Consult with your family doctor if you experience:
- new symptoms that last more than 24 hours
- the recurrence of previous symptoms lasting more than 48 hours
- a worsening in present symptoms lasting more than 48 hours
Your family doctor can see if an infection is present. Bacterial infections (such as bladder or chest) and viral infections (such as flu and colds) can make MS symptoms temporarily worse. In most cases these symptoms settle down quickly. If the infection triggers a relapse, you may need further medical attention.
You can call the clinic and discuss your concerns and questions with staff. You may find that you have the need to call more frequently following your diagnosis. As you come to understand your disease, the need for frequent contact may decrease.
When you call, please leave your phone number(s) where you can be reached at specific times of the day. If the clinic secretary is away from her desk or on the phone, you can leave a phone mail message. On days when staff are seeing patients, they may not be available to speak with you. There might be some delay in the call back.
The clinic does not operate on weekends or holidays. The clinic also closes at Christmas and during the summer for one to two weeks. During these times our phone message will give you information on how long the clinic will be closed and advice on handling emergencies.
