I was diagnosed in March 2007 with MS after having a fairly severe exacerbation. I had noticed in the year prior to the attack that I was experiencing tingling in my legs whenever I went for a walk. I was also having pt for my right knee during this period because of pain from arthritis. A few weeks before Christmas 2006, I fell in my shower on the same knee. I was in a knee brace and more pt was ordered. I first has to use crutches and then a cane to get around.

A few months later I experienced a weird pain/tightening in my left rib cage. My pcp diagnosed it as costochronditis. A few days later I noticed that the left side of my torso (rib cage to upper leg) was partially numb. I went to the ER; it was the weekend and they said I had shingles. I went back to see my pcp on Monday and he said I had no sign of shingles and sent me to the ER at a bigger hospital in Champaign/Urbana. They did a MRI of my spine without contrast and said I had a herniated disc. I then had an appointment with spine specialist who said that was not true (had a few bulging disks) and I needed to see a neurologist.

My pcp then ordered a brain MRI and referred me to a neurologist. MY pcp called me in the morning of March 29th and said he wanted to see me. I thought I was going to be told I had a brain tumor, and was relieved when he tole me I had MS. A few weeks late the neurologist confirmed the diagnosis after an additional mri with contrast of the T spine and a spinal tap which had o-bands in my spinal fluid.

He also believed I had MS for several years with mild symptoms. My left foot has been partially numb for about ten years, but doctors never really paid attention to the problem when I would mention it.

It took me about two years to recover to a degree from that first exacerbation. I use a cane to walk when I leave home, and I cannot walk very far without severe pain in my back and left leg. I have two lesions on my t spine and a few brain lesions. My MRI's have been mostly stable since the first year.

I ended up retiring from college teaching in May 2012, and I still miss it sometimes. However, I felt like I was doing the students a disservice because I just didn't have the energy to do a good job and I was getting sick a lot.

I have tried betasereon (allergic), copaxone (too many severe IPIR's), and tysabri. I went into shock during tysabri infusions and tested positive for antibodies. So I have not been on any dmd'd since 2008. I have tried a number of medications for symptom control, but I was either intolerant to them or they did not help.