Neuro appointment tomorrow
 

I go for my three month checkup tomorrow. I have some prescriptions to renew and some questions. Some of them are a little embarrassing, some are just curiousity and some are serious.

I finally made a list of questions and then pared them down to the top 5, if there's time I will ask the remainder. He always schedules me for his last appt of the day so we can talk. ( I love this guy)

So...why am I posting? Cause I am a bit worried. I have noticed an increasing sense of DECREASED mobility.

I am not sure if it is winter or weight or what. I have put on a LOT of weight. I don't know how much cause I absolutely HATE scales, I always have. I am 6'2 and I have always been big ( imagine that :p) It's always been something that bugged me, taller, larger, longer, wider, so I avoid scales like the plague. I fight the negative body image in my head by avoidance.

I am afraid I will hear the words " you need to lose some weight"

I KNOW I DO! We all know that is easier said than done...:mad:

I just feel sort of 'ponderous'...does that make sense? I feel as if I am waaaaaaay more careful of how I walk and bend and move than I ever was before and I am not sure what to make of it or how to explain it, or if it is a symptom or because of the weight, or age or what!

I am still learning how to live with this stupid disease and what IS and ISN'T MS.

I don't usually post negatively, but there it is...me..negative, maybe scared of progression?

On the positive side, I haven't had a relapse in more than 10 months now, at least not what I consider a relapse! No dizziness, cognitive carp, no eye problems, spazzing seems to be decreased as well!

Sigh...off to work now, have a good night everyone!:grouphug:

Sounds like you have a hard time putting things into words. You want to ask what's going on but are having a hard time with how to ask so it sounds right.

And you don't want to vent either... nobody does, but sometimes you have to, need to. Don't feel badly about that. Type it all out and delete it if you can't press submit, but at least type it out. Or pm somebody you trust, okay? It's normal to worry and goodness knows we get too little normal around here!

:winky:

Good luck with the doc.

:hug:

i think getting ready for dr appts makes us nervous in general.
i hope your appt goes well.

before i lost some of my weight i seemed SOB (short of breath) with everything i did. when i lost 40lbs i didn't have that anymore.

if you do need to drop some lbs set a short term goal, like 5 lbs. something that's doable. then take it from there.

i started by changing what i had to eat in my fridge/freezer and pantry.
i cut my portion sizes and the # of times i ate/day. i also cut out sweets as i had turned diabetic.

good luck with your appt.
please let us know how it goes.

Just ask the questions RW and see what the doc says! It's easier once it's out in the open.

Maybe what you need to do, and this is a tough one too, is have a complete physical by your internist. Don't smack me...:p

Anxious to hear how your appt goes!

:hug:

I agree with Cheryl, a physical sounds like a great idea.

Ughhhh.......the weight thing. I used to be skinny,even up into my thirties. I saw the word "obese" on my report.:eek: I'm still reeling from that one !

Good luck RW.

I saw a brand new neuro last week and was a bit disappointed that he really didn't seem to take much interest in me. He's ordered a new MRI which I have next week, so maybe he was waiting for those results.

About the weight....keep this in your mind ...........

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time! Consider that same thing in losing weight terms.

Take note of what Nurse Nacy has said, and set an achievable goal. The rest will follow from there.

Please let us know how you get on, because we'll all be thinking of you.

Good luck!

(better you then me!:D hate going to the Dr)

I think your post is legitmate and real. So vent away I say !! Lord, knows we all feel badly about this or that. And you are worried. How can you tell your mobility is worse?

Tomorow, along with you, I will send a loving spirt, a kind heart, a self love and help me attitude. YOu already said you like this doc, and he gives you the time of day. Maybe you want to consider bringing up your weight first. In that way you control the topic. Or dont bring it up.

Whatever, know this, you are never alone, you have US. Please let us know how the apt goes ok?

Warmly, Jan

Good luck with your neuro. Nice to see that he takes time for you.

About the weight, could it be some of the meds you take? I know that when I was on neurontin and now lyrica I have put on weight. When I went of the neurontin I lost 60 lbs in a few months. Now I have gained about 20 with the lyrica (only on for about 2.5 months), hope I don't gain too much. OK nice that the breast get bigger, but the gut? hate it.

Again good luck,let us know how it goes.

Watching and waiting for a report RW..........

I can read your nervious heart in your post..........You will be okay @ the dr............is it the what happens after that your worried about? The fact that YOU know you need to lose weight...(i think most of us do) I mean it makes perfect sence doesnt it? Our legs and body doesnt do so good hauling us around anymore so if it was lighter it may be easier? ..........OH LIKE IN A FAIRY TALE........... LOL LOL....
It looks so easy and good in writting dont it? I am with ya....I am so stiff anf sore all the time from spasticity, I hardly move much at all right now....when I do I am hurting so bad I am a total B**** and when night comes I am so wore out and sick of being grumpy.....I just wanna go to bed..........

