A man is now wheelchair-bound after saying his diagnosis was missed in lockdown without face-to-face appointments.
Ayad Marhoob, 24, was misdiagnosed with Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in March 2019.
He started taking medication for the condition but in December 2019 he told his consultant he thought he had progressive MS.
When the pandemic hit, Ayad's condition quickly deteriorated with the medicine not helping at all, LeedsLive reports.
In February this year, after he was finally seen in person, Ayad was told his condition had worsened and was sent for an MRI scan to be done.
In September this year, Ayad was finally diagnosed with progressive multiple sclerosis and is now looking to start taking medicine for the condition next month.
Ayad, a psychology graduate, went from jogging and cycling to using a walking stick to now relying on a wheelchair every day.
Speaking to Leeds Live, he said: “I was diagnosed with a form of MS in March 2019 and so I started medication for that kind of MS in June but within the year I knew it wasn’t working and I thought it was a different type of MS.
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“When I started the medication, I wasn’t 100 per cent but I was able to cycle, jog and do most things but by the time the pandemic started I was using a walking stick and things were a lot more difficult for me. If a consultant had seen me, he would have seen that my condition had worsened.
“Now it’s reached a point I have to use a wheelchair every day. I’m not one to dwell on these things too much but I couldn’t help but think if I received the support, this could have been avoided.”
MS is a condition that can affect the brain and spinal cord, causing a wide range of potential symptoms, including problems with vision, arm or leg movement, sensation or balance, according to the NHS.
Ayad, who is supporting the MS Society’s Neurology Now campaign, visited the Houses of Parliament to call on the Government to address the shortages in vital neurology services.
He also about the impact on his health of not being able to access specialist support during the pandemic.
He continued: "Understandably, it wasn’t possible to have face-to-face appointments, over the pandemic, but my condition was rapidly declining. Getting through to a consultant about this was almost impossible, even telephone appointments were far and few.
Unfortunately, it’s meant I’ve gone from skipping daily to using a wheelchair every day.
“The last few years have been difficult for me and I want to make sure that doesn’t happen to anyone else. I know what it feels like to have inadequate support. I can’t change my experience, but it’s important other people have the right care, at the right time.
“Getting access to vital neurology services would mean the diagnosis process and starting treatment would be a lot better. People with MS would also feel more listened to. I lacked attention and time when I needed support and this can’t continue.”
Dr Sarah Rawlings, Executive Director of Research and External Affairs at the MS Society, says: “We’re so grateful to Ayad for supporting our Neurology Now campaign.
"Despite 1 in 6 people living with a neurological condition in the UK, neurology services have been under-prioritised and stretched for years. The pandemic has pushed these vital services to breaking point, and the healthcare professionals that deliver them simply can’t continue under such strain.
“We’re calling on UK Governments to provide enough funding to support the development of national plans to restore and improve neurology services, as well as extra funding to recruit and retain neurology professionals.
"We need urgent action to make sure Ayad and everyone with MS has access to the right professionals and treatment, at the right time, across the UK.”
