Im back from hibernation all. Just a bit worried about a few things with me. I may have mentioned this before but, for many, many months now my hand writing has gone down hill. I write like Im back in the 2nd or 3rd grade. I can't hold the pen or whatever correctly.

I do my best, but I can only do so much and then my dh has to take over because I can't do it anymore. Can anyone relate? Also, I can no longer stand straight or sit straight. Im always leaning forward. If I do attempt to straighten up I fall right away. I can lean back in my recliner or w/c no problem, but I can't sit at the kitchen table to eat dinner without sitting forward.

If I try to sit back I fall. Anyone else have this problem? I can feel the progression happening in my body, Im just not sure if this is part of it. My peripheral vision is getting worse. Seems like you know when a horse has those blinders on, that's how I see, and sometimes those blinders close up alittle more. Im having trouble turning my neck and my eyes don't like to turn either. Oh, Im a mess. Now for the embarrassing part.

I take 8400mg cranberry tabs to help keep away those nasty uti's. I have noticed, at times its pretty cloudy, and then the next time I go its perfectly clear. I don't get it. Im terrified of uti's. Ive had a lot of them in my life and they hurt like the dickens. I also had an accident one night while I was sleeping. I freaked out! It has happened 2 more times while I was wide awake. I day I couldn't get out of bed because my legs wouldn't work. They finally started to work, but that scared me. I guess I wondering if it sounds like Im finally heading into the SPMS stage.

No advice sorry, just lots of

Sounds very scary. Wish I had some kind of words of wisdom for you. Hope you get some answers soon!

KL - I can relate to the handwriting, for sure. I don't think there is anything to be done about that.

Take care,
ANN

it does sound like it could be progression....but...
i wonder, have you been seen by your dr? it sounds like you might need some intervention. or at the least to dx what's happening now.

have you ever had steroids? maybe an OT/PT consult could help give you some more strength or tips for doing daily things like write and sitting up. i wonder if there are any aids that might help you.

you could also try calling your local MS society. they might be able to help.
please reach out to your dr. and, have you had a recent visit to an opthalmologist to check your eyes?

keep up posted. if you had a chair with arms would it help you. or a pillow behind your back?

kittyLady, I can only print and if I print to long it gets really bad. I cans till sign my name but that's it. I know when I stand to put the dishes in the dishwasher my back really hurts and also sitting on my breakfast bar stool and doing the weekly pill container thingys for husband and I.

doydie, I can only print too. When I have to cursive, its pretty unrecognizable. Same thing for me with dishes. Talk about back pain, but then again, I have back pain a lot anyway, but gets worse when I have to bend over. When I was getting my pill container ready for myself before we went north for my friends funeral, I totally messed up my pills. I forgot several needed pills. It was a mess.

Nurse Nancy, to answer you, I have been on steroids and we don't mesh well, so neuro has me go on that other stuff of which I cant remember the name. Its a once a day shot. I have no insurance so I cannot go to p/t or o/t or an opthamologist. I cant do anything until April when my medicare kicks in.

Kittllady, I have my pill keepers down to a science now. First off I do my husbands. We take the same vitamin so after I put them in his I leave the cap off and put them in the bar stool beside me. And then I finish the rest of his and set it aside. Then I start on mine. I do the AM first, get the vitamins and replace the caps and put the bottles on the phone book. Then I start on all the other ones. If there is one I take twice a day I take the bottle, put it on the bar stool with the cap off. As I am done with all the others I put those bottles on the phone book. Then I start the night time keeper. Finish up the ones in the bar stool and get their caps back on and then the others. Goes much faster than putting vitamins in his and then mine. Putting my twice a day in AM and then PM, works real quick like this, can get it done in 30 minutes instead of the 35. I also started a tupperware container just for husbands medicine. My cake pan was over flowing. Now it's just packed.

I have a recloseable bin I keep all my meds in. My pill keeper has am/pm sides so that's nice and helpful. I put little pieces of hospital tape on top of the meds I take at night with like the first letter or 2 of the med name so I know to put that in my pm side. Helps me and dh when filling my pill jar that way there's no hunting for pills.