Hello,

I’m writing to your forum because, quite frankly, I am extremely fearful that my life is changing in a way I would have never ever expected one year ago.

I am 55 years old. I grew up in Iowa. I now live in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

I experienced two visual field cuts last year, one in July and one in September. Because I have a history of atrial fibrillation—I had mitral valve repair surgery in August of 2005—my docs jumped to the conclusion that I was throwing emboli. An embolic cause seemed to be ruled out after an MRI, MRA, carotid echo, and transesophageal echo. Nonetheless, my cardiologist and electrophysiologist convinced me to begin Coumadin therapy until such time that another cause could be determined.

In late November of last year I experienced my first episode of utter fatigue. I was out of it for about four days.

My vision was blurring on occasion, but my ophthalmologist could see nothing wrong inside my eye.

I had more episodes of fatigue this past winter and also noticed a weakness in my right leg. I had been going to a cardiac rehab center to workout 3X a week for an hour. The leg weakness had me cutting my sessions short.

On April 20th I woke up feeling very different. I have been experiencing the utter fatigue every day since then, sometimes accompanied by a low grade fever. I have stopped going to the cardiac rehab center. I’m losing my legs. My gait has been affected. I must walk very slowly. Standing for more than ten minutes has me reaching for a chair.

I’m having cognitive problems and also some difficulties with speech.

Since April 20th I’ve experienced two more visual field cuts (while on Coumadin) and my vision is blurred more often than not. My ophthalmologist thinks now that the problem is behind my eye. She has referred me to a retinal specialist. I see him tomorrow.

I’m going downhill . . . quickly!

I am a biology professor and a chair of my department. I am not teaching this summer, but I am continuing with my chair duties, although with difficulty. I am terrified—I feel that I may have to give up my job.

A rheumatologist I saw two weeks ago has agreed with me that my symptoms point to MS. I currently have an appointment to be reevaluated by the neuro doc who ordered my MRI/MRA last fall—but I could not get into see him until July 6th.

I’m going back to Iowa to visit relatives next month, so I put in a request to be seen at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. I haven’t heard back yet.

Susie