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Originally Posted by Thumper2
Yesterday I was officially diagnosed with MS. My MRI showed 3 lesions on my brain and one on my spine. I’m a bit shocked and scared but also relieved to know what’s happening to my once able body. It’s scary not knowing what will happen and how my body will react.
She wants me to start therapy (injections) and has given me literature on several medications. She wants me to read up on the treatment and have input as to what we decide. She feels that Copaxone is a good choice to start with because the side effects seem to be minimal compared to others. And she said it is very possible that I will be feeling pretty good by Christmas.
I'm leaning towards Copaxone, although I dread having to do 365 shots and more and I don’t think I can stick myself with a needle. I can’t even stand letting someone else do it let alone myself.
I’m going to have a ton of questions so please bear with me. I know nothing about MS or it’s treatments or strange nuances. I have to do my homework this weekend and read the literature my doctor gave me.
I think I do have some situational depression right now. And the possibility that I may progress into a more disabling state is daunting. My doctor thinks I should start on an antidepressant. I was against that at first as I always have been one to just stay strong and upbeat. But I think it may help at this point, at least for the short term anyhow. Then I can re-evaluate. I also am concerned about depression as a side effect. Any more and it will be too much for me to handle, I'm afraid. So it might be best to start treatment for that as well. Nip it in the bud so to speak.
Right now I keep telling myself………I MAYHAVE MS BUT MS DOESN’T HAVE ME!!
And in retrospect, thank goodness the default font is so big  |
Now you can tell people that it WAS all in your head (and spine) just not the way THEY thought it was. (did your doctors look at you like you a looney hypochondriac...a few of mine did!)
As for the shots,, if you pick Copaxone, I really recommend that you learn how to do it manually and with the autoject. Manual shots are a lot easier to do, and doesnt give you too big of a post injection hive as the autoject does sometimes.
Learn how to do both and then figure out which one is the best way for you to do the daily "stick". I did the autoject for probably just under 6 months before I got tired of the ritual of loading the autoject and having to figure out what setting to put it on for certain parts of my body. Just using the plain needle is easier to deal with for me. Plus, I think manual shots, if you can do them yourself, are much easier to control that the autoject is.
It's really not as horrible as some of us sometimes make it out to be. It's just...kind of tiring at times to have to give yourself a shot every day. I usually take a couple of days off during a month, just so I can pretend to be normal for a day or two, and allow any redness from the shots to heal a bit if I have any.
What's weird is, that I can give myself a shot every day, can look at the needle while I'm injecting and everything, but if someone else is going to give me a shot, I still cant watch them give me shot. It's weird.