What if it's MS?

[Deja Q]

I'll be asking my neuro on next visit... (My GP told me to consult him on the possibility...)

Does anyone here have MS, if it's not too personal for me to ask?

[kiraboo]

1. The symptoms of MS come and go.

You can literally go for years without noticing dramatic changes in your ability to function. Plus, the research they're doing right now is hopeful.

That's the first thing I thought of when I read what you posted yesterday, only because I have a friend with the disease. Keep being positive. It makes all the difference in your prognosis, I truly believe.

Said I'd take a break from this place, but had to respond to this.

[Deja Q]

2. Thank you much!

:hug:

I will remain hopeful that it isn't, or at least the answer be found - regardless of what it is.


I hope the break you take isn't too long. We shall miss you. :hug::hug:

[kiraboo]

3. Thanks HypnoToad. I'm all fucked up these days

and sitting here waiting to hear from him is pathetic. Hugs to you too!

[Deja Q]

4. All the more reason to stay on DU.

We will be around, even if some jerk vamooses and leaves you violated.

And with what you've gone through, having contact with people is the best thing possible.

Please feel free to PM me if you need to chat or vent as well. :hug:

[jane_pippin]

5. My dad has it...sort of...

I know that sounds odd, but MS is a weird disease and the more they research, it seems, the more there is to know. I said "sort of" because when he was first diagnosed his symptoms weren't exactly consistent with MS, but since MS itself isn't exactly consistent the docs figured it was most likely what he had.
If you watched the West Wing at all, what my dad has is basically what Bartlett had. Sort of. He's just always had two trouble spots, one more troublesome than the other, instead of the "coming and going" description of the disease you often hear about. He's been able to function pretty much "normally," though because of what his trouble spots are there have definitely been adjustments he's had to make in the way he does things.

Do ask about it, if nothing else to rule it out. I hope whatever's giving you problems is figured out and treated properly soon. A healthy Hypnotoad is a happy-(ish?) Hypnotoad, right? :hug:

[alarimer]

6. My sister might have it

They aren't exactly sure. MRIs have turned up some lesions- one in the brain so it is likely that it is MS but they are going to continue monitoring the situation. She isn't on medication because apparently once she starts, she will have to take it forever. whatever the medication is, I have no idea. It is a strange disease with a lot of different symptoms. I hope that you don't have it and I hope that when they figure out what's wrong, it isn't serious.

[supernova]

7. Professor GAC

has MS, as I recall. He's been fairly open about it here on DU before.

You might want to catch up with him. :hug:

My mom's childhood best friend in PA had MS. She lived for many years. Wait and see what the neuro says. :pals:

[fudge stripe cookays]

8. I do.

I was diagnosed last June.

Supposedly, one of the thories is that a virus affects you when you're younger, then lies dormant in your body until some form of trauma brings it out.

My trauma was banging my hand pretty hard on a pump type faucet in our shower.

I started having numbness in strange places, having my shins go numb, torso go numb, and strange tingling and crawling sensations on the back of my neck when I bent my head forward too far.

I had an MRI, and was lucky enough to have a lesion in the main diagnostic center of the brain (ie-- if you got something there, it's pretty much 100% it's MS). Also another brain lesion and one on the top of my spine.

The first thing the doc did was aggressively treat it with IV steroids for a week. Unpleasant, but I managed.

I got on Betaseron right away, after adapting my lifetstyle a bit. I'm doing pretty good. Still have jelly-legs, and my speech slurs once in awhile, but I'm very lucky as far as MS goes.

I wish you the best Hyp. PM me if you need some support. Or come visit us in the Chronic Illness forum. There are some more of us there that can offer you some perspective.

fsc

[Ladyhawk]

9. Hugs to everyone in this thread.

Chronic diseases suck and MS is one of the worst. :( I'm pulling for you, HT. And heed the voices of reason: the symptoms come and go and good research is being done.

I just found out I have fibromyalgia. The pain and fatigue have been really bad, but I'm hoping for a turnaround.