I think the greatest Part of weight loss is the mind set............and mine isnt "set" yet.....but it sounds like yours is..........baby steps my friend........one stepping stone at a time.......soon they will be farther and farther apart and you will have to jump from one to the other.......the rest of the time you will be flying high and not have to be stepping at all...................YOU HAVE WILPOWER, DETERMINATION, DRIVE, MINDSET.......U will make it through............(I know you got all those things cuz I look to you to get them for myself...you inspire me girl)

Let us know how it goes.....your friends here will be waiting for ya..
Love ya,
Kay

Lots of luck with your appt., I'm sure it will be fine. Please update us when you can. :hug:

:hug: Vent away. That's what we're here for. ;)

I'd ask the doc what he thinks. I've been overweight all my life, but except for this little thing called MS - I'm in perfect health. I passed my last physical with flying colors.

Keep us posted.

Hey RW?? You know I'm sending good thoughts and prayers your way.
Dr's appts have a way of making us freak out. I have one next week.

You know your buds here are in your corner. take care and come back and let us know how your appt went. :hug:

Whinewhinewhine!

LOL...it went fine.

He did some tests, close your eyes and touch your nose...(thanks joellelee! I posted on your thread that I did that and failed the first try?)

Failed again.

Put my feet together and close my eyes and stand there...felt myself falling over sideways.Put my arms out for steadiness and balance.

Fail.

Weakness in legs and arms...tremor when I try to lift against his push.

Fail.

Yes I need to lose weight, but he thinks it's more than that. Soooo...new PT assessment, a written prescription for swimming so insurance will pay :D, Lab tests for thyroid, liver, Vit B12, Vit D, iron, and something else I forgot. Refill on my prescriptions and a half hour for chat about me getting back on the river by spring. He says YES!


:Thanx::Thank you::Dancing-Chilli::nopity:


It's NOT all in my head!

Nice of you to check in with us Miss RW....:p

I failed the close your eyes and stand still too. No balance! Doc caught me before I fell over! Nice guy! ;)

I asked him about the touch the nose to his finger and why he puts his finger so far away! He says that so you have to stretch your arm straight out. A lot of people can disguise tremor by keeping their arm close to their body. By making you stretch out your arm full length, you can't hide that! Learned something new on Tuesday! :)

I am glad that you have a goal of getting back on the river by Spring! :You-Rock:

Wow that went pretty good then didnt it......I mean except for failing your tests...oh well you were not being graded anyway...lol......

Good deal RW.............thanks for sharing the good news..........

My dear departed Dad always used to say..."Diet??? Close mouth, move ****!"

It's time to follow his wise words yet again...waving bye bye to all the things I ate too much of lately.

My theory is eat what you want in moderation, as in one square of dark chocolate rather than the whole bar...I've done it before and I can do it again.

I see a lot more salad and water in my future, and much less Fenway Fudge ice cream...:(

Salads are good! They are also very portable! Road Trip Food!

Good luck on the labs. And glad the doc is looking into this.

I totally see you on the water as soon as conditions permit, since you've set your mind to it.

:cool:

Just getting to spring will make all the diff, and being out in nature, now that's the best medicine. You get out on the river, and I'll get out in the roses - deal?

thanks for posting an update.:):) the river sounds real good to me,
you can do this.

Take care,

Soxmom

Thanks for the update. Glad the doc is looking into things for ya. :)

As far as salads go..remember romaine lettuce has more nutrients in it than regular lettuce. And don't follow my bad example of drowning the rabbit food in salad dressing, lol ;)

6/2" :confused: ... so now I'm thinking, this person must be a guy. :Ponder: Hmm . . . always had you pegged as female for some reason. :cool:

Ok, so you don't want to get on the scale, eh? Unfortunately, even our sweats can't lie forever. :wink:

I put on 30 lbs over a few years, and I wasn't sure why. I wasn't able to drop it either, even though I ate very little. I stopped antidepressants, and it FELL off. Some of the medications we are on can cause this, so don't be too hard on yourself. :hug:

When I was heavier, the worst part was when I had an attack (especially paralysis). It takes much longer to be mobile again when you are carrying around the excess pounds.

The other thing, as you've already pointed out, is that it makes it very hard to figure out which symptoms are caused by the weight, or by the MS (balance issues, walking difficulty, tingling in limbs, etc). Obesity (50+ pounds excess over average, that's my definition and I'm sticking to it :D), combined with a lack of exercise, can cause all kinds of other medical problems as well; diabetes, cholesterol, high blood pressure.

We have enough to contend with just having MS, so you owe it to yourself to take care of the things you can, right?

:Soapbox: Ok, I'm done now. :p

If it's any consolation :rolleyes:, it doesn't sound like that is what is causing your mobility problems though, by the testing that was done. :( Unfortunately, this MonSter can continue to do 'it's thing', even when we are not relapsing, and are feeling relatively good. That's the part that scares me the most . . . those wake-up calls.

How long have you had MS, btw?

Take good care of you (just one more little plug to get you back into your blue jeans. :winky:)

Cherie

Uh Cherie? (Taffy sitting on hand.) River is a girl! You could be 5/2" and be a girl or you could be 6/2" and be a girl! Opps! My hand just slipped and smacked someone!:eek:

:ROTFLMAO: . . . :eek: . . . ok, so my intuition was right the first time.

