HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

just diagnosed January 4-what can I expect?

Support Forums
>
Multiple Sclerosis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 1/20/2012 6:52 PM (GMT 0)
Right after xmas, my vision in my right eye got dark. It was darker the next day, so I go to the er. They said I had an abrasion and to see an eye doc if it didn't improve. Keep in mind I didn't have health insurance. Anyway, the eye doc sent me back to the er and I got admitted to the hospital. Neurologist said I had optic neuritis and ordered a cat scan and 2 mri's. The next day she came in and said I had multiple lesions in my brain, and some at the top of my spinal cord. Definitely MS. Makes sense, I guess, because I have had extremely low-energy for at least 2 years, and my hands have been shaking. Since I got out of the hospital jan. 9, my vision has improved allot, but I'm noticing other symptoms. Sometimes I think I'd have been better off not knowing I have ms. I'm starting the copaxone (not sure of the spelling) as soon as it gets here. I am thankful that my vision has improved and that my medical card showed up, but I am so stressed about the future. Fear of the unknown is the worst. When I ask questions, all I get is "everyone is different" and things along those lines. I'm 31 years old, never been sick. The only other time I've been in the hospital was when I had my 2 kids. This is all so weird to me. Any thoughts on the copoxane or anything else?
Posted 1/22/2012 8:23 PM (GMT 0)
Hi there, well I have to say I have never heard of anyone getting a dx for MS so quickly....I am thinking that everyone that rads this is going really.....really - cause most of us had to go thru a battary of tests and things as such for two three or more years...so with this, good on u...and take what u got and run...

And when I say run, run, dont walk, dont look back, run....keep running right into the things that you love to do, like to see, your passions, and never let any of them go....

When u get up in the morning, u have two choices, tell your self u have MS and have a miserable day, or just tell your self that today is going to be great, cause alot of how u are going to feel, whats gonna happen to u during the day is all what u will allow to happen...

Yes everyone is different, but having said that you are on the right track by starting Copaxone as soon as you can....it is going to help u along your every day path to a productive and happy life....

will the eye problem come back, probably, but then who knows...will u walk for ever and a day, likely but then again who really knows...willu get run over by a train tomorrow or get hit by a falling tree branch in two weeks, well ur guess is as good as mine, or anyone elses...so look ahead, not back, and run!!!!

Have a fun and fab day

Gary

Posted 1/23/2012 2:41 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you for responding. I never thought about it being odd that I got diagnosed so quickly. I guess it is though. I have avoided dr's for a long time. when I saw the eye doc when I lost my vision he totally freaked me out-saying that it could be an aneurisim(sp) or a brain tumor or possibly ms. The neuro came to my hospital room after my first mri and said the lesions on my brain were definitely from ms, acted like she was surprised I was doing so well. I don't know much about this stuff, just the books the doc gave me and what I've read online. Why did it take people so long to get diagnosed? Was the optic neuritis the dead-giveaway in my case? Are my lesions so bad that that's why they caught this so quickly? The neurologist said she would show me the mri's when I came to her office, but she didn't and I am kind of scared to see them so I didn't ask. Sorry for all the questions and thanks again, Gary for what you said.
Posted 1/23/2012 3:11 PM (GMT 0)
Hey good morning and no prob.....it takes so long as there are a couple of reasons.....MS mimicks so many different ailments that the medical professionals tend to look in other directions other than MS.  Part of the reason for this is their lack of training they get in neurological disorders.   My doctor after all of these years still asks me if I am still on copaxone and how much longer will I be on it - and each time I answer yes and then respond for life unless a cure is found..  it seems that your doctor was right on the ball, and got things going.

Optic Neuritis is one of the first things that pop up as a symptoms for MS...just before that was or is likely fatigue.  There does seem to be a "normal" pattern if there is such a thing...I guess I am text book cause  started of being very very tired all the time, the the optic neuritis, and tingling hands and fingers and then L'Hermitte's sign...etc....

Anyhow it is good that they jumped on it as fast they did, and get this treatment thing going.  It is not that the lesions are so big or so many that it became so obvious, it is just that someone jumped on the band wagon quickly

Have a good day

Gary

 

Posted 1/23/2012 6:18 PM (GMT 0)
I guess I am lucky in a sense and should be grateful they did catch this so quickly. I need to start dealing with all this more, and ask to see my mri's when I go back in a few weeks. I still can't say "I have ms"-I say "They said I have ms".

But yeah, it sounds like your first symptoms were similar to mine, I started having very low-energy 2 years ago. My family kept saying just work through it, or start exercising more. Their comments drove me insane. I guess it is impossible for anyone without ms to understand. I would say it feels like I have on lead boots but not sure if that even got the feeling across. You didn't mention tremors, but that was the second thing that showed up with me. My left hand would shake(still does) really bad, especially when I first wake up. Then came the optic neuritis. What is the L'Hermitte's sign, if you don't mind me asking? Thanks in advance,Nikki
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply