Keri, Your going to do what you want to to no matter what anyone is trying to tell you, that's okay, it's your body. And your new to MS and what can and can't be done. Good luck with your second round of IVSM.

I disagree with Bird ( sorry, Bird ) but my experience has been much different and had I sat around, rested and did nothing I would have been in a wheelchair very early on, no doubt about it.

I know you said you don't like to hear about someone elses experiences because you don't know what your MS will be like - none of us do no matter how long we have this disease. But I am going to tell my story - read it or don't, your choice

I was 25 when I had my very first exacerbation. I spent a few months in the diagnostic process, in those few months this is what my symptoms were:

Numb from the waist down including the private area
weakness in the extremities
Tremors in my hands
Extreme Difficulty walking, barely able to get around my home.
pain
L'Hermittes
Vibrations/buzzing from the waist down

I was diagnosed based on a positive LP, neuro exam and symptoms, every other test came back negative including the MRI but back then I also had other tests that are not part of the MS diagnostic tests.

When My neuro told me I had MS I thought, okay now I can get something to "fix" this, wrong. Instead my neuro told me there was nothing he could do other than steroids and to live my life as normally as possible.

My neuro also told me if I did nothing else, walk. He said that might be hard to understand since I could barely move but it would help.

Exercise/Physical therapy is helpful with MS and for fatigue

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/site/PageServer?pagename=HOM_LIB_sourcebook_exercise

So, that's what I did, walked. At first it was baby steps -to the mail box and back. Then I would sit down and cry - my legs felt like they were going to give out from that small effort, they were vibration/buzzing like crazy and I needed to sleep.

I continued this routine a few times a day with the same outcome and always with tears. Slowly, very slowly I started to notice I was increasing my distance.

I have mostly cervical spine lesions - spinal lesions cause mobility problems. With every exacerbation (except for one) has always severely affected my mobility and everytime I start all over again to walk - I start my mini walking while I am in the exacerbation.

I can't over do it, my body won't allow it.

My current neuro was shocked when he saw my c-spine MRI, shocked that I am still ambulatory without mobility aids. Based on my c-spine MRI I should not still be able to walk, at least unassisted.

I have never used the DMDs and have only used oral prednisone for my first 2 exacerbations, the rest I have waited out. I have had 6 exacerbations in 22 years - one exacerbation for each of these years -

1986
1987
1994
2001
2002
2007

My neuro does not want me on the DMDs.

Will your experience be anything like mine? I doubt it but you never know.

I would caution you to have patience. You have the rest of your life to deal with this disease.