6'2" . . .? WOW, how cool is that? I've never met a woman over 6' (and that's my neice).

Well, the good news is you have lots of room to hide those extra pounds anyway.

What size feet, may I ask? :D

Cherie

I can personally vouch for the fact that RW is female. And yes, she is 6'2", Yabbit (yeahbut) is5'2" and I am 5'3".

Tell you what, I will post a photo of her! She's the one on the left, I am in the middle and our cute little Yabbit is on the right!

. . . but I just wanna see her feet! :eek: :p

(very lovely pic, thanks Cheryl)

Cherie

Just think shoe boxes, Cherie...and you're there... :D

*I* can say that...RW and I are friends. She won't hit me...(I think!)

On River's feet...she has two of them with five toes on each. Does that help?:D

Geez...Does it always have to be about River?

(whining...what about Taffy?)

You are so monster tall! Yes, even you FG! I am just 5'1"! I only wear a size 5 shoe! Try to find shoes local in that size. :Noooo:

Ok....back to River....

River? Do you paint your pretty toes?:D

On River's feet...she has two of them with five toes on each. Does that help?:D

Geez...Does it always have to be about River?

(whining...what about Taffy?)

You are so monster tall! Yes, even you FG! I am just 5'1"! I only wear a size 5 shoe! Try to find shoes local in that size. :Noooo:

Ok....back to River....

River? Do you paint your pretty toes?:D
The first time the boyscout troop white water rafted, they had their toe nails painted! I didn't ask!

Soxmom!
It sounds good to me too! I NEED it. I may even have to arrange a river trip somewhere warm right now! :Sinking:


FinLady!
I hear you on the dressing thing! I used to measure it out serving size until I knew how much it was by eyeball! My eyeball grew!
It's back to the tablespoon for me!:Starvin:


Cherie!
All girl here and a LOT of me! We have another "little pickle" on the board here who is 6'2, so I'm not alone!
As to my feet? They fit my body! I could fit DM AND Taffy in one of my shoeboxes.Hmmm...Flygirl and Yabbit would fit in the other! I bet we could squeeze Mary(MBSews) in there somewhere! :Crowded:


Cheryl!
There was a dearth of foot pictures at that meeting! I'm pretty sure there wasn't a clear foot picture taken by anyone who tried to take one!
As for hitting??? I never hit...
I have other means of inflicting torture:hit-safe:


Taffy!
Paint my toenails? I can't see my toenails, never mind get my hands on them for long enough to paint them! They are soooo far away! I have to make it by the chest, the stiff joints and trying to hold the foot in place for more than 5 seconds! I can barely cut them! It's like a spring when I let go! LOL! The boyscouts painting the toenails is tribal behavior...LOL
I can tell you some stories...:ROTFLMAO::ROTFLMAO:

Thanks everyone! I think I was just nervous that he was going to jump up and yell " You're FAT lady! Lose some weight!" :icon_neutral:


I'd have turned into that sobbing 12 year old chubby girl again...:Bawling::Sob:

Yo RW! I have lots of shoeboxes already! As for me fitting IN one...I highly doubt that, not even one of yours! LOL! but thanks anyway!

DM, Mary, Taffy, Yabbit and I can use them for other things I am sure...like mailing things in...or storing stuff...or whatever! ha ha ha!

As for the feet pictures...they have never turned up! Oh yeah!

But here's a picture of You and the Munchkins! (Mary, Yeahbut, Me and RW in the back - as if I needed to tell anyone that!!)

LMAO!

I want you all to know I was ducking down so that MBSews DH could get my head in the picture!!:ROTFLMAO::ROTFLMAO::ROTFLMAO:

Sorry I didn't post earlier.... I am glad all was well and I so hope you are on the river in the spring (if we ever get a spring) I will be there to cheer you on when you go! I know that will make you so happy! What a good incentive to work for! Swim away girl.

RW is one of the most wonderful friend a person could have. I just love ya!!!!

Ok, for her feet - I know FG & I could put our feet inside her shoes. She bought slippers while we were shopping and I didn't know they made them big! :eek: But, then again I only wear a size 6 1/2 :p

When we would stop on our travel to Mass I am sure we were looked at more than once. Since RW is a foot taller than I am! But, I felt like I was in good hands.

:mfr_wha: Wow . . . and here I was thinking that I was tall 'cause I'm 5'8"!!

ROFL @ the slippers...I forgot about that!

WE are definitely Mutt and Jeff. Yabbit is a leeetle bit of a thang and she could hide behind me and no one would know she was there!:p

(btw, you won't be cheering from the shore, you will be screaming from the boat!)

My Amazonian sister -

I'm glad it looks like you'll be back on the river this spring. And don't let the lollipop kids get you down.....

I don't know..... I am a wittle bit skreeed of that...... :eek:

It's about time you checked in Ol' little one! Been worried about you. Where have you BEEN??????

:eek::D

What are you talking about...as I remember, she and I both hid behind you! :p