condition that affects the brain and spinal cord and impacts how people move, think and feel.
“Symptoms are different for everyone and are often invisible.
“MS is hard enough to live with, but no-one should be missing out on vital healthcare, flexibility at work, or support from family and friends because they’re too embarrassed to talk about what they’re experiencing.
“We hope that highlighting some of the less-talked about symptoms during MS Awareness Week will encourage people to speak out and seek the support they deserve.
“A huge thank you to everyone who shared their experiences as part of MS Unfiltered.”
Find out more about MS Awareness Week 2024 here: https://www.mssociety.org. uk/get-involved/ ms-awareness-week
The MS Helpline gives free emotional support and information to anyone living with MS. Call 0808 800 8000, email helpline@mssociety.org. uk or visit https://www. mssociety.org.uk/care-andsupport/ms-helpline for more information.