I went to the MS clinic here in my state yesterday. After about 5 years of off and on problems I was diagnosed with MS yesterday.
I am not happy with the dx but am glad to know what is going on, and that I am not crazy.
Five years ago I started to have eye pain and visual changes. Numbness in my right foot. Had an MRI and it was clean. Had an EMG done. It showed Carpal Tunnel in my left hand. But, I do not have any sypmtoms of CT.
I went a couple of years with nothing then I was hit hard with Trigeminal Neuralgia. I thought maybe it was a tooth so I declined going on treatment. I had pretty constant facial and head pain during that time. Only it was tolerable. Then I had another flair of TN pain and decided to get my tooth looked at. I had a tooth pulled thinking that was the problem. Hoping pulling it would take care of my problem. It didn't, I still have mild TN pain. Then in May of this past year I developed Optic Neuritis. Went for all of the MS tests this time.
Brain MRI showed ON and area of demyelenation. Although the area was not in the "typical" MS area. I saw two different neurologists. One said the area was migrane or caused by high bp. The other said migraine stressed caused by my 7 children. Crazy woman!!
I gave up at that point. Went on. Had another test in September to see how my eye was doing. Things were improving. January 2008. Eye pain started again. Went to eye doctor have vision field test. It was now worse than with the first bout of ON. They claim to have seen pallar this time.
Went for MRI. Confirmed ON again. I finally got into the MS clinic yesterday. I took all of my tests. MRI's, BAER,SSER, VER, blood work, eye exams, letter from my PCP..
Two MS specialists went through all of my paper work before they saw me. They had their minds made up even before they did my exam. They said I am in the early stages of MS. They want me to start Avonex in the next couple of weeks. They started me on Trileptal for face pain. I have to go for a T-spine MRI in two weeks.
So, combined with all of my tests, history, and exam I did leave finally knowing what is going on. I am not happy, but at least I know now. Being in LImbo is very difficult. I feel bad for all of you who are still trying to get help.


LA

First of all, if I haven't already Welcomed you to NT, please let me say right now that I'm glad you are here. But, sorry about your DX, but at least you know what's been causing your problems.

Good luck starting the Avonex and take care.....

La,

I'm sorry that you were dx with MS, but you know what

I'M GLAD YOU FOUND US!!!

Knowing you have MS is a sobering bit of knowledge, but please know that you are in really good hands here with us.

Hugs to you LA.

Receiving a diagnosis of anything bad is a shock. Having your suspicions of many years finally heard and seen is a relief, but it puts the same stress on your body as the bad news does.

It's a very hard thing to do, but try to breathe deep for a few days and relax. Now that you know what is wrong for sure, you can take steps to start on this split in the road.

You're not alone! ( but then, you know that since you are here! )

Thank you everyone. I am doing ok tonight. It was stressful letting those around me know and dealing with their reactions.
Tonight I know there are people ready and willing to help. The hardest part of this is making sure my kids are taken care of. I can still care for them. I intend to always be able to take care of them. But I know there are others willing to step up and help if needed. So, I think I can do this now. I know what is wrong. I am looking reading what I can about Avonex. I have some questions and a concern I need to bring up with my PCP. But I have a few days before I really have to think about it. I am looking forward to hopefully feeling better.


LA

Welcome LA.. So sorry for your recent DX, but glad you found a place, with PP who understand all you are experiencing.

I hope you find something to ease your TM pain.

I'm sorry you are diagnosed with MS. On the other hand I'm glad for you as now you have a confirmed answer. You're in the right place for support.

BTW, there has never been any clinical linkage of MS to having 7 children. Although I don't want to take any chances so I stopped with 2.

LOL, Dr.'s have a hard time believing that anything could be wrong with me because the "stress" of having 7 children MUST be causing all my SX, Hmmm, what if I don't even tell the next Dr I have kids at all.

I prayed really hard this week that the subject of my children did not come up. What actually happened was these two MS doctors, a man and a woman, both rolled their eyes when I told them what the other neurologist had said. I was much more comfortable after that!

It is just a bias and the problem is you do not know what doctor will have an the bias and which one won't.


LA

Hello,
OK, I love your sense of humor!!! I am sure there are other things I could honestly blame on my 7 children but I think you are correct, MS is probably not one of them!!

Now the grey hair,,,,that is a different story!

LA