[carbreezy]

...I am still waiting on on my appointment for the spinal tap - but

I am interested in "what does Your Flare Up's" Feel Like..?
what have been some of your Main Symptoms when u get them..?

Does a Flare mean a New Lesion has probably Formed..?

Thank You

[KittyLady]

If 1000 people responded to this post, you'd get 1000 different answers. Hits everyone differently. Over my years, I had a flare every year and each year the flare was different. They were very mild like cramping in my hands, or feet or legs, pins and needles in the face. I have developed TN, so thats been around since 2005. My last flare last December hit my legs hard. Couldnt walk, standing was a challenge, very dizzy, legs and feet went numb and I had my first battle with the dreaded "hug". There's more I think, but my memory is also something thats suffering now. My kids get a kick out of talking to me, they say I can say the same thing 5 times but I dont remember. Gotta laugh!!

[carbreezy]

thank you KittyLady.

I am not sure if i get to call mine "Flares" yet cause i have not had my spinal tap yet. ( just the MRI - showing Lesions )

My symptoms for many years have been:

extreme Fatigue
Weakness
Pain

(and most recent a slight face numbness and also tingling in my legs)

I always new something was Not Right...But i also Never thought my brain would show "Lesions" and a Neuro Doc is saying I have a Demyelinating disease ... ( just in Shock...sad)

[carbreezy]

Oops..!!! FORGOT to say my Memory has Declined..!! My rate at which i speak is Slower...Hard to find the Right Words...
My walking speed is slower...My Balance is "Off" !!

your Right... lot's of symptoms...

I am Interested in "Location" of the Lesions and How that effects us...

[BBS1951]

My flares aren't bad anymore. I get tingling, feel like sunburn, and crosstalk, typically. Usually just sensory symptoms. And of course fatigue, my old friend.

Good luck connecting lesion location with symptom. The nervous system is to complex to be able to really do it.

[Dejibo]

I have a few tells that will warn me of an impending flare. My left foot will drag, buzz, and hurt like my shoe is tied way too tight. My eyes will blur and my vision isnt as sharp or clear. it will darken too. Sometimes this is from a fever and you need to investigate if you have a bladder infection, tooth infection or some other reason your body wants to fight. If all those are fine, its normally flare time.

My MS center defines an MS flare as
1. any NEW or Worsening symptom
2. it must last for 24 hours straight with no breaks.
3. you then have 10 days to decide if you want steroids.
after 10 days the recovery rate of those who took steroids versus those who didnt is almost exactly the same, and the risk no longer outweighs the benefit.

Remember steroids too come at a cost. They are quite effective in helping calm the inflammation, but they rob calcium from your bones, and do other nasty things. its not so bad if you do it now and again, but those who do round after round end up having their MD worried just as much about the steroids as they do about the MS. EVERY drug has a good and bad side effect. Its a trade off.

I save my steroid treatments for visual stuff (dont want to risk my eyes) or a really bad flare. (cant walk, cant find my words)

MS is a learning game. its like a finger print. YOUR MS wont behave exactly like MY MS. I may go blind, you may just get buzzy feet. I may not be able to think of the proper words, or be unable to speak properly, and you may end up with the hug and be exhausted with constipation. Its always best to know your body, and your symptoms. What is your worst symptom?pay attention if it gets worse. pay attention if you get a new symptom.

Hang in there.

[SallyC]

To me flares are milder and usually just mild tingling, tightness, weakness and an unwell feeling. To me an exacerbation is the big one (elizabeth...remember Sanford & Son?)

Exacerbations from hell, I call them, last longer hurt more and you feel helpless and scared. It's such a relief when they go away that, you think you're cured. Then the smaller flares come along to remind you that your MS is progressing right along..

Take a deep breath CB..

[EricP]

Not sure it was a flare, but my worst time(before I got the DX) was dealing with a slight bladder problem, head spinning and cognative stuff. My last vertigo episode was bad enough to get me on the track to figuring out what was happening. We all knew it wa sgoing to be MS as a few family members have had it and one is still around who has it in my direct blood line. This has peaked an interest in my doctors.

[EricP]

Originally Posted by BBS1951

Good luck connecting lesion location with symptom. The nervous system is to complex to be able to really do it.

I know it...it almost seems like yo ucould take ou thte bad wiring and re-insulate it then put it back in...no more short circuits

But no...it's not that easy

[new2net98]

Originally Posted by BBS1951

My flares aren't bad anymore. I get tingling, feel like sunburn, and crosstalk, typically. Usually just sensory symptoms. And of course fatigue, my old friend.

Good luck connecting lesion location with symptom. The nervous system is to complex to be able to really do it.

by crosstalk do you mean diff words in diff order? I even type in diff order & am no dyslejsuc

my apologies, when tired, tpying sux.