When Megan Quinn woke up one morning a couple of years ago she knew something wasn’t quite right.
The then 23-year-old was experiencing dizziness and double vision, while her boyfriend noticed that her face was drooping to one side.
She immediately dialled 111 where call handlers urged her to go to A&E fearing she had suffered a stroke.
Although tests revealed that Megan, from Cumbernauld near Glasgow, had not suffered a stroke the real cause of the symptoms was not determined and she was sent home.
But her symptoms worsened and after months of going back and forth between doctors and the hospital she was hit with a shock diagnosis.
Speaking to Glasgow Live, Megan recalled: “I woke up one day and I was really dizzy. My boyfriend told me that my face had drooped to the side.
“I had double vision, I had never experienced anything like it before.
“I phoned the doctors but it was a bank holiday so no one picked up. I ended up phoning 111 and they told me to go to A&E because it sounded like a stroke. I was 23 at this point and I was terrified.
“They did a lot of tests in hospital and they were happy to send me home because they didn’t think it was a stroke. The symptoms started to get worse.”
Just before Christmas last year it was confirmed that accounts assistant Megan had multiple sclerosis – or MS.
“I was back and forth to the eye doctor with double vision and then they sent me for an MRI scan because they couldn’t understand what was wrong,” Megan said.
“I met with a neurologist in February 2022 and I was told that I may have MS.
“I thought the worst. I went for a lumbar puncture in March and then received a scan six months later. In December I was officially diagnosed.”
MS is a serious lifelong condition that can affect the brain and spinal cord, leading to a wide range of symptoms such as problems with vision, arm or leg movement, sensation or balance.
Average life expectancy is slightly reduced for people with MS.
Despite this Megan said she feels fortunate to be diagnosed at a young age. She said: “It was horrible. I think I Googled every possibility, which is the worst thing you can do.
“Since we were still in the pandemic it was difficult to pick up the phone and ask what was happening. I assumed that I was going to end up in a wheelchair.
“But I met with my neurologist and he told me I’d be fun. I’m lucky I was diagnosed so young because there is medication to help me and slow the rate it progresses at.”
Megan is now focused on raising awareness of the condition, including by taking part in a charity walk in aid of the Multiple Sclerosis Society in September. To donate visit her Just Giving page here.
She added: “There will be people out there who are my age that have been diagnosed. It can be quite hard to talk about if you aren’t familiar with people in your age group who also have MS.
“I want to raise awareness of how it affects younger people and raise as much cash as possible so it can be researched. I hope one day there will be a cure.”
According to the NHS, the main symptoms of MS include:
- Fatigue
- Difficulty walking
- Vision problems, such as blurred vision
- Problems controlling the bladder
- Numbness or tingling in different parts of the body
- Muscle stiffness and spasms
- Problems with balance and co-ordination
- Problems with thinking, learning and planning.
If you experience symptoms speak to your GP.