I was diagnosed in 2010 but my first definite attack was in 2004 (age 22). My eyesight is rather poor...I can pass a visual acuity test ok, although I do need glasses, but my colour vision, depth perception and ability to track moving objects are shot.

It's only in the last year or so that the sensory symptoms have started to become overbearing. It used to be occasional patches of warmth on my legs, now it's great swathes of skin on my arms, stomach and back that feel like they're being sanded back if even so much as a light breeze touches them. Not to mention the arm and shoulder pain that shocks me awake because it feels like someone is popping the joint out, and causes my hands to cramp so badly I can't use them. This year also marks the first time I have been hospitalised due to an attack - fortunately I seem to have recovered with only very minimal residual weakness.

Despite all this, I feel pretty lucky. I have long tract lesions running both sides from C2-C7 - the effects from that could have been a lot worse.