Scared By Poss Ms Diagnosis Posted: 01-06-04 08:30am
I have just returned from the dr's after
being told that I may have ms and that I
need an mri scan to confirm - I am scared!
I dont know very much about this
condition and up until now I was being
told that I had shingles, although I never
got the rash!
I have had a numb/tingling sensation
around the left side of my body in a band
from my spine to the middle of my chest
for about 4-5 weeks. This has recently
spread down the left side of my body as
far as my knee, but the spread has
remained on the front only.
I had a similar experience for about 8
weeks just over a year ago in the band
around the left side of my body as
described above, but this never spread and
was also put down to the shingles virus,
although no rash occurred.
I have to wait 6 months on the nhs for an
mri scan and in the meantime have months
of anxiety and worry!
Coincidentally, both these episodes have
followed periods of stress in my life.
Does this sound like ms or does anyone
have any idea of what else this could be?
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Jayce1
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 14 Jan 2004 Posts: 1 Location: uk
In the Same Boat.......... Posted: 01-14-04 17:44pm
Hi, just popped on this forum for the
first time! Your story sounds very
similar to mine, I too am also from the
uk.....If you want someone to talk to who
knows how you feel i'll be happy to
listen. Maybe you have msn messenger?
Jus' lemme know if you wanna chat!
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litekpr2
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 20 Feb 2004 Posts: 23 Location: USA
Posted: 02-21-04 00:33am
Hmm, could be ms, but remember that there
are a lot of illnesses which can display
the same symptoms as ms.
I just wanted to reassure you that even if
you get a positive diagnosis of ms, it's
not a death sentence. It will not even
appreciably shorten your life span. New
data about treatment or prevention is
being researched and discovered every day.
This disease is so variable no one can
tell you what your experience with the
disease will be. It could very well be
that you might not have any more symptoms
(called being in remission) for the next
20 years. On the other hand, some
patients have a far more difficult time
with frequent and/or disabling symptoms.
What's more, ms is treatable and there is
very good data showing the improvement
rate with the specific injectable drugs
and they are usually covered by your
insurance. Sure, giving yourself
injections is a hassle but before you know
it, it will be as routine as brushing your
teeth.
I've been diagnosed with ms since june
1998 and been on one of the injectable
drugs (copaxone) since feb 1999. I have
had only one really bad "exacerbation" or
"relapse" and that was before I started
the medication. None since then.
So don't dread the future since you don't
know what it holds. Just take life one
day at a time and enjoy what you have in
the present. After all, no one knows
what will happen tomorrow, even people who
don't have ms.
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cordelia
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 23 Feb 2004 Posts: 6
Exacerbation Vs Relapse? Posted: 02-23-04 19:27pm
What is the difference b/w exacerbation
and relapse?
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litekpr2
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 20 Feb 2004 Posts: 23 Location: USA
Exacerbation = Flareup Posted: 02-23-04 21:08pm
In common usage, the two words are used
interchangeably. They mean the same
thing, at least in terms of ms. They
both describe a period of time in which
symptom(s) that you do not normally have
trouble with will pop up and give you
trouble, possibly to the point of needing
medication(s) just to treat individual
symptoms. Any "new" symptoms have to be
present for at least 48 hours for an
actual "exacerbation" to be declared.
With treatment or without, this symptom
(or set of symptoms) will almost always
weaken eventually and hopefully go away
with no residual damage. When this
happens and assuming there is no residual
damage leftover, the "exacerbation" is
said to be over and you are back in
remission again.
